DEALING WITH A PREMATURE BIRTH

Many of us who become pregnant, look ahead with much expectation of  having a healthy full term pregnancy and we make our plans accordingly.

Then we find that our little bundle of joy has other plans, they have decided to come early. Some do come early and their prognosis is quite good, but for others, this is the beginning of a lot of anxiety and fear for the parents.

You never think that you would be among those parents who have to leave the hospital with empty arms, leaving your little bundle of joy hooked up to tubes in a neonatal unit and could very possible have to remain there for weeks or even months before they are ready to come home with you, or worst yet, not even come home with you at all because they did not survive. I have never been there but could have been if our first little miracle hadn’t died intrauterine. I therefore can only imagine the anxiety that all involved have to face at this very difficult time. A fellow blogger had, not one, but two ‘premies’ (twin boy and girl) so you can just imagine its double the anxiety. Premature births are common among multiples so try to put yourself in the position of parents of premature triplets etc.

I have come across a lot of blogs in my area of focus (infertility), where many families have to go through this, and it is amazing how they make it through. The blogging community, I find, is full of people who are always there when they are needed. They never fail to pass by these blogs with an encouraging word or prayer or thought. Amidst that though, it strikes me to see how these parents handle these circumstances, they do not throw any ‘woe is me’ or ‘why me’ tantrums, instead they take things one day at a time, having so much hope and never failing to give thanks that they are able to bare children (most of these blogs are of persons who are struggling with infertility).

Pregnancy is much like life, you do not know at all what the future holds. I remember for my pregnancies, whenever I hit the 28 week mark, I would begin to feel some relief, because it is widely known that if your baby decides to come at this point, then (barring any other problems), they would be able to survive outside of the uterus. For the pregnancy with my son, I never felt that I had conquered infertility until I woke from the anesthetic and was presented with my healthy baby boy, because things can go wrong anywhere from conception to birth in a pregnancy.

Whenever you find yourself blessed with a full term healthy baby, you have to be thankful and most of all,  feel very favoured by God, because many are not so privileged.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the blog http://roadlesstraveledblog.blogspot.com Their little one decided to come early, and thanks be to God, his prognosis is very good.

For any of you dealing with a premature birth, you are in my prayers and for those who are pregnant, a healthy, safe and full term pregnancy to you.

image by: http://cf.ltkcdn.net/scrapbooking/images/std/58815-400x265-Nicu.jpg

THYROID DISEASE AND PREGNANCY

In a post last week, I wrote about how having a thyroid condition can affect your fertility.

http://onereachinganother.blogspot.com/2011/06/thyroid-disease-and-fertility.html

For this post I will focussing on having a thyroid condition and being pregnant. Having a thyroid condition means that you either have hypothyroidism (having an under-active thyroid gland) or hyperthyroidism (having an overactive thyroid gland).

Pregnant women who are experiencing tiredness and weight gain, because these are some of the usual signs of pregnancy, will often not think that these symptoms could be associated with hypothyroidism. A blood test, measuring your TSH level, is the best way to know if you have hypothyroidism.

If you have been diagnosed with this condition, then your doctor will look at treating you with thyroid hormone medication to normalise your thyroid functions. This medication is completely safe to take during pregnancy because it is the same hormone that is produced by the body, for the normal function of the thyroid.

Although hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid condition known to affect pregnant women, your pregnancy can also be affected by hyperthyroidism as well. In the same way that tiredness and weight gain, (signs of hypothyroidism) can be overlooked as just pregnancy symptoms, nervousness, weight loss, nausea, feeling warm among others(all signs of hyperthyroidism) can also be overlooked as mere pregnancy symptoms.

A pregnant women who has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, must seek to have this condition controlled because miscarriages and birth defects very often will occur.  Treatment includes taking antithyroid medications, which will cut down the thyroids overproduction of hormones.

For much more on this subject, please visit the site below:-

http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroid-problems-pregnancy

image by: http://www.theguidetohealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pr.jpg

LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS – Feature 14

All of us who struggle with infertility can attest to the fact that it robs us of our happiness. It robs us of our ability to truly laugh and this is why I have come up with this new feature on my blog, called ‘Light Moment Fridays.’ I love Fridays, and I guess it is because this is the beginning of a well awaited weekend. I love the casual laid back mood. This is why I have chosen Fridays for this, where I will post short jokes and funny videos. Our son is at the stage now where he says or does things which is so hilarious, so I will share some of those precious moments with you as well.

This is for you all, especially those of us  who struggle to be happy, amidst our hurts and pain.......DO ENJOY!!!!

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I HAVE DECIDED TO DO AN INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT TODAY.......Be Blessed

"Just checking in today"

A minister passing through his church 
In the middle of the day, 
Decided to pause by the altar 
And see who had come to pray. 

Just then the back door opened, 
A man came down the aisle, 
The minister frowned as he saw 
The man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby 

And his coat was worn and frayed, 

The man knelt, he bowed his head, 

Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, 

Each noon time came this chap, 

Each time he knelt just for a moment, 

A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew, 

With robbery a main fear, 

He decided to stop the man and ask him, 

'What are you doing here?'

The old man said, he worked down the road. 

Lunch was half an hour. 

Lunchtime was his prayer time, 

For finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see, 

Because the factory is so far away; 
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kinda what I say: 

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS MIKE CHECKING IN TODAY.' 

The minister feeling foolish, 
Told Mike, that was fine. 
He told the man he was welcome 
To come and pray just anytime 

Time to go, Mike smiled, said 'Thanks.' 
He hurried to the door. 
The minister knelt at the altar, 
He'd never done it before. 

His cold heart melted, warmed with love, 
And met with Jesus there. 
As the tears flowed, in his heart, 
He repeated old Mike's prayer: 

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY.' 

Past noon one day, the minister noticed 
That old Mike hadn't come. 
As more days passed without Mike, 
He began to worry some. 

At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill. 
The hospital staff was worried, 
But he'd given them a thrill. 

The week that Mike was with them, 
Brought changes in the ward. 
His smiles, a joy contagious. 
Changed people, were his reward. 

The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Mike was so glad, 
When no flowers, calls or cards came, 
Not a visitor he had. 

The minister stayed by his bed, 
He voiced the nurse's concern: 
No friends came to show they cared. 
He had nowhere to turn. 

Looking surprised, old Mike spoke 
Up and with a winsome smile; 
'the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, 
That he's in here all the while 

Everyday at noon He's here, 
A dear friend of mine, you see, 
He sits right down, takes my hand, 
Leans over and says to me: 
'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, MIKE, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO MIKE, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY.'

May God hold you in the palm of his hand and Angels watch over you.

I will return to 'Light Moment Fridays,' next week!!!!!!!!

THYROID DISEASE AND FERTILITY

(Sorry, Blogger would not allow me to import an image, it seem they are have technical difficulties)

Having a thyroid condition, can impact negatively on your ability to conceive. This is due to the fact that a thyroid disease can cause anovulation (no ovulation or release of an egg), and other menstrual irregularities. 

This occurs, because a thyroid condition can interfere with the balance of the body’s reproductive hormones and this can make it very difficult or almost impossible to get pregnant.

If you have been diagnosed with thyroid disease linked infertility, your doctor will administer treatment which includes regulating your thyroid levels, so that the thyroid can resume its normal function thus making it easier to ovulate and making conception possible.

Some women with a thyroid condition also have polycystic Ovaries, or cysts on the ovaries, resulting in infertility as well.

For much more on this issue, please visit the link below:-

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/fertilitythy.htm

PREGNANCY DO’S AND DONT’S

For persons planning to get pregnant and especially for those struggling with infertility, ever so often you daydream about getting pregnant and how blissfully happy you will be.

When we do get pregnant, we are ecstatic of course, but soon we become so preoccupied with all the do’s and don’ts of pregnancies that others are so quick to make known to us, to the point where we are really not able to enjoy our pregnancies, as we otherwise thought we would.

Here are a few categories that I would like to look at:-

I am going to start first with what we can and cannot eat:-

Seafood: is number one on my list. Seafood rich in mercury like swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish etc., is said not be consumed by women who are pregnant. Others such as, tuna, salmon, catfish, shrimp etc., can be consumed but you must not exceed 12 ounces in any one week.

Caffeine and Alcohol:  is said to not to be consumed by pregnant women as well but in recent researches, I am seeing where you up to 300mg of caffeine a day is ok, For  alcohol we are advised not to drink it at all, because no amount of it is safe.

Cheese: Hard cheese like cheddar and mozorella can be consumed, but soft cheese, like blue cheese must be avoided because the milk used to produce this cheese is said to not be pasteurized.

Deli Meats: Deli Meats can be consumed, but they must be reheated in the microwave, to kill any bacteria, which might be present.

Secondly, I want to look at Beauty and Hygiene:-

Manicures and Pedicures: These are safe to have, but you are advised to bring your own equipment to avoid being exposed to any bacteria. You are also advised to stay clear of any salons with strong chemical odours, and look for those with air condition and fans, so you do not inhale fumes.

Lastly, I want to look at sleeping positions  during pregnancy:-

Sleeping positions:  This one drove me crazy when I was pregnant with my son as I was constantly suffering from leg cramps. Sleeping during pregnancy can be quite challenging and uncomfortable and will require you shifting from position to position as you try to feel comfortable. We are advised that it is best to sleep on our left side, as this benefits the baby in terms of blood flow and it also helps your kidneys to eliminate waste effectively from the body, hence reducing swelling in your ankles feet and hands. Since it will be difficult to sleep on one side alone, it is further recommended that you try shifting from side to side, but sleep more on the left side.

There are a lot other do’s and don’ts of pregnancy, that I have not covered and so, below please find some sites with more information in this regard.

http://www.parenting.com/article/pregnancy-dos-and-donts-1199832063709

http://www.babycenter.com/404_whats-the-best-sleep-position-during-pregnancy_7608.bc

It is my wish that you will enjoy your pregnancy, regardless of these do’s and don’ts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A SPECIAL LITTLE SOMEONE

Today, four years ago, after over a decade of struggling with infertility, God sent a miracle into our lives. 

How I can I forget that memorable Saturday, it felt like a heavenly host of  angels had converged at my bedside and with their glorious singing, was ushering me out of my slumber, from the anesthetic of my c-section surgery, to tell me that I had given birth to a healthy baby boy. Help us wish him a Happy Birthday today.

Our son adores ‘Thomas and Friends, for those who do not know, it is a cartoon featuring a train and it’s friends' adventures, set in a place called ‘Sodore.’ He asked us about two months ago, if he could have a Thomas cake for his birthday and we did not hesitate to say yes. Well, it has been very interesting since. Ever so often, I guess so as to check if we were really sincere about our promise, he would ask, ‘Thomas cake for my birthday?’ We soon began using it to keep him in line, which ever so often he finds himself out of. ‘If you do not behave, then you won’t get Thomas cake for your birthday,’ we would tell him. This is usually followed by a tantrum of crying and screaming, ‘I want Thomas cake for my birthday.’ Two days ago, we went to the bakery to make the order for his cake. We had to photoshop an image online because ‘Thomas and Friends’ is not a very popular cake that they do. Thank goodness, he will have his Thomas cake for his birthday.

For the last couple of weeks we have been taking him to toy stores to see what he gravitates to, which should make it easier for us to choose something for him. We went into this store and while I was looking at some remote control monster trucks, (he got a Thomas train last year for his birthday and so we were thinking that he somehow might change his mind from trains and like something else). Well, he did not. His eyes caught a wooden train, which I did not even noticed. He soon drew my attention to it, picked it up and said, ‘I will have this one,’ and was heading for the door with it under his arms, with the store clerks watching him. His Dad and I quickly wrestled the train from his firm grip and promised that we would come back and get it for him. From then on, it has been ‘Thomas cake and brown train for my birthday.’

Two days ago, unfortunately he had to be with us when we went to purchase his gift, so we knew we had to employ some strategy to get through this. We stopped in a store to pick up a little gift for his six year old cousin. We were in the little girls’ section and the store clerk was showing me some handbags which I was interested in purchasing. I picked up one to take a closer look at it, when he remarked, ‘I can’t want that!!!.’ The store clerk and his father and I had a good laugh. Why would my parents be buying me a girl’s handbag, when there are so many  cool boy’s stuff around that I was very much interested in, he was probably thinking to himself. He and his father left to go to the boy’s section of the store and he soon returned with a ‘Thomas and friends’ plate and cup set (He always spot anything Thomas and Friends, as long as it is around). I said to him, if you get that for your birthday you cannot get your train. The store clerk jumped at the opportunity to secure another sale and quickly said,  ‘we have trains’ and took us to that section. He became so excited when he saw them and these trains are a better option because he will have to spend some time putting the tracks together and best of all, it is battery operated with all the fanfare and flashing lights of any little boy’s dream. We had to now employ our strategy to be able to purchase the train without him seeing and so my husband managed to peel him away for a walk and I purchase it and the store clerk offered me a large garbage bag, after which I just walked directly to the car trunk and put it in. Mission accomplished. Thanks to that store clerk, she was really delightfully helpful.

His six year old cousin told us that she has a song to sing at his birthday party, I was blown away when she debut it to me yesterday. It is well written, tune and all. It seems to also have a bridge. I just said to her Dad to try and secure a scholarship for her, later in life at one of the top schools for the Performing Arts, because she is full of promise.

 My husband and I were in the patio where the party will be held, mulling over the setup, when she began enquiring, where will she stand for her performance, she also went on to say that whenever she sings at parties (I guess she is seasoned performer at parties), she usually stands on a chair. I said to her, whatever your little heart desires my dear. I should have asked her if she wanted her own dressing room with a table filled with cheese sandwich and Capri sun juices, because that is all she eats.

Feeling a bit sorry for our son, because to him, it might seem like he has been waiting for all eternity for his birthday, after being promised a Thomas cake, last night I said to him, ‘just one more sleep and it will your birthday. I thought I would get some jubilant emotions, but he just managed to mutter the words, while sucking his thumb, ‘Thomas cake, ma birthday? You think he does not believe that his birthday his actually here and that he will get his Thomas cake for his birthday? Poor fellow.

All in all, I think we will have a good time this evening and Theo will enjoy it more, seeing that his long awaited birthday his here and he is getting everything that his little heart desires, including his own little special birthday song from his cousin. I won’t be selfish, I will share the first line of the song with you.....”Happy Birthday, my dear cousin, you are four today..........”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY son, you have added so much colour and light to our lives and we love you to pieces.

image by: http://www.partystuffonline.co.uk/Largeimages/174397-GEM.jpg 

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IN REMEMBRANCE of Ss. Jeannie Jackson

I want to use this space today as well, to send our thoughts and prayers to a dear friend, who lost her mother today, four years ago.

Karen, your family remain in our prayers as we pray that God continues to grant you comfort and peace. How quickly the years slip by.

We know you are holding tight to those precious  memories of your dear love one. Thank God for those memories.

image by: http://www.chingfordphotographic.com/Images/Projected%20Image%20Comp/2010/Lillies-Large.jpg

FETAL MOVEMENTS IN PREGNANCY

I have come across some pregnant bloggers who have passed 16 weeks in their pregnancies and are quite anxious to know if they have been experiencing fetal movements. Part of the reason for this is, if this is their first pregnancies, having not had the experience before, they could indeed be having fetal movements, but does not know how to recognise it.

When I was pregnant with our daughter which I lost, I was told by a friend that at 16 weeks I should be experiencing fetal movements. I however did not know how to recognise them but when these movements fail to pick up as my pregnancy advanced, I became worried because I suspected that something was terrible wrong with my baby. Our daughter was sadly diagnosed with a very rare fetal diagnosis, ‘Hydrops Fetalis’ (see information about this condition on my home page), and as such was not strong enough for me to feel her move.

When I was pregnant with our son, I started feeling him move even before the 16 week mark and this probably explains why he is so energetic now.

When should we begin feeling fetal movements, then? It is said that a pregnant woman should begin feeling fetal movements anywhere from 16 – 25 weeks in her pregnancy and even though for first time mothers, they might not be able to recognise them, they should gradually be able to identify them as their pregnancy progresses.

Read more about fetal movements by following the link below:-

http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movement-feeling-baby-kick

image by: http://www.womancarepc.com/images/fetal.jpeg

LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS – Feature 13

All of us who struggle with infertility can attest to the fact that it robs us of our happiness. It robs us of our ability to truly laugh and this is why I have come up with this new feature on my blog, called ‘Light Moment Fridays.’ I love Fridays, and I guess it is because this is the beginning of a well awaited weekend. I love the casual laid back mood. This is why I have chosen Fridays for this, where I will post short jokes and funny videos. Our son is at the stage now where he says or does things which are so hilarious, so I will share some of these precious moments with you as well.

This is for you all, especially those of us  who struggle to be happy, amidst our hurts and pain.......DO ENJOY!!!!

                       **********************************************

'MMM TOO BIG!!!!!!!'

This just simply exemplifies a child's innocence and is quite hilarious.

Our son breastfed until he was somewhere between 6 or 8 months. I was really shocked at this because I was told that boys nurse for quite a while. He just stopped quite abruptly and when I made future attempts, he would just look at me and laugh, as if to say, 'who are you giving that thing to.

The thing is though, he, up to this day,  still snuggles up against my breasts and caresses them,  when he wants some comfort and when he wants to sleep. 

We had a couple days of rain recently and so one rainy afternoon, he climbed into bed and snuggled up against his Grandmother and apparently decided to try his luck at her breasts. He took one out and soon remarked, 'mmm, too big!!!!!.' (my breasts are 'A' cups).

My husband and I nearly died laughing.

image by: http://www.support4change.com

"NEW DOUBTS RAISED ABOUT COMMON FERTILITY TREATMENTS"

This speaks in particular to couples who have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, a diagnosis given to one in eight couples.

In a recent article in Shine from Yahoo, mention was made of a recent study published in British Medical Journal with findings which states that, when there was intervention for couples with cases of  unexplained infertility, the success rate for pregnancy, was not any better than for other couples with this diagnosis who just waited and see.

From the article:-

“The study, published in the British Medical Journal, compared two common treatments with the wait-and-see approach. Couples with unexplained infertility were randomly assigned to have ovarian stimulation with the drug, clomiphene citrate (otherwise known as Clomid) or to have intrauterine insemination (IUI) without ovarian stimulation drugs. A third group was encouraged to try to get pregnant but were not given any treatment. Researchers found no significant difference in pregnancy rates among the groups. Women who had no intervention had a live birth rate of 17 percent, the group taking Clomid had a birth rate of 14 percent, and the group having IUI alone had a birth rate of 23 percent. Though the rate is higher in the IUI group and lower in the Clomid group, the differences were not statistically significant.” 

The article also went on to mention that, although Clomid  is a popular drug, used to enhance fertility, it can reduce the chances of the sperm reaching the egg and can also reduce the chances of the uterus supporting implantation of the embryo.

Please follow the link below to read more:-

http://astrology.yahoo.com/channel/health/finding-fertility-new-doubts-raised-about-common-fertility-treatments-230679/

image by: http://blogs.smarter.com/blogs/FE_PR_070403pregnancy.jpg 

INFERTILITY AND YOUR MARRIAGE

A couple of days ago, I was watching the reality show ‘Kloe and Lamar’, a spinoff of the Keeping up with the Kardashians series on E-Television,  (yes I watch that show and I am glad that I have been watching it because now I have information for my blog. It is not a guilty pleasure, but I found myself watching it because there is absolutely nothing else to watch on cable on Sunday nights).

Kloe and Lamar have been married for almost two years now and they have been trying to conceive for about a year or so. After some nagging from her mother together with her frustration from trying and not being successful in conceiving, she decided to visit her doctor to find out if something is wrong with her.

The doctor did an examination and sent her home to await the results. As is expected, she was anxious and began googling possible problems that she could be experiencing which could have contributed to her failure to conceive. At one point I heard her ask if anyone had ever heard of endometriosis. Deep down I was hoping that this was not her problem, because this could further compromise her chances of getting pregnant, depending on the stage endometriosis she has.

After a while, the anxiety of waiting got to her and I heard her exclaim that she will probably turn out to be the infertile wife, who have her husband leave her, because she cannot give him children. That struck me, because in this age of technology and information, I thought we were ways from that notion. I have been reading a lot of infertility stories through my blogging and I have not come across any woman, who has had their husband leave them because of their struggles with infertility. Instead, these men are doing everything they can to support their wives, even if sometimes they trip over themselves.

I am not saying that cases where a husband leaves his wife due to infertility does not exist, because I have heard of one such case, but this is certainly in the minority and is cruel, if you should ask me. Why should  a woman be so severely punished for something that is happening to her, that she has little or no control over.


Men, in all fairness I know this is also a difficult time for you, because it is indeed hard to keep up with the roller coaster of emotions that you wife will subject you to. Let's face it, we are not given a handbook for any struggles that life throws our way, but you still can offer support to your wife without having all the answers. You can simply just be there to wipe her tears and to hold her. My husband did not do much by way of physically supporting and comforting me during my struggles with infertility, and I know now, that this is because he did not know how. The amazing thing however, was that in his silence, he was still there and I felt his presence, enough to assure me that we were indeed, in this thing together and as a result of this, our marriage benefited by becoming richer and stronger and when our prize for enduring this difficult period came (our son), we were able to celebrate, with confidence, that God had truly favoured us.

I wish the same for all of you who are struggling with infertility. May your marriage benefit tremendously from this struggle and may you find God’s favour as we did, and may you emerge better wives and husbands as a result.

N.B. Men, do check out this post that I did earlier on 'what he can expect when she is not expecting' which is really a book written by a man who found himself dealing with infertility in his marriage.

http://onereachinganother.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-he-can-expect-when-she-is-not.html

image by: http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/shine/health/couple.jpg 

LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS – Feature 12

image by: http://www.support4change.com

All of us who struggle with infertility can attest to the fact that it robs us of our happiness. It robs us of our ability to truly laugh and this is why I have come up with this new feature on my blog, called ‘Light Moment Fridays.’ I love Fridays, and I guess it is because this is the beginning of a well awaited weekend. I love the casual laid back mood. This is why I have chosen Fridays for this, where I will post short jokes and funny videos. Our son is at the stage now where he says or does things which is so hilarious, so I will share some of those precious moments with you as well.

This is for you all, especially those of us  who struggle to be happy, amidst our hurts and pain.......DO ENJOY!!!!

                            **************************************************

This is simply hilarious

ANYONE WANTS A DOG??????

My house was broken into last night by two robbers who locked me in the bathroom, and proceeded to steal all they could carry out.  My watchdog, "Killer", did not alert me, and for this reason I am giving him away. I no longer want a dog – I´m installing an electric fence and detection devices with alarms. They´re cheaper and more reliable. For those interested in adopting the dog please send an e-mail urgently.

 A photo of "Killer" is attached below.

 He does have a few problems but with help, he should be ok!!