This story begins Jan. 15, 2016, at 3:29 a.m., with the birth of my twin grandsons at 29 weeks, or about 11 weeks premature. However, the story goes back even before that, when my daughter Jennifer Evans was admitted four weeks prior to their birth for strict bed rest at Maine Medical Center.
After their birth, they were given immediate care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the following 75 days. The first-born, Kamari, weighed in at a mere 1 pound, 14 ounces; his twin brother, Kordell, followed a minute later, weighing in at 2.6 pounds. Although they were small, so fragile, they didn’t need oxygen, though they would remain hospitalized to grow and get stronger.
Born about 11 weeks premature in 2016, David Greenlaw’s twin grandsons spent 75 days in the Maine Med NICU but are now “happy, healthy, solid and rambunctious,” he says. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Once Mom was discharged, it would be another 2½ months before the twins would be discharged to face the outside world, and even then, they would be discharged separately, two weeks apart. First going home was the smaller of the two, Kamari, who had to demonstrate he could eat, maintain vital signs and pass a car seat test before being discharged. For the next several weeks, Mom would face the daunting task of bundling up Baby No. 1 to trek from Old Orchard Beach to Maine Med to see still-hospitalized brother Kordell.
Following both babies’ release from the hospital, our daughter learned that the company where she had worked for nine years had eliminated her position while she was on maternity leave. A new position was offered to her that would require some nights and weekends. The condo their family had been renting was being sold, so they had to move; the leased vehicle they had would not be renewed because of no job. Lastly, her mother-in-law’s cancer came back, and she passed away the day after both boys were finally home. There was no place to go but forward.
Fast forward to January 2019. The boys, who just celebrated their third birthday, are happy, healthy, solid and rambunctious. Eating up a storm at mealtimes, running and playing, with one potty trained and the other not far behind, looking like any healthy 3-year-old toddlers.
It’s been a thrill and a joy watching them grow from these tiny translucent boys to healthy, no-setback, no-issues toddlers.
As their Papa, as I am proudly known, I can only dream and try to visualize what their future shall be. My scare is the sometimes violent and non-accepting world that we live in. How anyone of this beautiful Earth that God has created could discriminate and harm anyone, any children, including those of mixed races, is unbelievable to me.
I pray they continue to have a safe life growing up, and are always loved and pain-free. Nana and I wish them peace and happiness and look forward to years down the road, many years, and being able to attend their high school graduations. We also have love for our third grandson, Oliver, who is also 3, of Old Orchard Beach. Life is good.
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