Join Together For Maylin Kay & Ocean Jay Wright
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I knew the breathless hallow ache of Maylin’s heart before I ever knew her name. The way that your body betrays you under the stress and shock. The first time I recall seeing her was the day I couldn’t take my eyes off of her dispite my realization that it was a very private and intamate conversation she was having. The doctor was telling her that her baby wasn’t handling coming off ecmo as they had hoped. He wasn’t stable, and things weren’t looking good. I knew what that meant. I had signed that consent form. I had read the risks. The risks they tell you about and ask if you’d like to consent to as if you have a choice. Your baby NEEDS ecmo, you aren’t choosing ecmo. That moment flooded me and ripped at the tender raw places that hadn’t yet been healed of my own momma’s heart.
What do you do with that? Do you step forward and shut the door? I prayed and cried and worried she wished I hadn’t been eavesdropping. We’d locked eyes more than once before I would realize and look away. I worried she would think I was rude. I worried she might feel so alone. I worried she wanted to be alone. And most of all, I worried about her baby. I asked everyone I knew, to ask everyone they knew, to pray for the sweet baby behind the door with the cute little elephant poster that read, Ocean.
I chose this cover picture because it represents what Josh and I recall most of seeing into that room. Maylin is a wonderful Mommy. She was attentive, and found every way she could to provide the most normal days for Ocean. She read through a Storybook Bible again and again to him. She took great delight in caring for him in every way she could; daily chosing the perfect socks for him and grooming his hair just so.
Maylin’s love for her baby transcends demetions and circumstances, it is selfless and brave. She chose life for Ocean when his father requested she abort. She still continued to choose life for him at 28 weeks gestation when she knew there were serious trials ahead. She was fearce to oversee he was receiving the best care, and she was empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in very lonely, isolated and scary times.
Ocean overcame many obstacles; only one of them being the day he stableized after the scary time of having the ecmo removed. He was on oxygen for a large portion of his life, and suffered a heart attack at just two days old. He had just recently had a left, and a right side Berlin placed to assist his heart.
Nobody expected Ocean to leave us the night this photo was taken, doctors included. Ocean impressed doctors daily with his progress. He was tolerating the milk Maylin tirelessly pumped for him and was beginning to gain weight.
For obvious reasons, Ocean had become somewhat of a celebrity at St. Louis Children’s. Doctors and nurses would drop by every shift to see him, even when they weren’t assigned to him; everyone needing to check out those socks and that hair.
He and Maylin had a beautiful rhythm to their days. Maylin woke between 5 and 6 every morning. She sang him a goodmorning song and told him that, Mommy would be right back. She would go shower and when she came back he would be awake waiting for her. She sang to him as she would do her hair and he would careen to watch her. Nurses and doctors would drop in and he would nap after morning rounds.
She spent the days talking to him like he was a little adult. He would listen so content; as if he understood every word. She would tell him about all the things she thought he would grow to love. She told him about plans they would have to visit the zoo, museums, and aquariums. They talked about foods that were delicious and animals that were scary. They made up songs about the ocean and all the things that lived in it. He loved to listen to jazz while taking his nightly baths.
Ocean mattered. He changed the world and that’s a pretty tall order for a boy who only blessed us with his presence for ten weeks and two days. To know him was to love him for certain.
His Momma has the gift of being an encourager. She has lavished that upon me and my family as we’ve navigated the life of a family touched by a child with a broken heart.
Would you be so kind as to find it in you to encourage Maylin and support her as she’s navigating the most horrific thing a parent can go through? She has ask for nothing. Again and again I have ask her how I can help her. She always assured me she was ok. No matter what she says, right now I know she doesn’t feel ok. I know first hand that the bills roll in regardless of the difficult time you are in.
When I began to set this page up, it ask me for a goal amount. I didn’t want to set it so high that it might be off putting. I also know that the amount needed will be great. I sat the goal at $5000, but I am fully aware that could never cover everything. I’m praying that we can exceed that amount for her and take every monetary burden she may have from her in this time. Thank you, friends.
A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
Proverbs 18:16
What do you do with that? Do you step forward and shut the door? I prayed and cried and worried she wished I hadn’t been eavesdropping. We’d locked eyes more than once before I would realize and look away. I worried she would think I was rude. I worried she might feel so alone. I worried she wanted to be alone. And most of all, I worried about her baby. I asked everyone I knew, to ask everyone they knew, to pray for the sweet baby behind the door with the cute little elephant poster that read, Ocean.
I chose this cover picture because it represents what Josh and I recall most of seeing into that room. Maylin is a wonderful Mommy. She was attentive, and found every way she could to provide the most normal days for Ocean. She read through a Storybook Bible again and again to him. She took great delight in caring for him in every way she could; daily chosing the perfect socks for him and grooming his hair just so.
Maylin’s love for her baby transcends demetions and circumstances, it is selfless and brave. She chose life for Ocean when his father requested she abort. She still continued to choose life for him at 28 weeks gestation when she knew there were serious trials ahead. She was fearce to oversee he was receiving the best care, and she was empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in very lonely, isolated and scary times.
Ocean overcame many obstacles; only one of them being the day he stableized after the scary time of having the ecmo removed. He was on oxygen for a large portion of his life, and suffered a heart attack at just two days old. He had just recently had a left, and a right side Berlin placed to assist his heart.
Nobody expected Ocean to leave us the night this photo was taken, doctors included. Ocean impressed doctors daily with his progress. He was tolerating the milk Maylin tirelessly pumped for him and was beginning to gain weight.
For obvious reasons, Ocean had become somewhat of a celebrity at St. Louis Children’s. Doctors and nurses would drop by every shift to see him, even when they weren’t assigned to him; everyone needing to check out those socks and that hair.
He and Maylin had a beautiful rhythm to their days. Maylin woke between 5 and 6 every morning. She sang him a goodmorning song and told him that, Mommy would be right back. She would go shower and when she came back he would be awake waiting for her. She sang to him as she would do her hair and he would careen to watch her. Nurses and doctors would drop in and he would nap after morning rounds.
She spent the days talking to him like he was a little adult. He would listen so content; as if he understood every word. She would tell him about all the things she thought he would grow to love. She told him about plans they would have to visit the zoo, museums, and aquariums. They talked about foods that were delicious and animals that were scary. They made up songs about the ocean and all the things that lived in it. He loved to listen to jazz while taking his nightly baths.
Ocean mattered. He changed the world and that’s a pretty tall order for a boy who only blessed us with his presence for ten weeks and two days. To know him was to love him for certain.
His Momma has the gift of being an encourager. She has lavished that upon me and my family as we’ve navigated the life of a family touched by a child with a broken heart.
Would you be so kind as to find it in you to encourage Maylin and support her as she’s navigating the most horrific thing a parent can go through? She has ask for nothing. Again and again I have ask her how I can help her. She always assured me she was ok. No matter what she says, right now I know she doesn’t feel ok. I know first hand that the bills roll in regardless of the difficult time you are in.
When I began to set this page up, it ask me for a goal amount. I didn’t want to set it so high that it might be off putting. I also know that the amount needed will be great. I sat the goal at $5000, but I am fully aware that could never cover everything. I’m praying that we can exceed that amount for her and take every monetary burden she may have from her in this time. Thank you, friends.
A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
Proverbs 18:16
Fundraising team (2)
Gina Haney
Organiser
Seymour, MO
Maylin Harbin-Wright
Beneficiary
Josh Haney
Team member
