It was seven years ago when one little pill was the reason my daughter lived.
Previously, I had suffered several miscarriages. My doctor suspected a blood disorder and ran a million tests. One morning, his nurse called to inform me that I had a blood clotting disorder and wasn’t able to absorb any folic acid. And it was impossible to sustain a pregnancy without the help of a blood thinner.
I had just found out I was pregnant again for the third time in as many months so with tears flowing down my face I frantically begged the nurse to tell me what to do.
“Take a baby aspirin, immediately!”
For the next nine months, I took that one tiny orange pill every morning. I think the fact it said “baby aspirin” right on the box was truth in advertising. Because this along with a mega vitamin B pill is what sustained my baby. Also, lots of prayers.
Today this baby is the brightest star in my world. She’s unbelievably sweet, giving and loving. She brought home a project from school yesterday listing what she’s thankful for this Thanksgiving:
I am thankful for the love because it is great.
I am thankful for my family because they love me.
I am thankful for my mom because she loves me.
This thanksgiving, I am forever thankful for you, Little Miss J.
Happy 7th birthday!
She's A Maineiac 
They don’t call aspirin the “wonder drug” for nothing. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the other Maineiacs, Darla. And Happy Birthday to Little Miss J!
Happy happy thanksgiving to you as well, Weebs!
What a perfect Thanksgiving story. Thanks for sharing! Happy Thanksgiving!
I remember the year she was born I was very thankful I didn’t have her on Thanksgiving day. I would have missed out on all that turkey. Happy thanksgiving to you!
Turkey for everyone! 🙂
Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter. What a truly wonderful Thanksgiving story.
Thanks, Lisa! I am still shocked I had her at all. We were ready to give up at that point and thanks to aspirin, she’s here with us now.
Happy Thanksgiving, Darla, to you and your family and happy birthday to the little one. What a cutie!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy, I hope you and your family have a happy holiday today.
I’d never heard that about baby aspirin. Amazing. Before we even know my wife was pregnant, she suddenly was guzzling a gallon of grapefruit juice a day because she just thought the juice was “SO good.” Turned out the high doses of vitamin c in the early days of pregnancy can help prevent miscarriage, too.
Anyway, happy Thanksgiving, and happy birthday to her.
Wow, your wife knew, she had that mama’s instinct. It’s incredible what a body needs to sustain a pregnancy. Just that one tiny pill kept me from miscarrying. I remember thinking I didn’t believe the doctor at the time, but she’s seven years old now so I suppose he knew what he was talking about. Happy thanksgiving to you as well.
What a wonderful story!! Thank you for the best Thanksgiving smile! Happy Anniversary of becoming a Mommy, Darla! And Happy Birthday, Miss J! What beautiful printing and spelling (said the teacher)!
I know, I was also very impressed with her handwriting and spelling! She’s really something, that girl. Happy thanksgiving to you and your family.
what a wonderful tribute–so happy you have this to gives thanks for–my two sons were both premature – one was 2 pounds 5 1/2 ounces the other 3 pounds 5 ounces and today they are healthy strapping men
your daughter is unbelievably sweet — her heart is in exactly the right place
Happy to hear your sons are doing well and thriving. Hope you all had a great holiday!
mine was in October–but it was memorable because I found salted caramel icecream to go with my pumpkin pie–heaven
She’s beautiful, and you are well blessed.
She makes me laugh and smile every day. I am beyond blessed.
Happy Birthday, Little Miracle!
And Happy Thanksgiving, Y’all!
Thanks! Same to you and yours.
She’s going to be a scientist, “thankful for trees for helping you breathe, thankful for your heart as it uses oxygen”. 🙂 Sweet post, Happy Birthday to her and Happy thanksgiving (I hope we adopt this holiday over here, any excuse for giant meals in the space of two months)
I know, I laughed at her “oxygen” line, too. I asked her about it and she was like, “well if we didn’t have it none of us could live!” She has a good point.
I ate sooooo much yesterday, I don’t think I need to eat again for at least a few days.
That puts my half a pizza I had to shame. I must get on board with other countries holidays
Happy Birthday to your miracle girl — loved this!
MJ
Hope you had a lovely thanksgiving, MJ.
So much to be thankful for! Happy Birthday to Miss J and Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Eat lots of pie. 🙂
Thanks, Jackie. I think pumpkin pie for breakfast is okay, right?
I hope so. I’m eating some right now. 🙂
Happy birthday, Miss J. And isn’t it amazing that the whole country is celebrating your birthday?!?!
Happy, ummm, whatever that other holiday is to the whole family, Darla.
She really didn’t understand why thanksgiving was on her birthday. Like we had a say in it. “But mom! I don’t want to eat turkey on my birthday!”
Happy Birthday Little Miss J!!! And Happy Thanksgiving. What a story. Thank goodness your docs figured out what was going on. Multiple miscarriages is no joke, and it can tear not only your heart apart, but a marriage as well. Today, I am thankful for your doctor, and that I only lost one pregnancy before we had Little Man.
I look back and realize I really was at my lowest point back then. It’s hard for me to put into words the devastation one feels when you lose a baby, especially over and over again. I am so very thankful my doctor went ahead with those tests. Hope you had a good thanksgiving, Sue!
OMG! How SWEET! Love the picture of you and your darling daughter. I’m so glad it worked out for you and your family. They bring us readers so much delight. Happy Thanksgiving, Darla!
She’s my sidekick, my mini-me. Thanks, Jean.
Aww, happy thanksgiving to you and happy birthday to the lil’one! She looks so much like you even in the baby picture!
Thanks, V. I’m glad her bday is finally here because she’s been talking about it for about three months straight.
Happy Birthday, Miss J!
J is sitting on my lap right now and she said thank you!
That is too sweet. Happy birthday to your little one!
Thanks, I can’t believe my baby is seven. She’s almost as tall as me now.
That is a gorgeous story. Happy birthday to your miracle baby, and happy thanksgiving to you and your whole family – on this day, I’m sure, you are so thankful for all you have. xo, samara
I honestly thought I’d never have another baby, let alone a daughter as lovely as she is.
Baby aspirin. OF COURSE!
My daughter turned 7 in July. These are the magical years. From now until about 13 they’re a complete joy to be around. Inquisitive. Happy. Enjoy the ride.
I can’t tell you how good that is to know that the magic years lie ahead. I’ll try to enjoy the hell out of it until she’s a teen. My son is 11 and he’s fairly easy-going still, he mostly likes to roll his eyes at me.
I’ve been told that daughters are ticking bombs set to detonate at age 13. I have a 13-year old. I’ll keep you posted.
Happy birthday to your little miracle! Baby aspirin– who knew?
I love the thankfulness turkey project. My favourite one was the heart that uses oxygen. 🙂
Baby aspirin is the miracle drug. What’s funny is the name of my blood clotting disorder: MTHFR. Apparently a gene of mine was switched on after my first pregnancy and it’s called a MTHFR mutation. Of course, every time I see that acronym I think one thing: “mother f*****”.
Haha– best medical condition acronym EVER!!
I know! I went around telling people, “Hey! Guess what? I have a mother****ing blood disorder!”
wonderful! Happy Birthday, happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you! Hope you had a good holiday.
I sure wish I knew that during my miscarriages, especially the one a few months ago. What a blessing and a miracle you have in your life.
Sorry you know the pain of miscarrying. Some of the hardest moments I’ve had in my entire life.
So very sweet, Darla! What a little gift! 🙂
She is unbelievably sweet, really the nicest most thoughtful girl in the universe.
Cool story! Happy Birthday to your precious girl!
Thank you! She had a great day, opened presents, then we all ate turkey and took naps.
I’ve tried to type this response about 40 times now. Enough to say I’m sending love and thanks to you, Darla.
Sandy Sue, I can feel the love and it’s making me smile this morning. Thank YOU for this comment and for reading about my girl.
Perfect ThanksGiving story Darla! Little Miss J is beautiful and clearly knows she is very loved. Hope she had a lovely birthday too!
Ps. I’m glad to see that turkey is laminated, you might need to pull that out during the sassy teenage years. I’ve been known to pull out a certain Mother’s Day craft now and then..it works.
Ha! Oh yeah, I am collecting all her little crafty projects for future use. If she’s half as sassy as I was as a teen, I’m in trouble.
Perfect story! Wonder drug indeed. Happy Birthday to Ms. J and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
Wonderful writing, Darla, and a beautiful photo. Your kids are going to love reading these posts when they’re a little older.
And thank you again for the link to the greeting cards. You’re a great friend.
Sweet girl. I have something in my eye all of sudden.
I remember 2 summers ago when I emailed you because I’d miscarried, miscarried again in the fall, and then found out I had the same blood disorder.
Gotta love the baby aspirin! Such a cute daughter!
I [genuinely] like as many kids as I do adults, and Miss J is one of the ones I adore.
Weird, though, since I can’t stand her mother.
😀
I’d say I hope she had a happy birthday, but with you running the festivities, I know she did! That turkey is so full of love!
She had no less than THREE birthday celebrations last week. She had a blast at Jokers last weekend. I had to drink heavily when I got home, but I was happy my girl had a good time with her friends.
Happy Birthday to your Little Miss, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
I’m glad that nurse suggested something that helped you go full term. I had two miscarriages before our first-born. Then, our 2nd child was nine weeks early. Scary at the time. But, thankfully, it all turned out wonderfully well.
It is incredibly scary. I’m happy your kids turned out just fine, too.
Amazing story for Thanksgiving! Isn’t it unbelievable what a little Baby Aspirin can do? So happy you got your miracle, and are going 7 years strong.
I have to admit, I wasn’t buying the baby aspirin thing at first, but I would have done pretty much anything to not have another miscarriage. Thanks, Jen!
Beautiful post, Darla. And belated happy birthday to your daughter.