The Choices We Make (Author Interview)





The Choices We Make is a very inspiring story. Is it all based on your true story or in part?  Can you take us through the thought process on how you decided what to share?  
In my book The Choices We Make, all events within the context of the book are in fact true.  Names and locations however have been changed.  As I wrote the words down I immersed myself into my thoughts and emotions, all the events that have transpired left such an everlasting impression on me.  The way the book was written was me reliving the journey through the NICU.  The timeframe that I spent there was enough for me to have all the events that my son endured engraved within my memories so the thought process was as clear as the moment it happened.


What will readers get out of your book?
Readers will be brought into a world that no parent should embrace.  The world of Preemies is yet just another word I heard in passing as time went on in my life.  Readers will be inspired especially those who currently have babies in the NICU.   Being a parent and walking down this path of uncertainties is not only unsettling but nerve wrecking, doctors will highlight the negatives based on their experience and practice.  My book will show that even in the worst scenarios, preemies are resilient and fighters where nothing is set in stone.


What inspired you when writing The Choices We Make?   
My inspiration came from my son where as he grows I take part in a milestone that in several points in my life I thought he would never meet.  When he was discharged from the NICU he had  machines hooked up to him, a pulse sock to measure heart rate and oxygen saturation levels and oxygen tank  hooked up to a nasal cannula. These machines would sustain and monitor his vitals.  He had 8 different medications that had to be administered daily where he also needed respiratory treatments twice a day.  The older he got, although delayed he began to sit up, where next he crawled and it was within the last year did he finally walk.  These beautiful moments despite the challenges he faced are what inspired me and I hope many others become inspired as well in times of struggle to keep pushing forward.


When writing The Choices We Make did anything stand out as particularly challenging?  
The challenging aspects of when writing my book was definitely the emotional aspect of it all.  I would hear the hospital machines and the beeping sounds they made, how when my son’s heart rate would drop the feeling of pain and anxiety surrounded me.   There was a point when I was writing towards the events leading to his surgery, I could remember how well he was doing and after the surgery I recall seeing him lie there so lifeless and pale.  This absolutely broke my heart to see him in that state of being.  I had to be reassured by doctors multiple times that he was doing fine despite what I saw.

What do you like to do when not writing?

I love to spend time with my family. Being there for my son who absolutely loves to smile and laugh everyday , I witness a miracle because it serves as a reminder that he is with me.  The amount of joy within my heart is without limit and spending time with him makes me feel complete.

Where can readers find out more about your work?
Readers can find me on multiple social media platforms:
Facebook@thechoiceswemake
Instagram@nicu_thechoiceswemake 
Twitter@nicu_choices