3334

Packages Delivered Since 2009
Home
About Us
Local Projects
Contact Us
How To Help
Events/Fundraisers
Resources
Testimonials
In The News
Request A Gift Bag

 

 

 


Gift Bag Project since September 2009

 


State: Louisiana

Hospitals Provided:


Ochsner Medical Center
Saint Tammany Hospital



Website:
 http://drake-michel.virtual-memorials.com/


If you would like to know how to help, or for more information contact:

Project Leader, Christy


Email:
Christy@projectsweetpeas.com     



A note from Project Leader, Christy:


If you would like to sponsor a gift bag in memory/honor of someone, they are $ 30.00. It will include items such as ... a receiving blanket, wubbanub pacifier http://www.wubbanub.com/ , hat, booties/socks, journal, pen, hand sanitizer, hand/foot molds , etc... It will also include items for the parents as well such as a toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, etc. Everything will be in a canvas bag with a Drakes Doodlebugs logo on it. Your sponsored gift bag will include a letter explaining who the bag was sponsored by.
If you are interested in sponsoring a bag you can send a check or money order to:


Drakes Doodlebugs
Christy Michel
717 Simpson way
Covington, La 70435
 








Our Story

 

Hello,


My name is Christy Michel. I am the project leader for Drake's Doodlebugs. I started Drake'sDoodlebugs in memory of my son Drake Alexander Michel. Drake was diagnosed at 20 weeks in utero with a Diaphragmatic Hernia. His chances of survival were 50/50. Drake was born on February 18,2008 and immediately rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ( NICU ).


My husband and I lived there along side of Drake for the entire 7 weeks that he was alive. We rejoicedin the positive factors each day, and we wept at all of the new obstacles that were brought to us as well.


Drake was on an ECMO machine (a heart and lung bypass machine ) for the first 2 weeks of his life. On March 6, 2008 Drake had his repair surgery. Everything appeared to have been a success. A few days later we had gotten the news that Drake had chylothorax. The doctors tried to treat it, but nothing would work. The surgeon tried three other surgeries to try and close off the duct gland but nothing had worked.


Drake's health continued to deteriorate, and on April 6, 2008 we got the news that no parent should ever be given. “There is nothing more that we can do “were the words that we heard. As a mother I just sat and wondered why this could happen. I never thought for one second that my son would not come home. The nurse handed me my son as he was taking his last breathes. That moment was the best and worst moment of my life. I finally got the chance to hold my son for the first time, but I had to say goodbye at that same moment.


When we left the hospital all we had of Drake's was his “personal belongings” bag. I really felt all alone in that moment not carrying my son to the car, just his “bag of belongings”. I never want another mother to feel that way after losing her baby. That's why I decided to join Project Sweet Peas and start my local project Drake's Doodlebugs. We make memory boxes so that parents get the proper items to remember their baby by. We also include a stuffed animal so that the
baby's mom will not have to walk out of the hospital empty-handed.


Drake's Doodlebugs also puts together NICU bags. These bags include items for the parents as well asfor their baby. We provide toiletry kits, journals, hand/foot molds, blankets, knitted caps, etc.... All of these things help when your child is in the NICU.


As a bereaved parent, I want something positive to come from my son not being here with me. If I can make the experience of having a child in the NICU or having to collect memories of a child any easier for a parent, then that is my goal.


Sincerely,

Christy Michel
Drake's Doodlebugs
Christy@projectsweetpeas.com

 



Drake