005: Joy Harmon on Coping with a Newborn in the NICU

Today, I'm speaking with Joy Harmon—a courageous woman who has overcome more than her fair share of hardship.

Only 15 weeks into her first pregnancy, Joy had a placental abruption. She underwent a C-section and spent four months watching over her daughter in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. By the time her first daughter was two years old, they had their second little girl, who also spent time in the NICU.

And if life wasn't challenging enough, Joy was also diagnosed with breast cancer years later. This life-changing experience led to her non-profit organization, Bringing Joy, which provides support for families coping with cancer.

In this conversation, Joy sheds light on the post-traumatic stress of going through NICU twice and how she found joy, even when her kids were fighting for their lives. 

Joy talks about the difficulties of pregnancy not going as planned, the aftermath that no one can prepare you for, and how to explain to your children that you've been diagnosed with cancer.

• None of it is easy, but we came out on the other side which doesn’t always happen.
• How do you prepare yourself for the aftermath of having a baby in NICU?
• Learn about early intervention and keeping up with your child's therapies.
• Speak up when something isn’t going right.
• Why it’s okay to ask for help as a parent..
• The most surprising extension of family that you gain during unexpected traumas.
• Navigating the difficulties of having one child in NICU while the other is at home.
• The PTSD that comes with being a NICU parent.
• The good and bad of being prepared.
• Seconds to figure out how to deal with life changing circumstances.
• Be willing to assist others who are going through similar difficulties.
• The importance of celebrating the little things.
• The truths that come out of having a NICU child.
• Knowing there is joy even during years of difficulty and depression.
• How do our children inspire us to be better?

Show Notes:

Get Full Access to the Show Notes by Visiting: MatteasJoy.org/5

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