January 23, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.
Rhinelander couple pays it forward with gift bags to Aspirus Wausau Hospital NICU
Rhinelander couple pays it forward with gift bags to Aspirus Wausau Hospital NICU
By Kayla Thomason-
A year ago, Nicki Blondheim's water broke 26 weeks into her pregnancy. She spent the next five weeks in the hospital in an attempt to give her twins a better chance at survival.
Nicki and her husband, Paul, welcomed Karley and Bentley on Jan. 4, 2014. The twins stayed in the NICU for 32 days.
During that time, Nicki received a gift bag to help with the long, nerve-wrecking hours.
"We received a small gift basket - and I honestly don't even know who it was from - while we were in there and it is just a very touching, meaningful thing that inspired me to continue to give back," she said.
She later became a Thirty-One Independent consultant. Through the direct-selling organization, she had a fundraiser to put the bags together.
"Friends, family, complete strangers purchased the bags and I bought all the things to fill them," she said.
The 27 bags include a journal, an activity book like a word search or Sudoku, a pen, a granola bar, trail mix, chocolate, Chapstick, mints or gum, Kleenex, lotion and a letter. She also made baby hats and placed one in each bag.
Nicki wanted to donate a gift bag for each week her children were in the hospital. The small token offered her comfort and she wanted to pass that on to other parents in the same situation.
"Although you are surrounded by your children, you're surrounded by the nurses and the doctors and you still kind of feel alone. It's not a fun experience to go through so it's just kind of something to lighten up their life a little bit and let them know they aren't alone and are thought about," Nicki said.
The Blondheims wanted to donate the gift bags close to the twin's birthday while working around Paul's schedule so they could do it as a family.
Nicki plans to put together the gift bags every year.
"I think (receiving a bag) really puts in perspective that you really aren't alone and others have gone through this too," she said. "It's meaningful and it gives you hope."
The Blondheim twins are very healthy, Nicki reports.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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