Dear Princess Kate,

Congratulations on the birth of your new baby son! While the world clamours to peek at your sweet bundle, some of us are thinking of you…wondering how you are doing. I’m sure you are getting a lot of letters these days, but I wanted to send one from my unique perspective.

They told us that you had HG {Hyperemesis Gravidarum}. We are just a small percentage of women who face this debilitating condition, but we are strong and compassionate. When the world got the news that you were in the hospital back in November, it sympathized. But your HG sisters empathized. We understood completely- we have been in your place. I personally grieved for you, prayed even harder for you.

 When you appeared on the hospital steps that day with yellow flowers in your hand and rosy cheeks, I saw beyond the demands of so many cameras. I noticed that you had lost weight- it showed in your face. You were weak, yet being so strong for your country- for the world. I’ll admit it- I felt angry that you were barely allowed to be sick. I felt joy that you were getting early medical care, and apparently good care. I shouted with glee when a well known doctor wrote an article on your condition and explained to the world what we HG women can’t seem to get across.  I was already writing my personal HG story, but I made a concerted effort to get my book published sooner, hoping that surely HG awareness would rise now that someone ‘famous’ was suffering with the disease. And although I genuinely hurt with you, I was thankful that God used you to help us HG women, even if you didn’t realize it.

It seems that I lived your pregnancy with you. You see, I was first hospitalized in November as well. I also gave birth in July. Remarkably, your baby boy was born on the very date that I was due with my son, my first HG miracle. However, I went late and he was born on the 30th. But still, I felt some kindred spirit with the course of your maternity time.

Someday I’d love to meet you. {My husband and I dream of traveling to Europe.} Until then, I’ll continue to pray for you and to root for you. There’s a small, but strong band of women who have walked in your HG shoes, and we love and support you with all of our beings.

We’ll do it the next time, too.

 I have no idea how you are feeling physically and emotionally. I don’t know how severe your HG was, but I do know that HG threatens to take a lot from us. Yet we hold some dreams in our hearts that it cannot take away. While you feel the pressures of living in the spotlight, soak up the ‘mundane’ moments too. Let the voices of the media world clamour and shout to share their opinions. Let them throng the gates to your privacy.

But lock the door whenever you need to.

And heal.

Affectionately,

Leah  {An HG Sister}