Happy New Year Blake
9 years ago today, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. My labor was fast and furious, and we were thrilled that our baby was here. We named him Blake. He quickly started having trouble breathing. After an hour, my midwife called for a transport to UCSD medical center. Several hours later when I was reunited with my baby and my husband at the hospital, my poor husband had the terrible job of telling me that our baby had a cleft palate. Our lives changed in that instant. The diagnosis wasn't terrible, yet very fixable. But my heart was crushed. The next 6 weeks were a blur of feeding specialists, apnea monitors, breast pumps and such. It was nearly impossible to feed him, I pumped every 2 hours round the clock and fed him with special bottles and feeding tubes. He often blocked his own airway with his tongue, we had to be very careful how we held him. By the grace of God I found a world renowned lactation specialist who set us up with a tricky syringe feeding system. If I followed her directions, we would be able to breastfeed after his surgical repair.
Surgery came. Ugh, the worst moment of my life was when I had to had my 6 month old baby off to an OR nurse. He healed, and miracle of all miracles, a month after his surgery he was breastfeeding. A baby born with a cleft breastfeeding!! It was beautiful.
As he grew, he became quite the little personality. He wanted to be a dolphin when he grew up so we could ride on him. He loved wearing his orange motorcycle helmet and his "b" cape. He had more surgeries. He learned to read and then tie his shoes. More therapy. more surgeries. He wanted to know if it was possible to have a super power on this earth. And will there be toys in heaven?
And so now, today, he's 9. Still silly, still strong. I've decided that children with medical issues are tough, they are extra resilient. When things don’t come easy for you, you work harder and inspire others to work harder. When you are different, you are more accepting of others. Blake is the most work I’ve ever experienced in a child, all rolled up into a sweet ball of fun and love.
Last night when we were talking about his birthday, DH said, “Guess what tomorrow is?” and in his squeaky voice he yells “Happy New Year”. So yes, Happy New Year Blake, I love you.
Surgery came. Ugh, the worst moment of my life was when I had to had my 6 month old baby off to an OR nurse. He healed, and miracle of all miracles, a month after his surgery he was breastfeeding. A baby born with a cleft breastfeeding!! It was beautiful.
As he grew, he became quite the little personality. He wanted to be a dolphin when he grew up so we could ride on him. He loved wearing his orange motorcycle helmet and his "b" cape. He had more surgeries. He learned to read and then tie his shoes. More therapy. more surgeries. He wanted to know if it was possible to have a super power on this earth. And will there be toys in heaven?
And so now, today, he's 9. Still silly, still strong. I've decided that children with medical issues are tough, they are extra resilient. When things don’t come easy for you, you work harder and inspire others to work harder. When you are different, you are more accepting of others. Blake is the most work I’ve ever experienced in a child, all rolled up into a sweet ball of fun and love.
Last night when we were talking about his birthday, DH said, “Guess what tomorrow is?” and in his squeaky voice he yells “Happy New Year”. So yes, Happy New Year Blake, I love you.
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