My mom has always said I wear rose colored glasses. I always try to see the positive in things because I feel like there is already enough negative in the world, why add to it. But lately I have been having a hard time seeing the positive.
Let’s take a look back shall we:
Several years ago my cousin Haydee was born, way too early. She spent several weeks in the NICU before coming home.
The daughter of our friend Kristina was diagnosed with Stage 2b Neuroblastoma Cancer when she was only 8 weeks old. Then, this past summer they found out that a mass that was removed from her kidney was indeed cancer.
Last year, after my smooth delivery of Mackinley I nearly bled out in the delivery room due to placenta accreta and was rushed to the operating room where I had an emergency hysterectomy. My dreams of having a big family were shattered.
My friend and coworker Terri’s nephew Tucker was born with an undiagnosed heart condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He has had 2 heart surgeries since he was born, and will have to undergo one more in the near future.
In October of last year Haydee became a big sister to Mia. Luckily Mia “baked’ a little longer than Haydee but was still born too soon, at 30 week and spent several weeks in the NICU.
In January my friend Tammy’s niece, Bailey, was in a riding accident and suffered a major head injury.
My friend and coworker Annabelle welcomed her granddaughter Taylor into the world, but like my cousins Haydee and Mia she was born too soon. She ended up in the NICU suffering through intestinal problems (I am assuming NEC) and from what I understand things did not look good for a while.
Another friend and coworker Cathy, welcomed her newest granddaughter a few weeks before Reid was born. But she was born with a heart condition and had to have surgery soon after being born.
And then there is Reid. We all know his scary story.
I have spent the last few years thinking that we have the worst luck ever, and that life is just so unfair. How come it is all my family and friends that have to suffer??
But I have decided, enough of the negativity, lets look at the positive!
Haydee is now a very happy, healthy, and smart kindergartner. She might be tiny, a little pixie, but that’s the only indication she was a preemie. She is probably one of the brightest kids I know. And she is so sweet and kind hearted. Her mom just had a parent-teacher conference the other day and found out Haydee is reading at the level of someone who has been in kinder for 9 months. And she has great behavior, has yet to come home with anything but a green smiley face! She is such a great role model for her little sister Mia, for Mackinley and for all her other cousins.
Speaking of Mia, she is also happy, healthy, and thriving. She turns 1 in a few days and like her big sister, she breezed through her time in the NICU and hasn’t looked back since.
Kristina’s daughter Reese just had all her scans in September come back clear!!! Plus the genetic tests came back and it doesn’t appear there is any genetic cause for her 2 different types of cancer. And even better than that, she is going to be a big sister! I am so excited for them I could wet my pants!
As for me, I am here, I am alive! I am able to enjoy my beautiful daughter and my handsome nephew. I can walk and talk and eat and play and laugh and love. And maybe one day I will be able to help out a couple that has an unplanned pregnancy. Just because I can’t get pregnant doesn’t mean my dream for a large family has to die.
Terri’s nephew Tucker is also doing well. He is one-year old and from the pictures I have seen he looks like he is a happy, healthy toddler. Bailey has recovered from her accident and is riding horses again! Annabelle’s granddaughter Taylor is also doing well. I saw a picture of her the other day and she is going to be the cutest trick-or-treating bunny in the neighborhood on Halloween night. Cathy’s granddaughter is also doing well and is making Cathy one proud grandma! (Cathy and her family were also some of Reids biggest prayer warriors!)
And, just like we all know Reid’s traumatic story, we all also know about his happy ending. Reid is doing great! Right now he is being a typical newborn and his parents are going through the typical new parent sleepless stages. Reid is so sweet and he loves being held and cuddled, which of course we have no problems doing. He is eating like a champ and is starting to have more awake periods. Plus, I swear I have seen a smile in some of the more recent pictures I have seen of him.
So look how lucky we are! All of these stories could have had a completely different outcome. But instead we are the lucky ones that have a happy ending. I know there are a lot of families out there that don’t get the happily ever after. We have been truly blessed!
Let’s take a look back shall we:
Several years ago my cousin Haydee was born, way too early. She spent several weeks in the NICU before coming home.
The daughter of our friend Kristina was diagnosed with Stage 2b Neuroblastoma Cancer when she was only 8 weeks old. Then, this past summer they found out that a mass that was removed from her kidney was indeed cancer.
Last year, after my smooth delivery of Mackinley I nearly bled out in the delivery room due to placenta accreta and was rushed to the operating room where I had an emergency hysterectomy. My dreams of having a big family were shattered.
My friend and coworker Terri’s nephew Tucker was born with an undiagnosed heart condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He has had 2 heart surgeries since he was born, and will have to undergo one more in the near future.
In October of last year Haydee became a big sister to Mia. Luckily Mia “baked’ a little longer than Haydee but was still born too soon, at 30 week and spent several weeks in the NICU.
In January my friend Tammy’s niece, Bailey, was in a riding accident and suffered a major head injury.
My friend and coworker Annabelle welcomed her granddaughter Taylor into the world, but like my cousins Haydee and Mia she was born too soon. She ended up in the NICU suffering through intestinal problems (I am assuming NEC) and from what I understand things did not look good for a while.
Another friend and coworker Cathy, welcomed her newest granddaughter a few weeks before Reid was born. But she was born with a heart condition and had to have surgery soon after being born.
And then there is Reid. We all know his scary story.
I have spent the last few years thinking that we have the worst luck ever, and that life is just so unfair. How come it is all my family and friends that have to suffer??
But I have decided, enough of the negativity, lets look at the positive!
Haydee is now a very happy, healthy, and smart kindergartner. She might be tiny, a little pixie, but that’s the only indication she was a preemie. She is probably one of the brightest kids I know. And she is so sweet and kind hearted. Her mom just had a parent-teacher conference the other day and found out Haydee is reading at the level of someone who has been in kinder for 9 months. And she has great behavior, has yet to come home with anything but a green smiley face! She is such a great role model for her little sister Mia, for Mackinley and for all her other cousins.
Speaking of Mia, she is also happy, healthy, and thriving. She turns 1 in a few days and like her big sister, she breezed through her time in the NICU and hasn’t looked back since.
Kristina’s daughter Reese just had all her scans in September come back clear!!! Plus the genetic tests came back and it doesn’t appear there is any genetic cause for her 2 different types of cancer. And even better than that, she is going to be a big sister! I am so excited for them I could wet my pants!
As for me, I am here, I am alive! I am able to enjoy my beautiful daughter and my handsome nephew. I can walk and talk and eat and play and laugh and love. And maybe one day I will be able to help out a couple that has an unplanned pregnancy. Just because I can’t get pregnant doesn’t mean my dream for a large family has to die.
Terri’s nephew Tucker is also doing well. He is one-year old and from the pictures I have seen he looks like he is a happy, healthy toddler. Bailey has recovered from her accident and is riding horses again! Annabelle’s granddaughter Taylor is also doing well. I saw a picture of her the other day and she is going to be the cutest trick-or-treating bunny in the neighborhood on Halloween night. Cathy’s granddaughter is also doing well and is making Cathy one proud grandma! (Cathy and her family were also some of Reids biggest prayer warriors!)
And, just like we all know Reid’s traumatic story, we all also know about his happy ending. Reid is doing great! Right now he is being a typical newborn and his parents are going through the typical new parent sleepless stages. Reid is so sweet and he loves being held and cuddled, which of course we have no problems doing. He is eating like a champ and is starting to have more awake periods. Plus, I swear I have seen a smile in some of the more recent pictures I have seen of him.
So look how lucky we are! All of these stories could have had a completely different outcome. But instead we are the lucky ones that have a happy ending. I know there are a lot of families out there that don’t get the happily ever after. We have been truly blessed!
No comments:
Post a Comment