Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Rough, rough rough

It's been a rough couple of days, but I'm pushing on. It's always hard this time of year. I want my twins here with me. But I'm also thankful they're not because I have Jackson. Jackson, my sweet boy, will be one on the 25th.

He's had such a rough time in his short little life. Not only was he born with *Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, but was later diagnosed with Craniosynostosis. When he was born, I heard the most beautiful sound. A weak little cry. Then he was whisked away to NNICU, where he was given chest tubes and all kinds of IVs. He had surgery at 2 weeks to correct the diaphragmatic hernia. While still in the hospital, it was determined he also had **Craniosynostosis. He came home one week shy of being 2 months old. I never breastfed my other children, but had planned to with Jackson. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I DID pump for the first three months, until he was eating more than I could pump.

He had surgery on February 13, 2006 for the Craniosynostosis. He wears a helmet to protect his head and to help shape it as his skull grows back together. (The doctors took out a portion of his skull in the front and on the sides.) He's doing wonderful though.

I'm just so proud of Jackson and all he's accomplished. So why would I give him up and wish for my girls to be here. I would rather have ALL of them. But I know that's not a reality. My reality is I have Jay, Justin, Korinne, and Jackson. There's nothing I can do to change that. I honestly, I don't want to change that.

Yeah, I'm just rambling now because I'm blonde and TOTALLY lost my train of thought. LOL

  • Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is where there's a hole in his diaphragm and his intestines/liver/stomach were in his chest cavity. Thankfully, his liver and stomach were in their proper place. So it was only his intestines in his chest cavity.

  • Craniosynostosis is where the soft spots in his skull closed way too early. Had we not had surgery, he could have had brain damage because there would have been no where for his brain to grow.

2 comments:

Ami said...

I always am amazed at how strong people are when things like this happen. I've heard from friends who have gone through similar things that it's not some special inner strength that they possess, rather that they're just getting through things the best that they can. I don't know. From here, it looks like admirable strength.
I'm glad Jackson is doing well. He's precious.

Margo said...

You've been though so much. I'm sure this time of year is especially difficult. You really are a strong person.