Miracle Marathon

Please go listen to WKLH



For the past 11 years, 96.5 WKLH morning show hosts Dave and Carole have teamed up with Children's Hospital of Wisconsin to bring listeners miraculous and heartwarming stories from the lives of patients and their families treated at Children's Hospital through a 60-hour radiothon. To date, the Dave & Carole Miracle Marathon has raised more than $11 million to support various programs at Children's Hospital.

Reassurance

I was contacted yesterday by my local Down Syndrome Support Group and asked if I would be willing to talk to a new mom whose son was just born on Thursday (April 16) with an extra chromosome. The mom is quite upset and would really like to talk with someone who has been there, and can offer her some reassurance.

With tears in my eyes, my reply was YES, OF COURSE, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO HER!

Why the tears? Because this was me. One one hand it feels like yesterday, and on the other it seems like decades ago. I can so relate to how this new mom feels. Becoming a mother for the first time is an absolutely indescribable experience.

You are meeting this little one who has been blossoming and growing inside you for 9 months, you gaze into their eyes in wonder, what did I do so right to deserve this unbelievable gift?



You hold their tiny hand, thanking God for giving you this miracle.



The emotions and feelings you have are so overwhelming, nothing else on Earth matters except this child in your arms.

When you hear the words Down syndrome when referring to this miraculous little one you don't know how to react, what to feel, what to think, what that means. You feel so alone, helpless, clueless, lost, sad, angry and guilty all at the same time (at least I did).



I have a very strong desire to do everything I can to help new moms with their feelings, whatever they may be. I truly don't want anyone to feel as alone as I did in those first few months after Cameron was born.

Today, I am extremely blessed because I know what it means that your child has an extra chromosome. It means endless hugs, kisses, love, laughter, fun and joy. It means that I will learn, see, and feel things I would never had experienced in this lifetime without that extra chromosome. It means that I now have an extended family who is on this amazing journey in Holland right there with me, both locally and worldwide.

I can't wait to meet her and her beautiful baby boy. Please pray that I am able to give her a glimpse of hope as to how absolutely wonderful her future will be beause of this little miracle and his extra chromosome.

Character Lines

My DownSyn friend, Amy, wrote on her blog about lines that give us character. I thought this was a great idea and wanted to share some of mine.

I have lung cancer and it has spread to my brain.

Your mother has passed away, she's gone.

What would you say if I told you I love you?

Will you marry me?

We're in Mexico......and we're married.

Friend #1 - I'm pregnant.

You will need some tests, treatments, medications & surgeries to assist you in getting pregnant.

Friend #2 - I'm pregnant.

IVF will cost approximately $25,000 and is not covered by your insurance.

Friend #3 - I'm pregnant.

The IVF was unsuccessful, the embryo didn't make it.

Friend #4 - We're pregnant.

You will need another surgery before we do IVF again.

Friend #5 - I'm pregnant.

The IVF was unsuccessful. The embryo transfer has failed.

Friend #1 - we're going to have another baby.

Unsuccessful IVF procedure. The embryo didn't make it.

Friend #2 - I'm pregnant again.

You cannot have children.

You are pregnant.

The baby has a heart defect.

It's a boy.

I think your baby has Down syndrome.

We need to get him to the hospital right away, he's in heart failure.

We can't do the surgery he has a fever.

His temp is up to 107.

He's off bypass and doing well.

You are pregnant.

The baby has a cystic hygroma.

The baby could be severely disabled and have no quality of life.

You may want to consider termination.

It's a healthy baby boy.


I would love to hear the lines that have given you character. Please post a comment and let me know!

Happy Heart Day

It was Tuesday, October 10, 2006. Our arrival back at the hospital that we had been staying at the last couple weeks was bitter sweet.

My stomach was in knots and my head was spinning as we rushed down the never ending skywalk to the elevators that would take us up to the PICU.

I tried to control my trembling hand as I pushed the buzzer to announce our son was in room five, hoping that he had a more restful night than I did.

The automatic doors opened as I prayed that the ventilater was able to keep his fevers at bay and his heartrate below 200.

Turning the corner to his room, my legs were weak and I was sure I would collapse at any moment.

"Be strong, he needs you." I thought to myself looking through the glass doors at my miraculous baby boy who had just turned three months old the day before. He was so tiny, yet so brave. He was so fragile, yet so strong.

I hesitantly looked up at the monitor to read the numbers that had fluctuated so dramatically over the last couple of days. Numbers that most people wouldn't know what to make of. However, I knew all too well what they meant.

I was in a daze as I put on the yellow gown, white mask, latex gloves, and blue hat. Anxiously I slid the glass doors open and bent down close to his crib so he could see me, "Mommy's here baby, it's going to be okay now, mommy's here".

I was going through the motions. The same motions I had been going through for the past couple weeks since finding out my baby was in severe heart failure and would need the AVSD repair done sooner than originally expected to save his life. A surgery that had been postponed twice already due to extremely high fevers that no one could explain.



Not a day goes by that I don't think about all the children, families, doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin as I know all too well the miracles that are performed there daily. I can't express enough gratitude to Dr. Tweddle and the entire surgery team who saved my baby's life two years ago today. God Bless You All!

Accident

Do you believe in miracles? That was the e-mail I sent to my friend when I found out I was pregnant for the first time. We had given up hope and then it happened!

Have you ever experienced a miracle? Most people, when experiencing a bad situation, say "why me?" and "what have I done to deserve this?" I too have asked these questions many, many times.

Recently I have asked these questions in a positive way. My life has taken a turn for the better.

There have been several instances wherein the outcome could have been different (worse). All of these instances, I believe, were God's helping hand.

This past weekend there was a terrible accident. I keep replaying it over and over in my mind and it brings tears to my eyes every time. The outcome could have been MUCH different. I truly believe I experienced another miracle and feel extremely grateful and blessed!

Thank you AGAIN lord!

The Journey of Motherhood

A friend asked me the other day, “Do you like being a mother?” Without hesitation, I said “I love it!”

For several years I suffered silently as I watched friends and family have babies and begin the wonderful journey of motherhood, a journey I so desperately wanted to travel. However, I had to face the reality that maybe being a mother wasn’t in the Lord’s plan for me. I continuously felt like something was missing, like I needed more, like I just wasn’t complete.

And then I began the journey of motherhood. It is, simultaneously, the most enjoyable and the most difficult thing I have ever done.

Before becoming a mother I had an idea of what it would be like, but this idea didn’t prepare me for the tremendous amount of unconditional love I would have for this new person that I brought into the world.

It has been said that “God gives special children to special people.” I didn’t want to be one of the “chosen ones”. I wanted to be an average person with a “typical” child.

However, God gives us what we need, not what we want.

I will never again take anything for granted, I will always have an open mind, I will cherish every moment spent with the people I love, I will always appreciate the little things in life, and I will not sweat the small stuff.