Let's pick up our story from where we left off. If you haven't read Part 1, be sure to check it out, click here!
After receiving confirmation of Sky's diagnosis, we had two emotions. 1. relief we finally had an answer, and 2. oh $h*t! because we knew our lives were going to look different than we "expected". We already felt incompetent at this parenting thing, now we were taken to whole other level! In fact, even as I'm writing this I'm being flooded by emotions. We may have "expected" our son to be a certain way (aka, a typical child), but God has far exceeded our expectations with what He has done in our lives.
What seems like small and seemingly insignificant milestones to most parents, are reasons to throw a block party for those with special needs children. When Sky was 1-year old, he was not yet rolling over independently. From then on, he has been in consistent therapy. By the time he was diagnosed at three, crawling was his mode of transportation. Shortly after he would eventually learn to walk with a walker and holding our hands. At six, he took his first independent steps and didn't stop until...puberty. Up until now he is still nonverbal, except for very occasional "Mom!" which started in 2015. Just another reason to throw a block party.
Learning to walk was just one area of Sky's life where he has developed. Some other areas were learning to grip objects, to feed himself, even his throat muscles had to get stronger in order to swallow un-thickened liquids! We learned that out the hard way; Sky had pneumonia three times before we knew he aspirated! Oh, the protruding vomit! (But that's another story for another day!) At five, he developed seizures (common in Angelman Syndrome). These remained mostly controlled with medication. Those were scary times. Yet I know other parents have experienced far scarier moments than us. My heart goes out to every parent who can only see their child(ren) walking in their dreams. Of course, for the first six years of Sky's life my dreams were where he walked as well.
If we have learned anything, it is ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
Even through all the therapy, hospital visits, and extremely restless nights, Jon and I still pursued our goals. We both attended college full-time and worked full-time jobs. Looking back I wonder how we made it through. Whether we recognized it or not, Grace walked hand in hand with us.
We waited five years before having our next child after Sky Man. We were hesitant because of all we were experiencing with Sky. However, I knew one day we would have a girl. I found out I was pregnant with our second the day I graduated college. A perfect gift! I still had morning sickness with this pregnancy, but it was easier than Sky's and I was grateful! Everything was as it should be until I went in for a routine checkup three weeks before my delivery date. While administering the ultrasound, the doctor discovered her stats to be off and said we are delivering her tomorrow...
Tomorrow!! What??
It was terrible timing... Our sitters were not prepared to help with Sky that week, and we had to call off work last minute. A big fiasco it was! But all of that was menial compared to what was to come next.
A new chapter was about to begin, and it came in like a lion...
Until next time... Live without Limits