Five Minute Free Write Day 10: Unknown
"The outcome is unknown, that is all I can tell you at this point."
These were the words spoken to Stephen and I early one May morning in 2000. We sat huddled together in the Loma Linda Hospital pediatric ICU. Earlier that week our Spencer, 11 months old, woke up with what seemed like the stomach flu. After 5 days and many tests, we sat face to face with a surgeon discussing how we may lose another child. It was all too much. We had lost Mason in June of 1998 and then Spencer's twin Samuel when I was 5 months pregnant. I was about to become completely undone.
Spencer was born with a diaphragmatic hernia. Most often this defect is discovered on ultrasound when you are pregnant. This defect carries a 60% mortality rate at birth. Spencer had already surpassed the odds by being 11 months old before we found out about his hernia. At that time there was only one other known case that was similar to Spencer'. That child has since passed away. As the doctors explained, we were dealing with the complete unknown.
As they took him for surgery, we had no idea if he would even survive or what he would face growing up. We were told to Pray for the best but expect the worst. Spencer not only survived, he thrived and continues to amaze us every day. Most days we forget that he has very limited lung function. We forget that he only has 30-40 percent of the lung function that a normal lung uses.
Spencer is the most active of my 7, he never stops moving(well except at chore time😉).
It is still unknow what the outcome will be. Spencer is a first and is still followed by doctors. He has surpassed every expectation up until now and I expect that trend to continue. The doctors may think one thing, but I chose to know another. My son will be with us and healthy for a very long time; I will not allow myself to believe anything else.❤️
These were the words spoken to Stephen and I early one May morning in 2000. We sat huddled together in the Loma Linda Hospital pediatric ICU. Earlier that week our Spencer, 11 months old, woke up with what seemed like the stomach flu. After 5 days and many tests, we sat face to face with a surgeon discussing how we may lose another child. It was all too much. We had lost Mason in June of 1998 and then Spencer's twin Samuel when I was 5 months pregnant. I was about to become completely undone.
Spencer was born with a diaphragmatic hernia. Most often this defect is discovered on ultrasound when you are pregnant. This defect carries a 60% mortality rate at birth. Spencer had already surpassed the odds by being 11 months old before we found out about his hernia. At that time there was only one other known case that was similar to Spencer'. That child has since passed away. As the doctors explained, we were dealing with the complete unknown.
As they took him for surgery, we had no idea if he would even survive or what he would face growing up. We were told to Pray for the best but expect the worst. Spencer not only survived, he thrived and continues to amaze us every day. Most days we forget that he has very limited lung function. We forget that he only has 30-40 percent of the lung function that a normal lung uses.
Spencer is the most active of my 7, he never stops moving(well except at chore time😉).
It is still unknow what the outcome will be. Spencer is a first and is still followed by doctors. He has surpassed every expectation up until now and I expect that trend to continue. The doctors may think one thing, but I chose to know another. My son will be with us and healthy for a very long time; I will not allow myself to believe anything else.❤️
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