For many who hope to be parents, dreams and aspirations for our children start while they are still just a prayer sent to heaven, wish upon a star, a coin in the wishing well.
Anything is possible. We could get pregnant right away, could take a while, could need help, could turn to adoption, could be a boy, could be a girl, could be TWINS or more?! We pray and hope for a healthy pregnancy, baby and momma and do what we can to encourage the best of outcomes.
While pregnant we look forward to our new baby and wonder whether baby will be full term or spend time in the NICU? Will he or she look like Mom, like Dad or like someone’s Great Great Grandmother from the family photo albums? Will they have all their fingers and toes, will they be able to see and hear? What if they have a previously undiagnosed “birth defect”? Of course we will love them anyway, but how will our lives change if our child has struggles? Anything is possible.
We start to wonder what kind of human we can raise. Perhaps hope that they can be athletic, maybe a jock, smart and kind, so very kind too. Someone who sticks up for others. Someone who wants to make the world a better place. We hope they do well in school, so that they can have any profession they desire, especially one that gives them a comfortable lifestyle. We hope to be good role models as anything is possible.
When Isaac’s road to Tay-Sachs diagnosis began with a wiggle in one eye, we heard he might need glasses for that wiggle. That seemed so big for our 7 month old baby. My husband worried our son could be bullied in school. When we initially learned it was a “metabolic disorder”, I knew I’d do anything he needed for the best diet. Then we learned it was cell metabolism and a terminal disease. We couldn’t take the diagnosis for our otherwise normal appearing son without fighting back. Anything is Possible? We pray?
Isaac received a stem cell transplant because anything is possible. I had to advocate and advocate and advocate some more. He was young enough, healthy enough and had potential to save his quality of life in addition to quantity. On his first Birthday, Thanksgiving Day, he was still in the hospital for the transplant process and he had a massive GI bleed that night. We almost lost him. Miraculously, he made it. I still get goosebumps thinking of all the prayers that helped him and us make it through those dark nights and days in the PICU. Anything is possible.
Isaac continues to teach us. Every year something new. Sometimes every day. We live life knowing Isaac does not have an expiration date. Nor do I, nor do you. Some days are blissful, some a grind, some days we need reminders to sit in gratitude for all we have. Most days we know, Anything is Possible.
So today we wish Isaac the very happiest of birthdays and wish for many more in good health and happiness.
Isaac at 24 hours old, discharging from the hospital.
Isaac playing with his food. 7 months old.
1st Birthday. Duke Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. (Before the nightmare the evening brought)
Halloween, a month before Isaac turned 3.
August 2014 with Ms. Leslie, his home school teacher.
Summer of 2015 with Jake.
Isaac’s 5th Birthday.
Isaac’s 6th Birthday and Thanksgiving at our house.
August 2017.
Isaac’s 7th Birthday.
Isaac’s 8th Birthday.
IsaacMakana 