nov.  2014

at birth, madison came out and didn’t breathe.  she was tubed to help her breathe, and was rushed away.  almost 7 hours later, we were told she needed heart surgery to live.  at 7 days old, madison had her aortic arch built, since hers didn’t form properly.  this sweet child of ours has had a lifelong test of trials.  she was pricked from her tiny little veins over and over, tubes down her throat for 10 weeks, multiple surgeries, feeding tube in her stomach for two years, therapies just to be able to touch her face since all she knew was the pain of tubes going down her nose in the hospital, speech therapies from birth to now, occupational therapies for years, 10 specialists for years, and has managed to not only survive, which is what she did for the first couple of years just trying to live, especially since she was born without an immune system, but has began to thrive.  while other mommies were home loving on their newborns, we were around the clock nurses for years, giving medicine and seeing specialists, hoping and praying our baby would live.  but she has become a lovely, healthy, thriving young lady.

we were first told she would need heart surgery every 2-3 years.  we are now told, after yearly exams, that her heart is consistently growing with her, and she may not need heart surgery to repair her arch ever again.  she was born with an asd, vsd, and bi-cuspid instead of a tri-cuspid.  we are watching the bi-cuspid, but are ever prayerful and hopeful that the Lord will continue to bless this sweet girls little body, that she won’t need any additional surgeries.  we are very blessed to have her strong-willed sweet spirit in our family.

it’s amazing to me all that we have gone through, and without hardly any help from family.  we’ve never had parents who were there emotionally for us.  rarely any support of any kind.  we’ve gone through all our trials with just each other, and even though that makes me sad, it has made us stronger.  so if any of you out there feel like you don’t have anyone there to help you, we’ve been there.  just know, you can make it through anything.  the comfort and power of the Lord will always be a blessing and a strength.