I came across this blog ‘Love and A Leap of Faith‘ today, written by a mother whose daughter Vera was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a rare genetic chromosomal disorder that occurs in 1 out of 3000 live births. According to existing literature, 90% of infants do not live past their 1st year.

Miraculously for Vera and her parents, she has just celebrated her 1st birthday a few days back. The love from her parents and loved ones must have reached her and encouraged her to fight on day after day.

This is the first time I have come across a blog of a special child (as her mum has put it, something is special when it is rare – and kids like hers are rare. Also, these kids are special because they are fighting harder than other kids), and I must say reading through her posts and experiences had touched me, and made me appreciate even more what I’m blessed to already possess. It’s already difficult being a parent, and I can’t imagine the vast amount of hardship and stress parents of special kids go through.

Catherine had a tough labour and had to be hospitalised for more than a week after her emergency C-sec operation (see Hospital Stay), but at least our son Darius is safe and growing healthily. We also had a rude shock during her 3rd trimster after being diagnosed with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (see Glucose Tolerance test), which could lead to the child having respiratory problems or even be stillborn.

I had been worried about Catherine’s and Darius’ health during those trying times, but fortunately everything turned out fine in the end and we were blessed with a safe and healthy family. I have consoled Catherine during her sufferings by saying that God might have arranged for her to suffer in place of Darius, and that was why he was born with good health despite the underlying risks.

We are so lucky to have Darius with us

Back to Vera, she has been blessed with great fortune to have lived past her first birthday, but not all babies with the T18 condition are so fortunate. Like this mother whose blog ‘In Memory of Baby Rayvin – Our Little Angel‘ is dedicated to her lost son Rayvin, her lovely son did not manage to live past the 3-hour mark upon coming to this world.

Knowing that we are a lot more fortunate than many parents out there, we should be counting our blessings everyday and be contented with what we have, while continuing to treasure the loved ones around us, appreciating that their hearts are still blessed to be beating healthily.

With that, I end this thought-filled post with a video made by a father, dedicated to his beloved son Eliot (who was also born with the T18 syndrome, which is also known as the Edward’s Syndrome):

I wish all our readers good health in the many years ahead. ^^

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