Imagine being told your newborn would have to have a feeding tube for the rest of his life.
In the last post, we met Melissa, a recent high school graduate struggling with the news that her baby had a birth defect. Pregnancy is challenging for any young woman, but when you are 19 and pregnant with a child with a birth defect, you must grow up in a hurry.
And that is exactly what Melissa did.
Fortunately for Melissa, she had great family support and a brave, positive attitude. During her pregnancy, we found that her baby’s abdominal wall defect closed spontaneously prior to delivery, causing him to lose the majority of his intestines.
Today, we find out what happened when Aiden was born, and the challenges that Melissa and Aiden continue to deal with. From surgeries to IV nutrition to feeding tubes to considering transplant options, their lives have not been easy. But they have been more than just coping.
“I just remember feeling so helpless…I see people having these wonderful white picket fence families and everything is going perfect. And that just wasn’t our case.”
It was because of this life-changing journey that Melissa decided to go to nursing school. Now she is a school nurse in addition to taking care of Aiden’s complicated daily needs.
As for Aiden…he’s just a happy kid.
I can’t imagine living day to day with a central IV line in my chest and a feeding tube in my abdomen. But he takes it all in stride and doesn’t let it slow him down. He and Melissa have been through multiple hospitalizations and setbacks, and have forged a bond that is really special to witness.
Melissa treasures every day that she has with him. Meet Aiden and you will see why.
If you missed last week’s Part One of her story, go back and watch it now.
Finally, if you’re a new mom, a mom-to-be, or an open-nester, you deserve to pamper yourself. Have you grabbed your free copy of my Self-Care Guide for busy moms? If not, you can grab that right here.