Here is a story that I stumbled onto. It does a great job of describing the emotions that go along with having a child with an illness/disability. I had to share it because those of you who know me, know that I don't cry easily & this story moves me to tears almost every time I read it.
WELCOME TO HOLLAND
"I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this . . .
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, Michelangelo’s David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, 'Welcome to Holland.' 'Holland?' you say, “What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.' But there’s been a change in flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland, and there you must stay.
The most important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for awhile and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, 'Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.'
The pain of that will never, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland."
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Born with a severe congenital heart defect at 31 weeks gestation, Grady has overcome many obstacles including surviving a heart transplant 2 weeks before his actual due date at a little over 5 lbs. Doctors have said many times that it is a miracle he is alive. He has touched many lives in the short time he has been here. I can't even begin to imagine what God has in store for the rest of his life.
Born with a severe congenital heart defect at 31 weeks gestation, Grady has overcome many obstacles including surviving a heart transplant 2 weeks before his actual due date at a little over 5 lbs. Doctors have said many times that it is a miracle he is alive. He has touched many lives in the short time he has been here. I can't even begin to imagine what God has in store for the rest of his life.
About Me
- Jeannie
- I am a wife to Ken and mother of two precious boys Colby & Grady. Colby is a healthy 4 year old & Grady was born on 9/13/07 (9 weeks early) with a congenital heart defect. His diagnosis was critical aortic stenosis and hypoplastic left heart. He had a lifesaving catherization the day he was born (his heart stopped twice that day). Two weeks later we were told that there was no other surgery that could be done to correct his defect. We were told that we have 2 choices: comfort care (doing nothing & allowing him to die) or a heart transplant. We opted for the transplant even though we knew that it would be a long hard road. Nine days after being listed, Grady received his new heart. He is still recovering at the Cleveland Clinic. Grady is our miracle baby! We have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland since September of 2007.
Contact info:
ARE YOU ON THE LIST?
Over 97,000 people are hoping for a transplant that may save their lives. Grady WAS one of them. We're on "THE LIST". Are you?
4 comments:
Jeannie,
Thanks for the story. It helps to understand even better how you feel.
I miss all of you. I can't believe that Mariah is sick again. We're going to the Dr. again this morning.
Cassie has a birthday party today. We were going to go to the $1 Theater and watch a movie and go to the mall etc. The girls were going to be here from 11am to 9pm. But now I'm not sure with the forecast if we should even have them here. I'll have to play it by ear I guess.
Colby forgot his football here.
Well, I gotta get ready to take Mia to the Dr.
Hope you're all doing well.
Love,
Rosy
Jeannie,
You are amazing and I love you! Thank you for sharing from your heart and helping us see, just a little, of how you feel. Have an awesome day!
Love,
Jenny
I am proud of you, Jeannie! I know it is not the most natural thing to open up to people and even tho you did'nt write it> sharing it with us does help us know what the inside may feel like. I know more snow is coming.. I am ready for sunshine to get my kids healthy! how much does Grady weigh today? praying for you! I care!
love,
kendra
Hi Jeannie,
Thanks for opening your heart to us! I know for you thats difficult, but I can see that this expeience with Grady has made you a stronger individual. It's funny how God molds and shapes us through trials and struggles he allows us to go through. Know that you and your family is loved by many and are in our thots and prayers daily!
Have a great weekend! (Considering the weather!) Marv and I had the flu for 3 days this week and we just wanted to go out this weekend but doesn't look like thats a possibility. Hopefully after this lion is over the lambs not to far around the corner! Come on Spring!!!!!
Love Amy
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