‘We just don’t know right now. We will have to wait and see.’ WHAT?!? In less than 24 hours, my sweet, active, PERFECT baby boy was paralyzed from the neck down.’

“As the doctor was trying to tell me it was ‘just a virus,’ I looked at her and said, ‘But he can’t move.’ She suddenly stopped and looked at him a little closer. After prompting him, he still did not move. I saw the panic rush across her face. My entire world collapsed in front of me.”

‘Despite having 5 beautiful children, I still couldn’t shake the feeling our family was not complete. ‘Surely we have room for one more, right?’: Family of 9 shares adoption journeys, God’s answers to prayers

“At only 17 years old, while still a senior in high school, I vividly remember the intense fear I felt when I looked at that pregnancy test. What would become of me? I had always been the good girl – the one that got good grades and followed the rules.”

‘I was so skinny my ribs poked through my shirt. I was an easy target. I couldn’t fight back.’: Man battles ‘body dysmorphia’ after years of bullying, finds ‘confidence’ in new body

“I was pushed around, thrown, kicked until I passed out. I looked in the mirror and felt ashamed of how I looked. I didn’t tell anyone what was going on. Until one day I fell to the floor at my mom’s house and cried like I never had and talked about driving off a bridge. I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like for my mom to see her 6’8″ son breaking down in front of her, not knowing how to help.”

‘The doctor intensively listened to her heartbeat – troubled by what he heard. We realized the severity of the situation. Immediately dropping to my knees in despair, we moved into the hospital.’

“I immediately started CPR and called 911 while my husband tried to keep the boys out of the room. Things escalated quickly. Before I knew it, our road was blocked by police, firefighters, and an ambulance. All these people lent us their hands in attempt to save our daughter.”

‘In these 45 days, I have held my 2-year old while she was throwing up, during blood draws and X-rays. I have watched her learn to trust. I know what blanket she needs to fall asleep.’

“I have met my child’s birth mom and held her. I have cried with her and prayed for her. My heart is wide open. It has grown to love not only this child, but also her biological mother. I’m rooting for her and wanting desperately to help her break this cycle of life she is trapped in.”

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