Featured Child: Zach

Zach's Spina Bifida Level is: L3/L4

Scary Moments Happen:
The two scariest moments for me was seeing him the first time after his surgery. Seeing your child in the incubator hooked to tubes and monitors. The incision, was also much larger than I ever expected.

We are stronger than we ever thought we could be:
My strongest moment, was when he had his first shunt revision, October of 2009. We were on a famiy camp trip, with my entire side. Zach had been getting sick, he and I were just not getting any sleep and it is hard to deal with a sick little guy in a camper. I decided that I was going to head home, my husband and daughter stayed. We decided that it wasn't fair for our daughter to miss the family trip. When I got home, I checked in with the peditricians nurse line. He said due to his conditions, their protocal is to have me take him to the ER. So off I went. Managing to break my phone on the why there. I honestly thought it was the flu or he was teething, as he has just been seen by his nueoroligist on the 15th and this was the 24th. They did a few tests and I was told that he would be going into surgery within the hour. It was just Zach and I and I didn't have a way to let my husband know. Luckly i found my husband's dad number written down in a notebook I had it was a local number from the hospital. He called my husband to let him know. The shunt surgeries have been very difficult for me, but each time we have seen amazing positive changes in our son.
People still say stupid things:
What is his life expectancy. This was a person I went to see to try to help me deal with the rollercoaster ride of emotions, prior to his birth. Needless to say I never went back.
There are those who DO encourage:
We had to learn to cath at prior to being discharged. My husband was ready to go, as soon as they told us. Me not so much. One day my husband was at work and I decided I was going to try. I let the nurse know I was ready. We started the process and I began to cry. She told me not to worry about it. We would take it as slow or fast as I need, but that she was there to support me. It as something simple, but it meant a great deal to me. I didn't feel that we were just another patient.
Favorite Food:
Meat and Whip Cream (extra calories)

Favorite Feature:
His smile. He is the biggest little flirt.

A moment of Triumph:
The weekend before christmas 2009, he got into the sitting position by himself

A trial:
bringing your baby home : This was very scare for me. After birth Zach was taken to Children's hospital within three hours. He had his surgery the next day, that night he stayed in NICU. He was doing so well we were moved to the general floor. I like this as it let us be more involved in his care. However, I really struggled with taking care of his incisions. I cried, when ever I tried to look at it. I was afraid that I would not be able to properly care for it at home and he would ended up with an infection. We were also cathing and were completely exhusted. We stayed for 20 days. We just took it one day at a time and here we are now, he is almost two.



Thanks for all you moms who take the time to do this!! If you have sent me one and havent seen your child yet, he/she is coming!! If you havent sent me info about your child and would like to be "Featured" feel free to email me at Kari.leann@hotmail.com