The other day a miracle occurred in our family. Our one daughter, Jodie, managed to surprise all of us by mouthing the word "Mama." It was her very first word.
Jodie is ten years old, but she is a special child, a child who happens to have a lot of severe health problems. For starters, she was born brain damaged, and at the age of 10 months or so, she was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. As a result of her having cerebral palsy she is in a wheelchair and is unable to walk; and she wears braces on her stick-thin legs. She also has problems swallowing, and for this reason she is fed by means of a gastronomy tube in her stomach. She is also profoundly mentally ratarded, with an I.Q. of below 30. She is more like an infant than a little girl of ten years, and she requires a lot of care. Doctors didn't give her much in the way of hope, and when it was found that she had been born severely disabled she was abandoned by her birth parents and was immediately placed into an institution back in her native Korea.
She was unable to talk, but the other day, as I was changing her hospital bed (she had pooped all over the sheets when she had a bowel movement), I heard a soft, but audible, cry: "Mama." I then looked back at Jodie, who was lying on the carpet, and she was grinning hugely, her eyes sparkling.
I couldn't believe my ears at what I had just heard. Here was a child who had never spoken a word in her life (excepting by making noises), and she had managed to speak her very first word. I started crying with sheer joy, and in my excitement, I picked up Jodie and hugged her and kissed her all over. I then called my husband at work, and he was just as thrilled as I was when I told him the news.
It was clearly a gift from God.
Especially since people don't often hold out much hope for a child with disabilities as severe as Jodie's. Jodie wasn't expected to ever learn how to talk or walk, and she would never progress beyond the level of an infant. Yet, the other day, she managed to surprise us all by saying one simple word, but a word that meant the whole world to me--"Mama."
When Kathy finds a small stray kitten some amazing things happen. Story's from a Mom's view of the love, caring and patience needed when a child wants to own a pet. Recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award. Delightful illustrations!
You May Be Single, But You’re Not Alone.
Being a great dad is challenging enough when you’re part of a two-person team. But now you’re raising your kids single-handedly. How can you provide the emotional, physical, and spiritual support your
You May Be Single, But You’re Not Alone.
Being a great dad is challenging enough when you’re part of a two-person team. But now you’re raising your kids single-handedly. How can you provide the emotional, physical, and spiritual support your
