His imperfections were obvious. He wore some right on his crooked face. Those features were just the tip of the iceberg however, as his biggest struggles came from the problems within his 4 pound body.
one of the first pictures taken of Aidan
Usually when someone hears my short version of Aidan's story, they want to know what was wrong with him. Specifically. So if you are wondering the same thing, here you go--
Before he was born, at our routine find-out-the gender-ultrasound we learned that Aidan had a cleft lip and palate and an omphalocele. Don't worry, I had never heard of an omphalocele either. An omphalocele is when the abdomen doesn't close during development and part of the insides are outside. In Aidan's case it was his liver. Believe it or not, this is usually fixable--they put what is out back in. (It's a bit more complicated than that...but it is done.)
When Aidan was born by emergency c-section, I remember hubby leaning over to me in the operating room and gently saying..."he only has one ear". I didn't care about the ear--I just wanted him. However, finding something else wrong with him confirmed our worst suspicions--we didn't know the whole story yet.
After tests and xrays--the neonatologist looked at the reports and pictures and just shook her head. He was a mystery. The other struggles that surfaced over the next hours and days:
* his larynx and/or trachea was in not in the right position--
they had an extremely difficult time putting in his breathing tube.
* his right lung smaller than his left
* his spine had vertebrae anomalies--spine in an S curve
* one side of his rib cage was not formed properly
* he had a major heart defect (five things wrong with his heart!)
Everything that was wrong with him was "fixable" or he could live with. So, we began the journey of "fixing" him. Of course, fixing one thing impacted another...nothing was isolated. It was rather overwhelming, to say the least.
Through all sorts of tests and examinations by genetic specialists, we never got a diagnosis. He didn't fit any condition they knew of. The doctors used the word "fluke". yuck.
When we first learned of Aidan's issues in utero, my mom cried out to God--"God, why is this happening?? From the moment Dawn was pregnant, I prayed for a healthy, perfect baby." She says it was one of those rare times when God seemed to speak audibly into her ear. She heard "He is perfect for My purposes." We hung on to that word from God. God would redeem the terrible circumstances of Aidan's life. And He has. It looks different than we would have picked, but He has.
thank you bloggies for encouraging me to write more about Aidan--more to come
9 comments:
I remember well the email updates while you were in the middle of this journey. WOW, so much! Thank you for sharing your story. Having just experienced 6 short days in the hospital with Desta, I have such empathy for families whose children have more critical issues.
Thank you,
Melodie
i cannot imagine this journey. i cannot. because i have experienced little tidbits and pieces of baby crisis... that, at the time, felt world-ending. things that have worked out just fine. more than fine. and that had His purpose written all over them. but aidan's purpose... deep breath... i think you are beautifully brave.
sweet beautiful mamma and baby
Dawn,
My heart just goes out to you ... I have a special needs child, so I'm always moved by others with children with health problems. I have also seen God use Micah's difficulties for His glory and I know He will continue to use Aidan's story and your willingness to tell it. I know it must be very painful to share ... thank you.
hey dawn, i'm just reading aidan's story for the first time. i've heard much of it from beth. on this quiet morning though, when one mouse-click led to another and another, i've gotten to hear it in your own words. praise to the big G for all of his big G ways :)
here i am reading this again. and again, the tears are falling. and again, i find you so beautifully brave. but even more... such a mother, with the love of a Father. not caring about the ear... just wanting him. the fight you fought, for him... and that he fought so bravely. and to think you no longer have to worry about him.... oh, that is a gift. to know that he is in the precious arms of Jesus. sendng my love again... straigh to your heart.
i'm just learning aidan's story today. you are inspiring and i love how God always works for the good. i think your post touched me because i have twin nephews who are now fourteen months old - my sister had some complications during her pregnancy and had to have an emergency c-section. everyone was fine, thankfully, and healthy, although the babies were small. their names are jordan andrew and aidan david. and my sweet aidan now has a link to yours. thank you for sharing.
Hi- I don't know if you have found a diagnosis yet for your baby, but we lost a daughter in December to a disorder called Limb Body Wall Complex, and some of your baby's issues are similar to these kids....
Hi Dawn!
I'm Belén Manrique, a journalist from a spanish magazine called "Mision". It's a catholic magazine which purpose is to educate and to inform to the catholic families in Spain and to spread the the essential values of life, freedom and the True.
How you know, nowadays the value of the life is being damaged. Over the world, doctors advise to the mothers to abort when her son/daughter has a disease incompatible with the life. We're writing a report about the embryo as a patient and the prenatal diagnosis. We'd like to publish stories of families who decided to give their babies the opportunity of living although doctors told them there was no chance to life.
That's why I'm writing you. I would like to publish your testimony with your son, Aidan. On this way, we help anothers families from Spain to know why it's important to give their babies the opportunity of life and to see theirs babies as perfects at te God'eyes.
If you would like to help me with your testimony, please write to my email: manrique.belen@gmail.com
Thank you so much!
I wait for your reply,
God bless you,
Belén Manrique
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