Re: A Very Poignant Birthday

[Guest guest]

Leah,

Now that I am ready to cry, let me say Happy Birthday to Olivia -

and I'm so glad you are here with us, too. And I agree, somehow

there is a purpose for everything, even if we don't see it at the

time.

Jodi Z

[Guest guest]

hey leah!!

you have brought me to tears!!! a very Happy Birthday to Olivia!!!

everything in life happens for a reason and olivia having rss saved

your life!!! wait until she is old enough to know that her being

special made it posible for you to be her and ashely's mommy for

many years to come!!!!

jodie c

>

>

> Today my Olivia turns 5. This is more than just a birthday,

it's

> a huge milestone in our lives.

>

> The day before Olivia was born via planned premature c-section

at

> 29 weeks for failure to thrive the cardiologist had to run tests

to

> determine if I was to have a spinal or an epidural because of my

> heart defect. He discovered a new problem in my heart, I'd

> developed an aneurysm. When he said that it could be fixed I was

> partially disinterested since I'd never had any major problems

with

> it and had my mind on the baby I was to deliver the next day

> especially when the Dr's told us not to expect her to live. The

> cardiologist sat and talked with us for a while and then gave me 5

> years to live if I didn't get the defect fixed.

> Well today is 5 years and I'm still here. When Olivia was 11

> months old I had open heart surgery and they fixed everything

giving

> me a new lease on life.

>

> Gods gifts are not always straight forward and sometimes you

have

> to search for them but I know there is a reason for everything. I

> thank God for RSS. If Olivia was not failure to thrive we would

> have sailed through life not knowing anything and I wouldn't be

here

> today. My children would be without a mother, my husband without

a

> wife. I'm no longer on borrowed time and every breath I take is a

> gift that I must not forget, I've been given the future, to watch

my

> kids grow, to watch them achieve their lifes highs and lows, to

just

> be here.

>

> It was horrible to watch Olivia struggle at birth and through

her

> first years, it's hard now with all of the medical issues and the

> stares but on the other hand it's a small price to pay just to be

> here. She will always be my hero for that.

>

> I feel as though I've found a new family with everyone here and

> I've gotten to be very close friends with some of you for which

I'll

> be forever grateful for. Never give up hope that things will get

> better and remember that there is a reason for everything.

>

> Love and hugs to you all

> Leah, mom to 9 years and Olivia 5 years, 19lbs, 33 " , RSS,

OI,

> lots of meds

[Guest guest]

Happy birthday Olivia! And glad you are here too...sometimes there

is no way to see joy in the moment but later we can look back and see

why things had to happen the way they did, even if they weren't the

best of events!

, , almost 5 and Emerence 21 month old " big attitude

little body! " 21 mo, 18lb 11 oz 28.5 "

>

>

> Today my Olivia turns 5. This is more than just a birthday, it's

> a huge milestone in our lives.

>

> The day before Olivia was born via planned premature c-section at

> 29 weeks for failure to thrive the cardiologist had to run tests to

> determine if I was to have a spinal or an epidural because of my

> heart defect. He discovered a new problem in my heart, I'd

> developed an aneurysm. When he said that it could be fixed I was

> partially disinterested since I'd never had any major problems with

> it and had my mind on the baby I was to deliver the next day

> especially when the Dr's told us not to expect her to live. The

> cardiologist sat and talked with us for a while and then gave me 5

> years to live if I didn't get the defect fixed.

> Well today is 5 years and I'm still here. When Olivia was 11

> months old I had open heart surgery and they fixed everything

giving

> me a new lease on life.

>

> Gods gifts are not always straight forward and sometimes you have

> to search for them but I know there is a reason for everything. I

> thank God for RSS. If Olivia was not failure to thrive we would

> have sailed through life not knowing anything and I wouldn't be

here

> today. My children would be without a mother, my husband without a

> wife. I'm no longer on borrowed time and every breath I take is a

> gift that I must not forget, I've been given the future, to watch

my

> kids grow, to watch them achieve their lifes highs and lows, to

just

> be here.

>

> It was horrible to watch Olivia struggle at birth and through her

> first years, it's hard now with all of the medical issues and the

> stares but on the other hand it's a small price to pay just to be

> here. She will always be my hero for that.

>

> I feel as though I've found a new family with everyone here and

> I've gotten to be very close friends with some of you for which

I'll

> be forever grateful for. Never give up hope that things will get

> better and remember that there is a reason for everything.

>

> Love and hugs to you all

> Leah, mom to 9 years and Olivia 5 years, 19lbs, 33 " , RSS,

OI,

> lots of meds

[Guest guest]

Hi Leah,

Happy Birthday to Olivia! My how time flies when you're having

fun...Hehehe.

Your story hits very close to home. I understand feeling grateful

everyday to be here with my children and my husband. When the twins

were about 2 weeks old I had a pulmonary embolism. I had a blood

clot form in my leg. It was the largest that they had ever seen here

in my hospital. It ran from my ankle all the way up my leg into my

pelvis. That leg is still twice the size as the other one due to the

clot and always will be. I threw at least 2 clots through my heart

and into my lungs by the time I made it to the ER. Either one should

of taken my life immediately. I thank God everyday that he spared

me. I was in the ICU in our home town for about a week and Coby was

in the NICU 2 hours away. My poor hubby had the other 3 kids at home

by himself and I was running a home day care at the time. What a

mess that was. I came home about 3 days before Coby did. I was bed

ridden for a month. I was taking care of infant twins out of a bed

set up in my living room. Wow, the memories that brings back!

It was 2 yrs ago Halloween. I am still on blood thinners and always

will be, but that is a small price to pay to be with my kids for

years to come. Being on bed rest with the twins and then the c-

section and the driving back and forth to the hospital 2 hours away

all added to the reason I had the clot, but when they did the genetic

testing they found that I had an inherited blood disorder. They

tested my kids, and 3 out of the 4 have it as well. Thanks to my

clot caused by the twins I found out about the disorder so that I can

better prepare my children and hopefully prevent them from losing

their life do to this disorder.

I have always believed that things happen for a reason. I remember

asking myself why I was given Coby when he was first born. I have

been answered many times. I believe these wonderful babies with RSS

are a gift to us and we, as parents, must be very special for them to

have been given to us. We are a great group of people and I cherish

the opportunity to have friendships with all of you.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Leah! It's nice to take a

moment to look back and remember how lucky we all are even when times

are rough.

le, mom to:

Shye almost 10, Brock 8, and Coby (rss) & Carlee 2