Got a Happy Story? Birthday Boy Edition
Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 06:23:46 PM PDT
Eleven years ago at 11:41 in the morning soberboy made his entrance into the world, two months ahead of schedule. He arrived in time for the opening kickoff in the BC-Notre Dame football game. He weighed 3 1/2 pounds and was sent directly to the NICU breathing on his own.
soberdad and I were laughing last night about those early days. I was tired from picking soberboy up at After School Athletics and then bringing him to CCD. After that he wanted to head to Dolphins Swim Club but I said he needed to do his homework and eat dinner. He spent 6 weeks in the NICU and we watched baby after baby be discharged wondering if he would ever go home. Now we wonder if he will ever slow down.
Got a Happy Story is a community gathering every Friday night where we share stories large and small that have put a smile on our face. It is a time to acknowledge the joy and wonder we experience. The Happy Story diary exists as a way to anchor the community in hope and comfort while we do the hard work of taking back our country. Everyone and all sorts of stories and pictures are welcome. May we find joy and strength here.
soberboy spent a great deal of time in and out of the hospital in those early days. He had multiple operations to correct bladder and kidney malformations and will be facing yet another minor one sometime later this month. His early birth and chronic medical problems, and probably genetics as well, combined to give him with Asperger's Syndrome. Once we were through the early major surgeries we then focused on academic issues.
His life has been filled with appointments and testing. But it has also been filled with incredible joy and wonder. In the past two years he's finally moved beyond many of his challenges and is able to fully interact in the classroom and in other activities. He's a water rat like his mother and swims whenever he can. He's a sailor like his Dad, although Dad was in the Navy and soberboy prefers sailboats.
Some of the memories that stand out for me are: him teaching his preschool class to sing Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, his first word (book), his first Boston accented word(bayaah for bear), him pulling his snow boots off one January day and trotting into the ocean when I was writing in the sand, and his first visit to a different church when he pointed up at a suspended crucifix and boomed, "hey we have that at home!"
When he was 3 he was recovering from major kidney and bladder surgery and had catheters, drains, and IVs everywhere. One of the anesthesia docs came through about 5:30 am to check his pain level. Things were pretty uncomfortable for soberboy and the doc apologized saying, "I'm sorry you're hurting so much." soberboy looked at him and said, "It's okay. It's not your fault. Soon I'll be better." The doc caught soberdad in the cafeteria later that day and said, "He made my day, your boy did. It's hard some days what the little ones go through. I can't believe that he understands so much at this age. I've been smiling all day."
Here are some pictures from the past year.
Last year with a friend
In Vegas
At his great grandmother's farm
At Opening of the Bay
At Sailing Camp
Lake Francis, NH
Listening to John Edwards
With Elizabeth Edwards
So what's your happy story this week?
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