Before i tell you about Jackson's birth, let me tell you a little about the rest of our family.
My name is Joanne, and I am happily married to my husband, Craig. We have a daughter named Jennifer, (who at the time
of Jackson's birth, was 7 years old), a son named Jeremy,(who was four years old at the time Jackson was born) and
of course.Jackson. :o)
While i was pregnant with Jackson we were all pretty excited about bringing another little person
into our lives. We never had any idea that anything was or even could be wrong. But 30 weeks into the pregnancy, my worst
fear came true. I began to bleed. In a panic, my husband called his parents to come and stay with our older two children while
he rushed me to the hospital. When we got there i had an ultrasound right away, and was admitted. That first night i stayed
in the hospital, i shared a room with another woman who seemed to be in there for the same reasons. My hopes began to raise
when she told me that she would get to go home the next morning. But that wasn't going to be the case for me. :o(
The
next day i had another ultrasound, and the results wern't good. Nobody really told us much and we had no idea what to think.
All we were told was that the baby had stopped growing, and that he had barely any amnio fluid, and he had to come out. Because
i was only at 30 weeks they would not deliver him in that hospital and i had to be transported to another hospital that could
deal with such a preemie.
When i arrived at the new hospital, i underwent even more tests. the doctors finally told me
that they wanted to try and induce me to get the baby out. Nobody mentioned Down syndrome. Nobody mentioned a heart defect.
Just that he had to come out. So the next day i was induced. But as the contractions started, Jackson went into distress and
he had to be born by an emergancy c-section. I barely saw my little boy before he was whisked away.
It was later that
night when i first got to see my little baby. He had weighed in at 2 pounds 5 1/2 ounces. Right away, after looking at his
sweet little face, I knew that he had Down syndrome. 3 days later we were called to a meeting at the hospital with the doctors
were it was said outloud for the first time. I think i cryed on and on for about 4 or 5 days, before i started to see my baby
for a baby first, then the Down syndrome. This little boy needed me. It was time to deal with my feelings of grief and to
get on with being there for my son.
Then came the task of explaining to our families and friends that our baby was going
to be "differant". But everyone was great. I don't know how we would of made it through the first year of Jackson's life without
the support of everyone around us.
Now Jackson is six years old and the love of my life. He can make anyone around
him smile, just by smiling himself.
now i wonder .....years later...what was i crying about?? I have been blessed with
3 GREAT children. All of them different in their own way, but all of them strong, loving, caring, brave, and ours!! I am proud
to be Jackson's mum!! :o)
Me (Jackson) and my mum when i was 3 weeks old. :o)
Me (Jackson) with my dad, the day before i got to go home from the hospital for the very first time. I was 9 1/2 weeks old.
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