English 125
Instructor: Ms. Young Manning
My Special Child
I never imagined having a child with special needs, as a mother, I expected to give birth to a normal looking child, but to my surprise my baby was born with different facial features. Damian was diagnosed with a rare chromosome abnormally when he was seven months old, by the genetics clinic. He took many different tests to detect and diagnose what special condition he had. During my pregnancy no warning signs were present. One of the blood tests came back resulting in a missing piece of his chromosome. This was going to cause many physical and intellectual difficulties. That also meant I was going to start a new journey.
I remember the day I found out I was pregnant six years ago in 2010, but it feels like it was just yesterday. I was two months pregnant when the doctor knocked on the door and came into the examining room to give me the news. This was going to be my second child and for my first son it meant having a little brother with whom he could wrestle and play. After such news, I immediately started to make plans for the future from getting the clothes to opening a savings account for him (I prepared for the best but not for the worst). I made sure I was getting everything I needed to prepare for the big day. I took good care of myself from swallowing those huge pink prenatal vitamins which I always hated to attending my appointments every month. I also ate more green vegetables and foods high in protein and fiber. Doing this gave me confidence that my unborn baby was growing fine inside my tummy.
The third month, I started to feel the normal pregnancy symptoms. I had nausea every morning which I disliked because I couldn’t eat breakfast. The worst was that I felt very tired and sleepy. When I did take a nap, most of my time was consumed, which made me feel guilty because I couldn’t keep up with errands, chores, and work. No other unusual symptoms occurred, no signs of having a pre-term labor; everything appeared normal.
During my fourth month, I noticed a bump in my abdomen. I took many pictures of it to show him when he grew up. This was also the month when I resigned from my job. I had been working for a shoe company for a year, which I enjoyed, but now that I was pregnant I had limited restrictions in doing certain parts of the labor. I couldn’t lift the heavy brown boxes when new shipments came in, and I couldn’t bend too low or stretch up so high. When I gave the resignation letter to my boss, he couldn’t believe he was about to lose a hardworking lady that contributed big earnings to his company. A week later he called me into his office to negotiate and to convince me to stay, by giving me a promotion to a higher wage, which I did not accept. The offer seemed decent, but my greatest concern was to take care of myself and my new unborn baby.
At five months pregnant, I took the Prenatal Screening Test. This is a test where they draw blood to check any possible risks of having a baby with birth defects. The test comes back either negative or positive, but it isn’t 100% accurate. My test came back negative, and I was very relieved to know my baby didn’t have a risk of having Down Syndrome or a neural spine defect. By the end of my fifth month, I was having my first ultrasound at Women’s Specialty Clinic. I felt very nervous and excited that I was going to meet the baby and know the gender.
“It’s a BOY!” the sonologist exclaimed.
I broke into tears of joy. “Does he look healthy?” I asked. Even though the prior test had come back negative, I needed to make sure the ultrasound backed it up. Every mother who loves her fetus makes sure the baby is growing normally.
“Yes, his weight seems fine and all his organs are intact,” she answered.
Three months later, I was nine months along, my belly was fully grown, and I had gained eighteen pounds. I was now expecting the baby any day.
Finally, the day came. When I was forty weeks pregnant, I started to feel contractions. As my aunt and I rushed to the hospital, I was in much pain, and I couldn’t believe I was soon going to hold my baby in my arms. I entered into the emergency department, signed papers and waited on a wheelchair to be called. Then a nurse called my name, and we went to the labor and delivering room. When I lay on a comfortable bed with white linen, my vitals were taken by a friendly nurse and an IV was injected in my left arm.
“Yup, you will be admitted tonight because this baby is ready to be born,” the nurse said. “We will now proceed in preparing all the equipment to deliver your baby.” Four hours later at 1:00 p.m. on January 4, 2011, Damian Santiago saw the bright light for the first time, but his left eye did not open all the way. The nurses whispered to one another, and the doctor seemed worried and confused. My heart started to pound faster than usual. I didn’t understand what was going on; it seemed like there was a problem.
“I am sorry to tell you, but your baby doesn’t look normal. He has smaller ears and didn’t pass the newborn hearing test, which indicates he cannot hear. His facial features are also a little different… looks like possible Down Syndrome, but I can’t tell you exactly what condition he has. I will for sure follow up with you and him,” the obstetrician told me.
Going to many doctors and clinics to discover his condition was very exhausting. He went in for heart checkups and eye appointments, and to nutritionists and to many specialist doctors. There were many nights he was admitted to the hospital. He took different kinds of medicines and had three major surgeries. Everything he has been through has not stopped Damian from fighting for a better day. Every day he wakes up with a warm smile and greets mornings with faith and confidence.
Damian is my special son despite his physical appearance due to his diagnosis of a rare chromosome disease called, ‘Chromosome Seven Deletion of the Short-arm.” He has many qualities and abilities. Even though the doctor said he was not going to grow up like a normal kid, Damian has proven many people wrong. He passed the hearing test when he turned a year old. He is not deaf and doesn’t use hearing aids, as the doctor thought he would. His eye vision is normal. He does not need glasses and many other things that he has overcome, which I put into one simple word, “Miracles.”
Since he came into my life, I have grown and matured. The many challenges and fears we have both faced together have been opportunities for success. The way he faces life daily with optimism is very inspiring, and having faith is his secret key. His unique personality has also made me the woman I am today. I can now understand many mothers who have children with disabilities and children with special needs. I have learned to have patience, compassion, and optimism. Having a child with special needs is the best gift I have so far; I ask for no more than to see him enjoy life and inspire others to believe in themselves.