SAM...MORE THAN A CONQUEROR: Let's assume...

Sam. Conqueror. Overcomer.

"IN ALL THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVES US : Samuel was born on 15th May 2009, two months early and in respiratory distress. After an initial Apgar score of 1, he was taken to the NICU and placed on a ventilator, together with an undeterminable amount of tubes, IV’s and monitors which made it almost impossible to see the little Smurfie character lying within…slightly blue and only three apples high. Sam was diagnosed within 24 hours with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome, a scarce medical advantage as, due to the rare occurrence of the Syndrome and the limited medical literature on it, many individuals are only diagnosed well into adulthood and some never at all. The page-long list of medical/health issues related to the syndrome, while vital in providing a prognosis and compiling a care plan, took a backseat, however, as Sam’s struggle to breathe and swallow became the primary focus of our concerns and prayers, deepened only by the heartache of not being allowed to hold and comfort him for the first ten days of his already traumatic life. After seven weeks Sam was successfully weaned from the oxygen but was still dependent on a nasal gastric tube for feeding, with which he was eventually discharged. Once home, what should have been a precious time to recover from the stress of the NICU and enjoy a relaxed and cherished time together, instead became a seemingly-endless timeline of specialist appointments, therapies, illnesses and surgeries as that page-long list of medical complexities came into play, affecting every part of Sam…physically, neurologically, medically and emotionally. Yet, despite these challenges and an “ineducable” future being predicted when his prognosis was delivered, Sam showed a delightful potential and eagerness for learning. Unfortunately though, this learning potential seemed limited to his cognitive abilities as, physically, Sam’s development lagged significantly behind that of his RTS peers. A week before his 5th birthday a brain MRI confirmed that, in addition to the RTS, Sam also has Periventricular Leukomalacia and Static Leukoencephalopathy (included under the umbrella diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy), which would more than likely have occurred as a result of the oxygen deprivation experienced leading up to and/or during his birth. Thirteen years later and with a number of surgeries and medical procedures which appear to be in fierce competition for their own “page-long list” (which surgeries and their subsequent recoveries have left Sam to face his day-to-day life with a residue of unshakeable anxieties and phobias), the boy you meet face-to-face…with his cheeky sense of humour, unfathomable joy and fierce warrior spirit…make it almost impossible to believe that that disheartening brain MRI and poor medical prognosis are of the same kid. As we begin to navigate this journey with a newly aged differently-abled teenager, leaving behind the little smurf whose fears and discomforts could so easily be remedied with a cuddle on mom’s lap, the anxiety of more surgeries and medical challenges now compounded by the universal fear of every differently-abled child’s parent/s (who will take care of their child once their own time here is gone) threatens to become overwhelming. But then the excitement of a horseriding lesson, the sheer delight of spotting a balloon (especially a hot air balloon) or a super silly giggle caused by simply hearing someone sneeze provides a beautiful reminder of the profound joy and courage these children radiate, despite their overwhelming challenges, and it provides the perfect encouragement and inspiration for facing your own. #samtheconqueror

SAMUEL - COMPLETE IN GOD
Our world has crashed, been blown apart.
This can't be happening....why us? Why now?
Your fragile life shaken before it could barely start,
How do we get through this...please, Lord, tell us how?

Drowning in our sorrow, waiting for answers that just don't come.
Our baby "special needs"? It simply can't be true!
The heartache overwhelms us, we're left feeling cold and numb.
The diagnosis tells us little - these children are so few.

But then we finallyget to touch you, to see your precious face
And all the heartache and questions fade, replaced with love and pride.
It's obvious from the very start you're showered in God's grace,
And with His love and guidance, we'll take this challenge in stride.

When once we couldn't pronounce it, Rubinstein-Taybi's become our norm.
When once the future seemed dark, we now welcome the journey as having an RTS angel brings lessons in unexpected form.

Our world has crashed, been blown apart!
This IS happening....to us.....right now!
We've been blessed with a gift, so precious from the very start. How do we get through this? Here's how.....
By believing in a God, so merciful and great,
By trusting that He's right beside us as we journey through the narrow gate.
By believing His love for us is not determined by a human frame,
By trusting that we draw Him near by merely calling His name. This precious baby we asked God for,
Prayed he'd be perfect and complete.
And, as Samuel means "God hears", He's laid His answer at our feet.

(Nicky de Beer : 27/05/2010)

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Let's assume...

...that the Lil Smurfy Dude has spent approximately 1800 days on this Earth and that, on average, he threw up every fourth day. That's a good average because sure there have been stretches when he would go weeks without vomiting but there have also been stretches when he would vomit two...three...sometimes four or more times every day, so it's certainly a good average. That would put us at about 450 throws up over 5 years and allocating a generous 150 throw ups to alternate landing spots, it would be fair to declare that I have been drenched in a healthy dose of eau de puke at least 300 times over the last 5 years. Three.Hundred.Times!!! Now if you are sitting (on a Saturday night of all nights) considering calculations of this nature, you know you have been puked on one (or 299) too many times.

So 300 would have to be some kind of record right? Definitely worthy of a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records? A quick chat with my pal Google advises otherwise. There was a young gent considering an attempt at being
The best at throwing up but with his regurgitation being voluntary I hardly think it's a fair comparison. An interesting article on
How to vomit without making a mess did come up...I'm going to share it with Sam...will let you know how it works out.

Now who would have expected to learn such fascinating facts on such a boring mommy blog?

Another fascinating fact...the only thing I hate more than Sam vomiting is Sam vomiting ON ME! And last Sunday's incident has so far been the most spectacular. Sam's most recent sensory overload is caused by too many people standing up suddenly around him. It happened the previous Sunday at the end of the service when I took a little longer to perch his 18kg self on my hip. Luckily quickly running out stopped the gagging just in time. Last Sunday, however, Chris and one or two other gents stood up to collect the tithes instantly causing Sam to gag. It being the beginning of the service I thought I would give it an opportunity to pass before rushing out. Not the wisest decision. After the 3rd gag I knew we were in trouble and got up to leave but it was too late...a moment later partially digested Pediasure and Futurelife exploded into my face and hair. Luckily the ground was mostly spared as the excess of the explosion was beautifully captured in the loose folds of the polo neck I was wearing.

Tomorrow we shall go accessorised with at least one marg tub and with any luck will not spend the entire service in the car.