I have felt a depth of emotion that I haven’t felt before. I have felt the pain of my children’s challenges. Long nights in hospital nursing Henry sick with pneumonia, fighting with hospital staff to do everything I could do to give him the best care possible. Undertaking a rapid education into the world of hearing loss, determined to find out all I needed to know to give Henry the latest, the best opportunities available and make the best decisions we could for him. Navigating my way through the protocols, the testing, the medical professionals, to properly diagnose Henry’s hearing ability and get him on the road to being hearing. And I have experienced great joys. Watching the relationship between Imogen and Henry strengthen into an amazing sibling bond. Seeing how Imogen has accepted and embraced Henry’s hearing issues with a love and compassion beyond her years, or perhaps because of her years. Celebrating the joy in every day moments. Henry hearing a knock at the door. Imogen chasing him down the hallway trying to put his CI coil back on his head. Moments together as a family, enjoying just being together, knowing that these moments are what we live for.
I think I have better clarity- I have refined my ability to filter that which is important and that which I just let fly right past me without blinking. There is less that is actually important, that warrants my attention. But those things that are- my family and close friends, I have a better focus on, can devote all my energies to.
I have a better understanding of our capacity to love, to withstand obstacles. And to really understand, what are obstacles? There are many things which we think may define us, may limit us, but it’s only in our mind. Henry was born completely deaf, but we all have no doubt that he will grow up hearing and communicating, participating in life. Both our children, Imogen and Henry, we do not have a defined path for them. We will celebrate their achievements and help them through their rough times, but we do not have a yardstick of success to measure them against. All we want for them is happiness and most of all love, an ability to meet challenges with a smile and take joy in the moments that life brings us every day.
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| Henry and Imogen out for a babycino |
Sarah you write beautifully!
ReplyDelete' I have refined my ability to filter that which is important and that which I just let fly right past me without blinking. '
What do you let fly by now which you didn't before?
Happy 1st birthday Henry!So much to look forward to!
Love, Jess.
Hear! Hear! Congratulations...many more to come! Lisa
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