Chance

What are the chances you will have a child?

What are the chances you will have a healthy child?

When I was young I never thought about these questions much, I just assumed I would have a child one day and it never even crossed my mind that “health” of said child would ever be a factor.

Growing up you’re not aware of what lies around the corner; the joys, the sorrows, the pain, the successes and the failures. Life is an open book when you are young, it’s full of dreams, with very little fear.

After learning having a child would prove to be difficult for us, I was sad, disappointed, even mad. Then one day by chance we learned we were pregnant. Never during those 27 weeks prior to May 3, 2006 did I ever think I would have a child who would be sick before he even entered this world. By chance on May 5th we learned of the many challenges Cameron, and us, would face as a new family.

And 2 years later Connor joined us by chance, not planned.

I bring all of this up because I truly believe the path we are on is by chance, it could have just as easily been you instead of me. I have grown, changed and learned so much on this path. And I have cried many tears and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders for really too long, but I will keep going because my children need me, and I need them. We are better people having Cameron and Connor in our lives.

One hot day this summer we saw two specialists at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, as I looked around the waiting room I thought how all of us are here by chance and how so many other families were outside enjoying a beautiful sunny day in Chicago, at the beach, the pool, maybe getting an ice cream cone.

And there, in the waiting room I counted at least 15 different children under the age of 10, each one with orthotics on their feet, 75% of them in a wheelchair, all of us waiting at least an hour to see the same two doctors. And my little boy was squealing in delight playing with another little boy in a toy school bus.

Later he tires of waiting and asks when they will call our name. But he’s not upset that he’s stuck inside, he’s just tired of waiting.

Was I upset? No. I was counting my lucky stars that my child could walk, he could talk, and he was happy.

Cameron’s struggles are not over, he will fight the rest of his life. One thing not by chance; our will to give both our children the best chance to succeed in life.