The Joy and Pain of Raising a Child with Special Needs
The Joys and Pain Of Raising A Child With Special Needs
Donna McFadden
ENG121 English Composition I
Mr. Jonathan Alexander, Instructor
February 18, 2013
The Joys and Pain Of Raising A Child With Special Needs
Even though I am not the only parent of a child of special needs this is my personal journey into the world of special needs. No one could have told me that at the age of forty three I would be experiencing motherhood again to a child born with Cerebral Palsy. In fact, I was just preparing to celebrate my 25th high school reunion when I got the news that I was pregnant. When faced with the complex challenges of single motherhood you will soon find out that love is all you need. Allow me to give my account of this life altering phenomenon that totally changed the course of my mindset and direction in life. After an extremely emotional pregnancy and delivery by C-section, my son Nathan took his first breaths into a world of chaos and confusion. Being rushed to the neo-natal intensive care unit weighing only 4 lbs 3 oz, being probed and pricked by doctors and nurses to help stabilize the very life he stepped into. The thoughts of what my little angel endured coming into this world shows me his strength and determination as he begins his fight on this journey to manhood. Life began for my son spending his first few weeks of life in a NICU as they call it in the hospital with incubators and feeding tubes combined with the constant care from doctors and nurses assigned to his care. How traumatic for both mother and child to experience the separation and disconnect that is being substituted by machines. I forced the hospital to allow me an opportunity to stay in a room so that I could be as close to my son as I could. I was there for every feeding, every diaper change, all the testing I would sit in the NICU beside his bed and sing to him to reassure him that I was there. I was determined to be with my child as much as
Donna McFadden
ENG121 English Composition I
Mr. Jonathan Alexander, Instructor
February 18, 2013
The Joys and Pain Of Raising A Child With Special Needs
Even though I am not the only parent of a child of special needs this is my personal journey into the world of special needs. No one could have told me that at the age of forty three I would be experiencing motherhood again to a child born with Cerebral Palsy. In fact, I was just preparing to celebrate my 25th high school reunion when I got the news that I was pregnant. When faced with the complex challenges of single motherhood you will soon find out that love is all you need. Allow me to give my account of this life altering phenomenon that totally changed the course of my mindset and direction in life. After an extremely emotional pregnancy and delivery by C-section, my son Nathan took his first breaths into a world of chaos and confusion. Being rushed to the neo-natal intensive care unit weighing only 4 lbs 3 oz, being probed and pricked by doctors and nurses to help stabilize the very life he stepped into. The thoughts of what my little angel endured coming into this world shows me his strength and determination as he begins his fight on this journey to manhood. Life began for my son spending his first few weeks of life in a NICU as they call it in the hospital with incubators and feeding tubes combined with the constant care from doctors and nurses assigned to his care. How traumatic for both mother and child to experience the separation and disconnect that is being substituted by machines. I forced the hospital to allow me an opportunity to stay in a room so that I could be as close to my son as I could. I was there for every feeding, every diaper change, all the testing I would sit in the NICU beside his bed and sing to him to reassure him that I was there. I was determined to be with my child as much as