Meet Spencer’s mom…

After several years of not being able to conceive a child, lots of Clomid, IUI’s and finally round two of IVF (and college tuition already spent) we finally conceived a baby and were thrilled to both be first time parents at the tender ages of early 40′s.  Since I was quickly deemed “Advanced Maternal Age”(…really?) we were lucky enough to have many ultrasounds to track our baby and see how he was doing.

At week 18, they discovered that the ventricles in his head were twice the size of normal, and his cerebellum was much smaller than it should be, and the wonderful doctor we were working with at the time suggested we “end” the pregnancy as he would only live 2 months with all the issues it looked like we could be facing.  She was asked to leave and never come back, and could I please speak with the head of the Maternal Fetal Medicine.  We would ride this wave, and if it came crashing down, it would on its own, not because someone told us it would.  So he would have Hydrocephalus, need a brain shunt and more than likely not be able to play soccer…it could be worse!

Spencer (the unborn miracle son) decided we sounded WAY to fun on the outside and did not have the patience to wait out 40 weeks, and arrived the day I turned 29 weeks due to pre-eclampsyia and HELL-P syndrome.

Born on Black Friday, he was definitely our deal of the century!  He weighed 2lbs 5oz and was just over 14″ long, by far the smallest baby I had ever seen!  We spent 64 days in the Evergreen NICU in Kirkland, WA where Spencer contracted a viral infection 2 days before Christmas and decided breathing was overrated.  He spent the next 7 days not breathing on his own and luckily we had private rooms so I was able to camp out with him.  The morning of day 8, Spencer started off the day by pulling out his IV, shortly followed by yanking out the vent and never having to go back on it.

He’s been a fighter ever since.  At 10 months old he was diagnosed with a rare brain malformation (hence the smaller cerebellum) called Rhombencephalosynapsis.  Ahhh, the medical vocabulary I have picked up along the way!  He has to use a walker, but also at 19 months is starting to talk, but more impressively knows over 50 words using sign language and can tell you what’s on his mind.

He’s one of the happiest children I’ve had the pleasure of being around and lights up any room he’s in.

Spencer inspired me to start my own company, It’s a Preemie Thing to bring support and humor to other parents with preemies.

Sometimes, laughter truly is the best medicine, and I truly believe Spencer is such a happy, outgoing little man because we stayed that way for him.  Oh believe me, there were tears, frustrations, and terrifying moments…but the wave has not crashed down…we are still riding it for all it’s worth.

It is our honor that our July 2011 Itsy Bitsy NICU Binkeez go to Julie and her son, Spencer to gift forward to the Evergreen NICU.  Julie, you are a true inspiration and Spencer, you will change the lives of many.  Stay strong little man!

The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.