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Joshua Daniel’s Story
"I found out I was pregnant in either May or June of 2006. My pregnancy went very well and I went to every doctors appointment. They said I was healthy so nothing out of the normal, or so I thought..."
So then I went to my first ultrasound and of course I was excited, I mean what mother isn't excited? So then I go have the ultrasound and everything looks normal and I'm happy. Until everything changes- they say he has a problem with his heart so the heart is the only thing that's a problem. They said 1 of the heart chambers was, I don't remember but there was a problem. I had an ultrasound every month actually through-out my pregnancy, just the heart they were looking at.
At 37 weeks and 2 days I gave birth, he was 6lbs 14oz and 19". He looked good until they said his head looked small and he had so many problems he had kidney, stomach, and liver problems and his stool was abnormal so there was a lot of things wrong. Then after him being in the hospital for more than 1 week they said he had CMV. I was like, "what? I don't know what that is?". Until they told me... I was devastated. I didn't know what to think I was in complete denial.
So now my son is almost 2 years old and he is extremely disabled. He sees physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, nutritionist, a therapist to help his seeing, and he's on the feeding tube. I'm not going to lie, all of it was alot of work and I put him with foster parents. I do see him every Friday and I am going to every doctors appointment still. I told everyone that I want to be there for him no matter what. Now he's having surgery cause he has hip dysplasia and I'm going to be there throughout the surgery.
Everyone- putting my son up for adoption was the hardest decision I've ever made. Even though I do still see him, I feel incomplete and I feel horrible but I know what I decided was the right thing for me and for my son...
And now I know I'm not the only one, thanks everyone for being supportive here.
- Shared by his mother, Alicia

