It gets easier...

I am so encouraged by the positive comments I received. Thanks so much!

There are still so many things that I would like to share. It's hard to know where to start and how many details to give.

Having Matthew has certainly changed my life. I'm not complaining. Au contraire.....he  has enriched my life and I am a better person because of him. Some people see Matthew and they pity him. They feel sorry for him because they  see only his disabilities. Not me. He is a determined, strong willed child. He has consistently defied the odds. He has accomplished so much more than anyone expected.

In the confusing weeks that followed Matthew's birth, we were told so many devastating things. I think the worst was that more than likely, he wouldn't make it to age five. We were told we should put him in a nursing home because he would require too much care. All I wanted to do was take him home and love him for as long as I could. And that's what we did. I'm not saying it was easy. It's not. Life is not always easy, or fair for that matter. Everyone has challenges.

The challenges we have faced in raising our very special child have changed over the years. In the beginning, the biggest problem we faced was multiple pneumonias and other infections. He spent more of the first five years of his life in the hospital than he did at home. As he got older, the hospital visits grew less frequent, but other challenges arose. I'll go into more detail later on.

People often tell me that I am a special person or a wonderful mom. While I appreciate the compliments, I have to say, it makes me uncomfortable. I'm not special. I'm just a person. I am a parent, who,  like anyone else, does the best they can with what they've got.  I love Matthew, just as I love my other kids. In retrospect, I know I've made mistakes.  I realize I've probably missed out on some opportunities, and there are plenty of things I could have done differently. All I can do is learn from the mistakes and keep trying my best. Most importantly, I can keep on loving him, nurturing him, and encouraging him.