Blessings

Through the modern age of technology - namely Facebook - we've been able to join support groups of parents (and adults who have EA/TEF and Tracheomalacia) of kids who have EA/TEF and Tracheomalacia. I didn't realize how much emotion I've been carrying around until we joined these groups. As awful as it is to know that other children have to deal with all of these health problems, there is such a sense of relief to be able to talk to other parents about similar issues we have and just to know we aren't alone...that William is "normal" in some sense of the word.


One of the groups is specifically for the Tracheomalacia and parents post videos of their children at various times throughout the day - playing, sitting still, eating, after eating, after a spell, etc... After we listened to a post of a baby girl after she nursed - tears welled in my eyes because William makes the same sounds - and I'm constantly questioning if it's a normal sound for him or does it sound wet? does it sound like aspiration? can he swallow okay? Something as simple as a cough now has 10 other meanings to us and is cause for concern.

I also know William is blessed and is very, very lucky because he doesn't have so many of the other symptoms that can be associated with EA/TEF. As hard as it is to have a baby with special needs, I constantly thank God for William. He is such a happy baby and brings an instant smile to our faces. I cannot imagine my life without him; he was always meant to be here....which is the same way I feel about Norah and Isabella. We, as parents, have been so blessed with the three children and we thank God for them daily.