Like most other moms, I found out my daughter Taylor, who is now 18 months old, had Spina Bifida at her anatomy scan. Congratulations, you're having a girl, oh & by the way, here's some depressing news for you. Fantastic. Ok, maybe not entirely like that, but that's what my brain
formed in the madness.Taylor is my only child, & as a new mom to a special needs child, I thought at times that I was way in over my head. I questioned if I would be able to do this, mostly on my own, & if I would actually be a good parent.
I was angry & bitter when I found out the news that my daughter had Spina Bifida. I thought maybe I could have done something wrong while I was pregnant, & wondered if I could have prevented it. What are the odds of having a child born with a birth defect? In Taylor's case, it’s about 1
in 1,147. But then I sat & thought about it, I have a 1 in 1,147 amazing child. I'm her mom for a reason, I can love her unconditionally like no one else can, & call me selfish, but I'm so glad she's all mine.
Our journey with Spina Bifida is just that. A journey. It doesn't define who she is a person or us as a family unit. She is so much more than the label. She is astounding. Her sweet smile will melt your heart, & everyone that meets her falls in love with her. She loves her Backyardigans, she
twirls her hair when she's sleepy, & she likes to try to grab your mouth when you're talking to her if you're in her line of fire.
The amount of strength & determination this child has is unbelievable. She has been thrown so many curve balls in her life with Spina Bifida, that I wont really go in to because it falls under the worst case scenario, but it doesn't hold her back. It doesn't make her any less amazing, and it
definitely doesn't put any limitations on her.
My whole world revolves around my daughter.
Once you choose hope, anything is possible.
