Special Needs Mom

I was 22 years old and in my junior year of college at Oakland University. I had to leave school because I owed money from freshman year. I moved in with my cousin and her family in Bloomfield and worked at Burger King to work towards paying down my debt. I had a boyfriend at the time and we were forced to separate because I was no longer able to live on campus (which is where he was living at the time). My cousin was married with 4 girls of her own. Three of the girls were very close in age to me. Nevertheless, all 5 of us grew up like sisters. We were together all the time. One of my cousins got pregnant a few months before I moved in. Due to her age, she decided to terminate the pregnancy. After I moved in she had another pregnancy scare. She thought for sure that she was pregnant again and wanted to find out for sure.

One day while the parents were gone, my cousin and I went to the store to get pregnancy tests. When we got back to the house, one of us forgot to grab the bag with the tests and left them on the kitchen counter. When their parents returned home they found 2 pregnancy tests sitting on the counter. They immediately called the four of us downstairs and demanded that one of us confess about who the owner of those tests were. Since I am the oldest of the hour I said they were mine. They told me that they wanted the results in 48 hours. I was cool with it because I knew that I wasn’t the one who might be pregnant. I took the test the next morning.

Actually, I took both of them. Contrary to popular belief…I was pregnant. I told my cousins and they told me I had to move back in with my mother. At the time, my mother and I did not have the best relationship. I was scared to move back home with my mother. I did what I had to do. I spent my entire pregnancy at my mom’s place. When I went to one of my appointments and I was told that I would be taking an alpha-fetaprotein test. When it was time to get the results I was called in to get them. I drove in talking on the phone to my sister.

I was so scared of what they were going to tell me. I walked in for my appointment and waited in the waiting room for a little while then I was escorted into a room. The room was so creepy. It was an all white room with white walls and white tables and chairs. It felt so sterile and uninviting. When the doctor came in I was told something that changed my life. They told me that it was likely my child would be born with Down Syndrome.

They told me that I had the option to terminate or do an amniocentesis to confirm the results. My mind was everywhere. I was listening and praying. Silent and confused. “How did this happen to my baby?” I asked God. They told me her head was growing too large to pass through the birth canal and scheduled an induction. They did an echocardiogram and revealed that there were white spots on her heart. They told me she would face a rough life due to complications of Down Syndrome.

I was induced on November 9, 2004 around 10 am. On November 10, 2004 around 4 pm Angel Marie was born. She was only with me for a moment before she was carried away. She had to be tested over and over for everything they told me she would face. She was in the hospital longer than I was. I couldn’t leave my baby. I was offered the chance to stay in the Ronald McDonald House at the hospital while she was cared for. I was so afraid but all I could think about was my Angel. I just wanted to take her home. The day finally came and I was released (again) but this time my baby was coming home with me. She was coming home with a clean bill of health. When I tell you Angel is truly a blessing from God….HONEY!!!!!!

She didn’t have ANY of the issues they suspected her to have. This November she will be 15 and she has never had a heart issue or any other serious medical problems. I am so thankful that I was chosen to be her mom. I used to wonder why but I have learned that we needed one another. She has exceeded every expectation placed in front of her. She is full of life and love. She enjoys singing, dancing, and spending time with her phone or dolls. Her favorite thing to do is listen to Kids Bop. She can be mean at times but she has a sweet heart. She is extremely intelligent and a joy to be around.

If you have ever met her, you’ll never forget her. I had no idea that we would be where we are today but I’m thankful that we’ve made it through all of what we have. I call her my Sugamomma, to everyone else, she’s Angel.

-Shayizms