 |
| 21 weeks 3D Ultrasound: diagnosis revealed |
When I was 21 weeks pregnant, the fetus that was our growing
son was diagnosed with arthrogryposis. In layman’s terms, it means that his
joints are abnormally stiff and he needs a lot of physical and occupational
therapy to get them to not be so stiff. He may also require a number of
surgeries to help loosen and stretch the tendons in his joints. He’s already
had one performed on his Achilles tendons and he will soon be due for a second procedure to his Achilles tendons.
Liam was born, full term, by Cesarean section. He presented breech position about 2 weeks before his due date, so the C-section was planned. Because of his diagnosis, doctors wanted to monitor his vitals closely. He was in the NICU for 8 days before his release.
 |
| Liam within an hour of his birth |
In spite of his condition, Liam's brain and skeleton are completely fine. Liam is a perfectly functional and normal baby and while some milestones may be a struggle due to his limited joint mobility, he is still thriving and even exceeding other milestones. He is a very happy and sweet baby. To him, no one is a stranger and he is such a joy to be around according to anyone who has ever had the pleasure to meet him. My husband, Wayne, and I are very proud of him and in spite of what he has been through in his life so far, he is still full of smiles and laughs.
 |
| Liam now, at 6 months old |
4 comments:
Beautifully written - I am a witness to this little boy with a giant heart!! He is ALWAYS smiling, never sad, and definitely NOT shy. He seems to love everyone, even if he's never seen you before. He was brought into this world by 2 VERY LOVING parents. I know he will do extremely well in life because of his caring mommy and daddy and all of his family that wants only the best for him. Wayne and Lisa - you guys are doing a terrific job with little Liam. I love you three!! Aunt Sue
Lisa, Liam is so beautiful and one can see how much love is around him because he is a reflection of all of that love and care. I always knew you destined for great things and you are a wonderful mom. Take care of you and your 2 men. :)
~Apryl
Thank you, Apryl. That means a lot to me. I always expected motherhood to have its challenges and I was so right. This has proven to be an entirely new level of challenging altogether. But the love and support of family and friends has been a powerful driving force for helping me to keep going strong.
Hello my name is Richard Ellis. I'm a retired school teacher in North Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) living with Arthrogryposis. I just went through Liam's website and thought I'd say hello and reach out. If you have any questions or need help with anything please let me know. My e-mail address is ellisrichard1971@yahoo.com and my website is richardellisspeaks.com
Post a Comment