Ashlee was born 11 and half years ago on 11 April 1987 after 22 hours of hard labour. I can remember that day as if was just yesterday. Let us go back one day to April 10, 1987; it was a Friday, the last day of my workweek. I was extremely exhausted and was eager for the week to be over, because that meant I only had 4 weeks to go before I start my maternity leave. See I was Administration Clerk in the Canadian Forces posted to Canadian Forces Base North Bay and I knew I would need the 4 months to adjust to being a single parent mother and looking after and bonding with my new-born child. The 10th April I came home to my parent's house after work. My mother knew I was feeling great when she cooked my favorite meal and I only ate a little bit. Therefore, she suggested I lay down for awhile; the discomfort never went away so we knew it was time for my baby to be born. So after awhile what I thought was my water breaking, which turned out to be a sure sign of fetal distress, this was the second sign that something was not right. Therefore, off, I went to the hospital, which I arrived at 8:30 PM or so and the Dr never got there for a couple of hours. He finally arrived around 10pm or so and told my Dad that if the baby were not born bin 2 hours he would do a c-section. While 10 PM came and went by that time my Mom got there and the Dr decided to give it a few more hours. What a mistake, cause the fetal monitor showed that the baby's heartbeat was weak and was not getting any stronger. Even with the nurses giving me orange juice to try to increase the baby's heartbeat, as well as trying to get the baby to move. It did not work. Then things started to speed up around 5:30 am 11 April 1987. At which time the nurse checked me and swiftly telephoned the Dr at home and said "it's the baby or the mother you need to get in here now". The Drs now turned out to be 7:49 am. The pediatrician got there before he did and was ready to deliver my baby when in walks the Dr. We knew something was wrong, but didn't know what or how bad it was going to be. Ashlee's cord was wound tightly 3 times around her little neck thus her colour of skin was purple from head to toe and by her brain not receiving enough blood and oxygen she now has Cerebral Palsy. Saying thank you did not seem like enough to the pediatrician for saving my daughters life; if it was for him I wouldn't have my precious little Ashlee today. Moreover, I thank God everyday for giving her to me. With all her disabilities and medical and other related problems I would not change a thing about her, I love her just the way she is.
So much has transpired with Ashlee this last 7 years. She is now 18 years and in her second last year of high school. My daughter’s condition has seemed to be getting worse. Approximately 2 years ago she was diagnosed with a seizure disorder.
In the first two weeks of July of 2004 she had 75 seizures, with only one being a grand mal. She has had up to 9 in a row. I don’t know about you but to me I feel useless because I can not do anything about it when they are happening, I try to reassure and comfort her when and if she has them in front of me. Half of the time they happen at night when she is sleeping. My rule of thumb is this if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes then I call 911 because that to me defiantly means she is either having grand mal seizures or is about to have one. Knock on wood she has not had one since November 2004, what brought that on was the frustration and stress of exams, it certainly wasn’t the heat this time because it was pretty chilly out. This time even know it was an absence seizure I called 911 as she was having problems breathing. This at the hospital she was diagnosed with Panic attacks too. As Ashlee says “Just another one of many to add to my list”. It’s true you cannot change it so just go with it and take each day one day at a time.
Hi, I'm Ashlee and as you can see from the story above this page is about me as I have Cerebral Palsy, Brittle Bone Disease, Arthritis, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. I hope you like my page, but it's not finished yet. Mom and I are working on it. Talk to you soon.
Cerebral Palsy Connection soul
existence is to bridge the gap and tries to
help people realize they are not alone in the
world in everything that must be dealt with
Cerebral Palsy.
