Written by: Marla Duncan
As of October 1, the countdown to my son's 14th birthday is approaching and I must say we have an amazing testimony. This is my first time telling this story publicly. My oldest sons name is Kishawn Thornton he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder and PDD. For years, he was a non-verbal and didn't talk. When he was born, he had so many complications he were in and out of Children's Hospital time and time again, but one day when he was 1 month old, my life changed because not only was I a young mother, but it was also my first time being a parent. I took him to the hospital because he was becoming very sick and very fragile and he didn't want to eat and he wouldn't feed off mommy nor would he take the bottle. So I took him to E.R and the doctor checked him out gave him some antibiotics and said it might be the flu and sent him home. From that day on, he got even more sick so I took him back and he was a lot sicker than the day before. After 2 days of being at Armstrong Community Hospital, he was life flighted to Children's Hospital where they still couldn't find a diagnosis. His kidneys started to fail, his breathing started to get funny, and his heart started to have a different beat to it so they put him in ICU. I couldn't see him for hours when they first brought him in, but finally when I got to see him, my heart was torn into pieces because he no longer looked like my baby and I just didn't know what to do for him. I cried and I cried and I just prayed for clarity in my situation because I just didn't understand. I did everything right as a mother I didn't do anything to put my child in danger during my pregnancy. Doctors tested me for everything that they could possibly test me for which made me so upset because a lot of the tests that wer taken that day I had already tested for while I was pregnant: HIV, sickle-cell Etc. As I sat in there and looked around and saw parents crying over their babies and their children that got shot, some were diagnosed with cancer some got burned and all I could do was cry because I didn't want to lose my child. As they called parents to the office, the doctor's and social workers were telling them that they had to make arrangements for their children and I witnessed parents come out broken, torn, and hurt and the more I saw that the more I begged God to please save my child, but sadly I was one of the last parents that got called to get notified that I needed to make arrangements because my baby wasn't going to make it. I did not take no for an answer. I went back to him and I whispered to him and I whispered to him some more and I let him know "Kishawn you fight baby you just keep fighting because Mommy is not going to give up on you. You keep fighting baby because you have a purpose." I called my pastor and we prayed nonstop and 2 hours later my son opened his eyes. He started blinking and looking around. Two days later, they were able to take him out of ICU and put him on the floor because everything just turned for the better. And for some reason every couple of years it was the same thing. He would get sick from everything he ate and drank. He really didn't have any more of those really sick episodes after 2009 which opened up another opportunity to be able to work a lot more on his mental health. Since he was three, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and he always needed a (TSS) wraparound for school. He always needed to wrap around for home to get him where he needed to be and countless trips to Children's. But me and Kishawn never gave up. And as of now, it still takes hard work But I always take advantage of the services and resources that are available to me and him. And today I'm in tears. He is extremely smart, his grades are phenomenal. He is an awesome reader, he is no longer in any autistic support classrooms, and he is just the most respectful kid you'll ever meet. And we always get through it together. There is always bumps in the road, but we as a family will get through it all. Kishawn will be 14 years old Thursday October 25, 2018 and I thank you God for him every single day. And I will always fight for him. . . But God.
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