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The afternoon that neurologist Michaela Molina told her mother about Luca’s diagnosis, she was heartbroken and felt like her world was falling apart. Pain, sadness, guilt, and despair were among the feelings that overwhelmed her. She was in so much pain and cried for days. I couldn’t talk to anyone about it without crying.
However, that was not all. The most rude thing was when in the neonatal ward they told him something he never wanted to hear, “Mom.: Don’t get your hopes up, your child suffers from severe cerebral palsy and will not be able to do anything. It can’t help you either because There is nothing else to do“In addition to the content of those words, the distant, cold and unsympathetic manner left Michaela in shock.
“The moment I heard that I couldn’t speak. My mind and heart could not comprehend those harsh words I heard moments ago. When I came out, I hugged my family and did not stop crying and crying, it was Very strong blow “Both for me and my parents.”
When Michaela found out she was pregnant, she felt excitement, happiness, anxiety and, above all, hope that she would become a mother in a few months, fulfilling a dream she had had since she was little. “I felt like something wonderful had come into my life, and I started buying clothes and baby supplies. It was something that made me very happy. From the day I knew a boy was coming, I was able to Submit it“I had already thought of a name and imagined every day what our life would be like together,” Mika recalls.
A few days after hearing the news, he shared it with his parents, who were very excited about the arrival of their first grandchild. Every day they came to their house bearing gifts for the future child.
Mika says it was pregnancy Calm, healthy and in control And that I anxiously await every ultrasound so I can see him. During those months she was very active and worked with her family until a week before Luca was born.
Although Mika still does not know the reasons, Luca was born prematurely (at 35 weeks) due to spontaneous delivery. “That day I went to sleep and woke up at dawn and my waters broke and we went to the hospital where they admitted me and we were waiting for me to dilate until the baby was born because there was no going back. Labor had already begun, I say he decided that This was the day I wanted to be born“.
Labor was prolonged because in the expulsion phase Luca was unable to leave the birth canal, causing this to occur Fetal distress And suffocation later. This situation raised A Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (Brain injury that occurs due to a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, usually during or shortly after birth).
In Luca’s case, he was stillborn and had to be resuscitated in an advanced manner 10 minutes. After this maneuver, he underwent hypothermia treatment (controlled lowering of core body temperature to 32-36°C to protect the brain from damage) for 72 hours.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy causes cerebral palsy in children. “The first thing I thought about was how to fix it, ignoring the problem. I did not know that there were treatments and stimulation that would help my son’s development. As the days went by, I began to search for information myself and through communication with other parents, I knew that a complex phase was coming, with a long way to go, but a very beautiful one to live in,” Mika enthuses.
Every day Mika religiously went to see her son in New. He arrived around 10am and returned home around 3am. “I feel like it was so good to have him with me all this time Help develop. He was in the maternity hospital for the first 11 days of his life and then was transferred to the clinic where we stayed. 62 The days, especially the first ones, were very difficult as Luca had a high temperature Life risk And the news They were not fans. Thanks to my family’s support, I was able to rent an apartment near the clinic to be with him and this made it less annoying.
He says that returning home was one of the most beautiful days. During the ambulance ride, I was thinking that at that very moment, a new life was beginning, full of fears and, at the same time, happiness. When they arrived home, Mika and Luca found a big surprise: their family and other loved ones were waiting for them with many colorful balloons. There were clearly reasons to celebrate.
Luca’s treatments began in her home, which was filled with various professionals who were willing to contribute to trying to improve her quality of life. He started with early stimulation, kinesiology, speech therapy, and vision therapy.
“The development that has occurred It was very favorable. He started playing and had better control of his muscle strength, which helped him swallow. At six months old, he began experimenting with baby food and different fruit flavours. Now, he sits and moves better.
What things do you learn from him on a daily basis??
In this process, patience is essential to be able to implement everything on time. Another very important thing I learned is that A diagnosis is not a diagnosis and there is no ceiling for it.. He will accomplish everything he can and I am proud of everything he has accomplished so far. Luca is An example of flexibilityAlmost out of position Impossible to overcome He showed that he was able to move on and be a very happy child, surrounded by the love of the whole family who never stopped believing in him.
What are your expectations as a mother?
I expect him to be happy, able to reach his full potential and integrate well into this world where people with disabilities are being integrated little by little. I dream of seeing him grow and have all the potential he has.
The wish that Mika has in mind when Luka blows out the candle for her first year of life is that she can improve herself day by day, and that when her birthday comes, she can celebrate the year in which she will see the best version of herself.
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