Spiritually, it has made me appreciate life better. Never do I take a day for granted EVER. I always say that I am given a gift with my daughter. I enjoy every hair on her head, every inch of her being EVERY single day.  I get to see her in a "brighter" life than if she did not have a disease. A more intense light. Not that any other mother does not love their child without any medical problem any less. It is just in my eyes it is just in a sense more amplified. My relationship with God has changed also. Before her birth my relationship with God was like an nice aquaintence. I went to church on Sunday ect. At her birth I thought He had abandoned me. I could not comprehend any of this CAH stuff. I was faithful in prayer, I could not understand why this had happened. But it was not until the years went by that I learned that my prayers were not insurance that bad things wouldn't happen, it was insurance that when and if the bad things did happen, it was insurance that God would be there to help us through it all. And He has proven it time and time again. Now instead of our relationship being an "aquaintence," it is viewed as a close friendship, confidant. It is that relationship that sees me through. But I can surely say if given the chance to trade places with her OR give up my own life for her, I would do it in a heart beat if it meant she would not have to endure a life with CAH. It is the mom coming out in me. But the fact is, she has CAH. I know there is a "bigger picture" out there in heaven. And one day we will know these answers. Until then it is His grace that gets me through that.      

Financially we have survived. My daughter is in a state program that pays the percentage that our insurance company will not. Without that help, I am not sure if financially we could be secure enough for me to stay home. I was supposed to go back to work after she had turned 1, and start my career in preschool teaching. But with the CAH, we chose for me to stay home and keep her out of the daycare setting, just to keep her as healthy as she could be. So that has changed. So we make sacrifices here and there. She is worth it. I think any family finds themselves making that same sacrifice to stay home with their children with CAH or not. So that is really not a biggie. 

Emotionally it was hard in the begining. Finding a good support group is SO important. One that supports and does not condemn. To find someone with the same worries ect. makes a world of a difference. CAH is something that is not commonly found next door. My husband and I are a good team dealing with CAH. My weaknesses are his strengths, and visa versa. But to find anyone besides ourselves to truly relate with this CAH stuff is hard without access to a computer. Also, it sometimes gets emotionally hard on me when my daughter does get sick (i.e. with a fever, vomitting, ect.) the dangerous illnesses. (one of my weaknesses) Making sure I do the right steps to insure that she will not fall into a crisis can be VERY stressful. But that is where my religion kicks in. It has to. I have no other way of getting through it without prayer.

I also have found some WONDERFUL friendships through the support I have received. They are people I would never have met if it was not for the circumstances that brought us together. You know who you are out there. A true blessing. "He will not forsaken us....." And He proves it by surrounding me with the support and friendship I have found.   

The last thing affected was the idea of having more children. Something I think about almost every day. Our daughter is our only child. Their are other factors that play into that such as financial ones ect. The normal stuff. But I do have to say CAH weighs heavily into that. And it is NOT, not liking the idea of having another child with a medical condition. God knows I would accept any child from Him with my arms wide open. It is the anguish I feel at her bedside when I watch over her when she is sick that I feel I could not multiply. I just am not that strong at this time in my life with it. Perhaps I am and don't even know it. Perhaps I will be one day. But that will be up to God. And it is certainly something that has improved with education of CAH and time.       

All and all I encourage it to affect our lives for the better. You can view this is a horrible thing or a positive thing. In my opinion how I view it will possibly be the way she views it. And that goes for ANY challenge in her life. Will it be easy? So far it has proven to be a bumpy ride here and there, but a ride I wouldn't miss for the world. Because she is my world.