Congratulations! Sugar and spice and everything nice!

What would I do if I knew before my daughter was born? WOW. Haven’t been asked that question. I think I would sit down and have a good cry. I would grieve for the "healthy child" I thought I would have. Then after I cried it all out, I would dry my tears and take a stand. It would be a choice to face this in which was handed to me. I would educate myself in this new world called CAH. I would be so determined to find out every answer, that one day I would know more than my child’s endocrinologist. Or at least be close to knowing more. After all, what are our fears? Our fears are the unknown. Work on taking those fears away. The next thing I would do is search the web for a nice support message board in which I could feel reconnected to the world. (you can now check that one off your list, you are here) SO I can find someone that can say, "Been there, done that, this is what worked for us.....ect."I would contact CARES Foundation and ask them, "Where do I go from here?" I would search my soul, and find a good source of my faith. I don’t know what religion you are or who your God is, but you will need a spiritual place to rely on. Well we all need that in our lives but I found it to be my rock especially through the hard times.

THEN, I would go out and find the prettiest pink dress, with the prettiest matching booties and pack my hospital bag to get ready to welcome my precious bundle of joy. Take one step at a time. It is so overwhelming right now. I can remember feelig like someone sucked my soul out my stomach when they told me my daughter had a disease. That was a week after they sent me home a healthy child so they said. They missed the CAH by a mile. So you see, you already have a head start. Most of us did not have Newborn screening when our children were born. Now thanks to CARES foundation, there are MANY states requiring it. My daughter almost died from being dehydrated a week home. They missed her diagnosis. YOU already have a healthy start for your daughter. Blessing number one. You are having your first baby. Blessing number two, you know before she is born so there can be no mistakes of a diagnosis. Blessing number three, you found this website that will help you. As bad as it looks right now, look deeper. You have a pretty good start at something that is very overwhelming at first.

Today. My 9 year old daughter that has CAH, crabbed about going to school this morning. Says President Lincoln didn’t finish school and became the president. Why do we have to finish school? She spilled her entire water bottle by accident 5 minutes before we were supposed to leave for school and me for work. I will pick her up from school, and enjoy a three day weekend. Why am I telling you all this? Because this is the norm. Yes when she gets sick, we take extra precautions. Time will go on, and you will get used to the medicine times, you will get used to taking extra precautions. Life will go on. You will enjoy your little girl and you will find yourself wondering one day, where she gets such and attitude at 9 years old. Life will go on. If you let it.

Take one day at a time. Come here if you need anything. Don’t miss the joy of her birth. It is still a joyous occation. Email me at dlmack1@qwickconnect.net if you need anything. No question is ever dumb or out of this world. I am here. We are ALl here. God bless you!!!!!!