My best friend has two wonderful little boys. Micah, the older brother, has experienced difficulties with his speech and there are a few areas where he seems to be developmentally behind other children. At the same time, Micah is one of the happiest little guys I know and has an absolutely charming personality.
It has been a challenge for Andrew and Sarah to figure out how they ought to respond and act to help Micah grow, and for some time they have had a looming suspicion that Micah might suffer under the ailment of a rare genetic syndrome. They finally have a confirmation for a very rare condition called Kabuki Syndrome.
The linked blog post is an incredibly worthwhile read. Andrew tells his story from the very beginning to now and shares his emotions, joys, and struggles along the journey. I am very proud of my best friend and his wife and have learned so much from him as he has shared his experiences and challenged me in the ways that I perceive parents and their children.
The start of the journey
Early in the morning on September 17th, 2012 Sarah’s water broke. She was five days overdue and extremely ready to meet our first little baby. After a few hours of trying to get comfortable at home we headed to the hospital to meet our little guy.
The labor went quickly, without any real hitches at all, and our first son Micah entered the world at 12:31 in the afternoon. It is a birth story that Sarah’s midwife said needed to be told frequently to encourage other pregnant women. Birth stories aren’t all bad or horrific or traumatizing. We were fortunate to have a good one to tell.
It was a Monday. I’ll never forget the feeling of lying in that roll away hospital bed that first night with Micah watching Peyton Manning throw four interceptions on Monday Night Football.
I had a son. And life as…
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the afterburner 