Child Of The Month

Cheyenne Rain Jackson
by Erika Jackson

Her name is Cheyenne. I first found out that I was pregnant with her really by accident. I had been discussing the option of having my tubes tied because I already had three other children, and this was a very good time in my and my husband’s life. Things around the house were quiet and calm; money was good then because I was working; and my husband and I were doing favorite things that we had not had the opportunity to do before: riding our horses and camping out in the mountains. It just seemed that life was at its best.

I had called the doctor’s office to arrange to have the procedure done. I had absolutely no reason to think that I was pregnant because it wasn’t time yet (ladies, you know what I mean); but after making the call, I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing that the nurse had said to me on the phone: "Are you sure you’re not pregnant?". For some reason, I just could not get that thought out of my head. I decided to pick up a pregnancy test, just to be on the safe side. I went to the store and bought the absolute "cheapest" one that I could find on the market. I came home and took the test, alone, because I had not said anything to my husband about the nurse’s question, and yes, it was positive! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I ran around the house like a crazy women, crying and wailing all over the place. I am just so glad that my other children were not at home at the time. I pulled myself together and thought, "Well this test was a fluke. I’ll go and get another and do it at work tomorrow." And I did, and the EPT that I took said "YES" again! This time I was at work, and I had to try to be cool, but I was miserable inside. I kept thinking the whole time that my husband would not believe me when I told him that "I had no clue", and that he would yell at me because we had already discussed it, and on and on and on. So many things kept whirling around in my mind, but, through my tears, I made it through the day and went home fearing what I had to say. On the way home, I decided to stop at the barn where we kept the horses, and my husband just happened to be there. That is where I broke the news to him that we were going to have another baby. He looked at me with disbelief in his eyes, just the look that I had been fearing. He didn’t want to believe that I really didn’t know but, I guess he was too shocked to fight about it. He then asked me, "What are we going to do with another baby?", and I simply said, "Have it". What else could I say? We went home that day and he was far more understanding than I had imagined him to be, and we talked about it into the night.

He asked if I was really going to go through with the pregnancy, and of course, this hurt my feelings severely, and I brushed him off and said that I didn’t know what I wanted to do, even though I really did. I knew that God had given me this child and I was going to have it, with or without my husbands blessing. I went into early labor at 30 weeks and was put into the hospital for 3 days and my labor was successfully stopped and was sent home with medicine to control contractions that I refused to take because she stopped moving when I would take them and so they told me that it was OK to discontinue , and she was born 6 weeks later. I had already agreed to have a hysterectomy at the time of birth to minimize the risk of reoccurring cell growth and also because I was satisfied with my family number. Four hours later after they took her from me, they wheeled me into the recovery room and I was awakened by the doctor and then my husband was allowed to come in. The doctor had told me that there were some small complications with the baby and for me not to worry that they would take good care of her and that she was doing fine and that he needed me to get better because I gave them a scare in the OR because of heavy bleeding.

Finally, when my husband came in I could tell right away that there was something wrong other than his concern for me. I could see it in his face, but, he wouldn’t say a word. Then finally they wheeled my bed into the baby ICU unit and let me see her, her sweet face and tiny body was surrounded by wires and tubes but, all I could see was her. I reached out to touch her hand and she opened her eyes and looked right at me when I called her name "Cheyenne," I said, "I love you." I hadn’t noticed her legs, but, then as the nurse came over and was checking her and talking to us, I did. Her legs looked like they were broken at the knees. They just flopped around, she could not straighten them out, they would only fold towards her in the wrong direction. My heart cried out in silence. I thought that she would be crippled and never be able to walk, I thought that others would make fun of her and be teased and taunted. But, then I said, "Thank you Lord, she is sooo beautiful" and then I didn’t care what she was anymore, I just knew that I loved her and was glad that she was alive.

They did all the tests that needed to be done, the usual apgar, which was 8 & 9 and then x-rays to check her hips and legs and saw that it was something that they could fix really easily, and all they did was put casts on her legs for about 3 to 4 weeks and her legs were the way that they were supposed to be. To us that was a miracle! If we only knew than that there would be obstacles far greater than that, that we would face that would not be so easy to fix. Looking back now, how petty I must have seemed to one mother, all she wanted was just to hold her child, she was praying that the baby would just survive. I am not ungrateful for what God has given, She is my prize, my life and my joy, and I wouldn’t change anything about her or the way that things have happened, for you have to experience life in order to grow and be Thankful and that is just what my husband and I have done...a lot of growing and learning.

Cheyenne was fine up until her first birthday and she went to have her checkup with the pediatrician. The doctor and I were both concerned with her not walking and not being able to sit on her own. I thought that she was a "good" baby, she didn’t cry much and she was just so "laid back" and smiley. The doctor ordered some metabolic tests to find a physical reason as to maybe why she was behind. There was nothing, so we were referred to Early Childhood Intervention. Not thinking clearly, I couldn’t accept that there might be something else wrong with her, so I decided to take her back to Baptist Hospital to see the ENT there because she was at that time having lots of ear problems and I really wanted that to be the problem, and not what I feared secretly. They put tubes in her ears which did help with her balance, and she began to walk by 23 months, it was then clear to me by the time that the ENT wanted us to follow up with Early Intervention that there was more to it than her ears.

In March of 1998, we began services with them. At first, it was very hard to swallow when they came out to evaluate her and they told me that she was bout a year behind and that she needed therapy, but, I loved her so much that I put the pain away and began an intensive search to find out everything that I could to get her what she needed. What ever services she needed, I wanted to get for her and whatever doctors she needed to see, made sure that she was there, and after months of searching and pounding the pavement everyday, searching the internet everyday, making phone calls everyday, and writing letters to whoever I thought could help, on March the 5, 1999, we got the answer.....Inverted Duplication (15), type three. Cheyenne is healthy, and we are so Thankful. She so far, does not have seizures or any physical problems in that way except for her not sleeping very well, and being hypotonic. She falls a lot and has autistic like characteristics as well as developmental delays, limited speech and oral sensory problems like chewing and mouthing things like a baby, and she is not potty trained. But, unless you put next to another 2 1/2 year old, you would not be able to tell right away because she looks so "normal". I currently have her enrolled in a school for special needs children called Gateway Education Center that has also been a blessing to us. They have done so much for her and she enjoys being there.

I don’t know what the future holds for us but, I do know that she has changed and enriched our lives so much, we see this world through new eyes and it is my pleasure and honor to love and care for my Special Angel that God has given to me. My husband and I have learned so much from her and others that we meet, I wouldn’t go back to the "good" life that I thought that I had before, for anything....I like it here just fine.

Child Of The Month Archive

Child of the Month	Lisa Poore
Child of the Month	Spencer Gray
Child of the Month	Lindsey Young
Child of the Month	Olivia Taylor
Special People Profile	Cheyenne Rain Jackson
Special People Profile	Naomi
Special People Profile	Bobby
Special People Profile	Kevin
Special People Profile	Olivia
Special People Profile	Megan
Special People Profile	Sarah
Special People Profile	Cheyenne D
Special People Profile	Joshua
Special People Profile	Robert
Special People Profile	Frederique
Special People Profile	Julia
Special People Profile	Ryan
Mount Prospect Times Article	Jake
Epilepsy Foundation Newsletter	Will
Exceptional Parent Magazine Story	Joshua D