I Wanna Be Like Him.

I’ve been all caught up in my feels this weekend. You see my youngest, my boy, he graduated from high school. My baby is moving on to the next phase of his life, but it isn’t that that has me all caught up….it’s just his whole darned life.

When he was born, I knew something was wrong. I KNEW it. And in his first few weeks of life, the doctors realized it too. He was diagnosed with many physical health issues. He had numerous surgeries. I have seen my tiny baby in a drug induced sleep so his throat could heal from surgery. I have seen my toddler sedated after spinal cord surgery so he could heal. I have had nurses tell me I had to leave the room because his levels were dropping dangerously low and they had to call for help. I’ve seen the nurses close all the other doors in the hall and hold the elevator for MY CHILD who was near death. This is my son.

I have literally fallen to my knees to pray to whoever would listen that I needed them to save him.

I had doctors tell me he may never walk. I had doctors tell me he needed a tube in his stomach to eat. I had doctors tell me he may never talk.

I had doctors tell me they didn’t know how long I would have him.

He had multiple surgeries on his eyes. He had surgery to remove debris from his lung. He had to have part of his thigh muscle removed so they could do comprehensive testing to potentially get a diagnosis.

He has seen doctors and specialists at the top hospitals in the country.

All before the age of 2.

He struggled in his early years, but he continued to fight. He began preschool, and then kindergarten. First with a one-on-one aide, and then as time moved, he no longer needed that support. He grew, he learned, he excelled.

He tried EVERY sport there is. He read. He learned. He grew.

He is amazing. And special. And caring, and kind, and sensitive, and empathetic, and smart, and funny, and handsome. He has a killer wit. He loves the forest and the mountains. He has the bluest eyes. He is a great son. A great brother. He is super tall.

And today……he graduated. It may not have looked like we thought it would all those years ago, but as he has proven to me over and over and over again in his life……he is a fighter, and although his path looked different than most, he will continue to move forward forging new trails as he goes. And oh my goodness how I love him.

So I’m going to try to take a lesson from this kid. I want to be like my son.

I want to be able to fight and fight and fight and keep going. I want to be able to say enough is enough. I want to recognize what I need to take care of myself, even if it isn’t the path most taken.

I want to defy all the odds and do things my own way.

Today on his graduation, and every day since I first knew he existed……He is my Hero.

We would all be lucky to be a little more like him.