My Son, My Hero

As a result of a routine ultasound at seven months pregnant, I was told that my unborn baby had a condition called Mylomeningocele or Spina Bifida.  After hundreds of tests done at Women’s College Hospital, I was told by the experts that my baby boy would be born severly paralyzed with brain damage if he in fact could make it through the birth process.

In shock and totally devastated, I sought comforting and advice but could do absolutely nothing but wait for the outcome of my son’s birth. 

Jordan was born on the first day of summer in June, at a healthy weight of 6lbs 7 ounces with a lesion on his lower spine which was surrounded by a large bubble of skin.  They placed him on his tummy in an incubator at birth and soon he was air lifted to Toronto’s Sick Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery to close up his exposed spine.  One week later a Nuerosurgeon operated on him inserting a shunt into his skull to drain the excess spinal fluid from his brain cavity to his heart.

After 3 more shunt revision operations in the next 2 months due to complications, Jordan came home with us in August of that summer.  Tiny and fragile with many special needs and challenges yet to come in his life, he required much of the family’s attention and love.

Through all of those years of infant development, physio therapy, occupational therapy, Spina Bifida Clinics, Specialists and Appointments, he remained a positive, happy boy and was fortunate to have many caring people in his life to help him along. Jordan is now 20 years old, and although he will never walk, he is an extreme Paralympic Athlete currently playing Sledge Hockey for “Team Ontario” (Canada’s National Junior Sledge Hockey League).  As well, he is  actively involved in Downhill Skiing and Wheelchair Racing, he also attends a Community College on the road to achieving his goal of working in the field of Social Services in helping and encouraging others to never give up and to always stive to follow their dreams!

Submitted By Carol Dallan