This is no easy task. It has been a long roller coaster ride as we learn more about the disorder that affected Drew. More than anything I want people to know about Drew; his personality, his demeanor, his spirit. He was more than a diagnosis...he was a beautiful, sweet, loving little boy. I cherished every moment we had together. My story really begins when we found out we were pregnant with him. He is our second child, first boy. It was five years between Alexis and Drew. Robert and I worked incredibly hard over that period of time to collectively complete three Bachelor's Degree's and a Master's Degree. We had come far in our occupations. I had been promoted several times and had started a new job as a Program Director for a before and after school program. Robert was excelling in his position and had received numerous awards for his excellent work.
We decided it was time to have another baby. We were so incredibly excited. We finally felt prepared for a second child. We found out we were pregnant days before my older brother's wedding. Our excitment was hard to contain during our trip but we were determined not to distract the attention from my brother and his new wife!
My pregnancy was....perfect. I loved being pregnant. I felt him move around twenty weeks and would sit in my office when it was quiet with my hand on my belly feeling his tiny movements. Later in the pregnancy we had to make some tough decisions. I had worked full time while our daughter was young but only because I took her to work with me. This new job would not allow that. In the end we decided it was time for me to stay home. I was thrilled.
I was determined to give birth without any medication. I am happy to say that I was successful in that endeavor. I felt such peace and happiness during labor...and thankfully it only lasted 4 hours. Short and intense. I was exhausted after having Drew but as I held him through that first night I couldn't help but stare at him. He was perfect. He was a strong, healthy little boy. We named him Drew Kai Parke. He was 9lb 5 oz and 21.5 inches long. His middle name is Chinese in origin. It is a Chinese character that means courage, strength and purity. Robert served a mission in Hong Kong and we decided to give each of our children a Chinese middle name. From his mission, he felt very connected with those he taught. At times I would have to remind him that he not actually Chinese! This was our way to give our children a piece of his experience and create true purpose in their names.
We came home after a short stay in the hospital. I recovered quickly and assumed my daily routine. Life was perfect. I was staying home with both my children. We enjoyed the summer and all the great activities associated with it. We spent a lot of time outside, at the beach, walking, riding bikes, and at friends houses. Drew was a quiet, peaceful baby. When I held him he had a strong, beautiful spirit about him. I had a hard time putting him down.
He was a "talker" He made so many cute noises and responded to all of our voices. One of our favorite moments was when Alexis leaned over Drew and rested her cheek on his mouth. She was determined to get him to kiss her. Sure enough, he took hold of her cheek and started sucking. She was ecstatic. She was absolutely convinced that he was kissing her and she couldn't have been more happy about it. Every time she put her cheek close to him...he would give her a kiss!!
This is my baby. This is how I want him to be known. Not just as a diagnosis. He was a living, thriving, beautiful baby boy.I miss him more than any words can explain. I watch home movies and flip through photo albums everyday to see his beautiful eyes. Here is one of my favorites. It was taken days before his first seizure.
