Wednesday, August 22, 2012

crying over chicken nuggets

So.

James has weird things with his mouth and throat and he always has.  Like he's always been on thickened formula, we had to teach him to chew, and he used to throw up almost every day.

Recently his feeding/speech therapist gave him clearance to drink normal liquids and eating has become so much better and the vomiting has stopped since we found out he is severely allergic to a lot of things.

When we were in the NICU there was a day when his feeding therapist sat down with me and told me she didn't think James would ever be able to eat.  She really thought he'd probably have to be fed through a feeding tube for all of his life.  I don't know why but a wheelchair I could handle.  Blindness or deafness I could handle.  I know it shows how naive, ignorant, and stupid I was but I just thought that he'd be able to eat and drink even with all the other issues.

I wanted my little boy to have ice cream cones and Popsicles in the summer, pancakes and bacon on Sunday mornings, Christmas cookies and Halloween candy.  I wanted him to know the crispness of a fall apple and the juiciness of a tomato from our garden.  A cool swig of water, the sip of his first beer, Holy Communion.

I was crushed when she told me that he probably wouldn't be able to eat.

And so today when he ate two chicken nuggets at lunch, asked for two more and ate those, too... well - I cried.  I cried because James was eating the same lunch his brother and sister. He was eating like a normal kid.

I'm sure you will understand when I tell you that today I am so grateful to God for chicken nuggets.


11 comments:

Francine said...

This made me tear up. I'm so happy for you. And what a cute picture- love the dimples!

Mia Jude said...

I teared up reading this! I would be like..what else can I give him?? Let's give him cake,cookies, spaghetti, meatballs, pizza,etc!! I would want to fatten him up just to watch him eat!! He is adorable by the way. Nick, my mom, and I watched the news story you posted and all we said every 2 seconds was OMG James is SO cute!!!! Love ya :)

melody said...

Praise God!

Kaitlin @ More Like Mary said...

Crying! As a mom and a therapist! I love it when the kid proves me wrong!

Unknown said...

Thank you Lord. He is very good.

Unknown said...

How exciting! I've read a little of your story, and I'm so happy for you and your sweet family--and James. Lord, hear our prayer!

Anonymous said...

This has put so many things into perspective for me and I thank you. James is a true miracle!

Sarah Hedman said...

Praise God!

Amanda said...

Yay James! I, for one, have never cried over something so 'simple' as eating a chicken nugget ;) It is the little things that you take for granted that gets ya every time! Haven't seen you in a while, hope to remedy that soon!

Jordan said...

Praise God! I totally understand

Suzanne Tietjen said...

This made me so happy.