Today is the 37th birthday of my youngest child, Amber!
My sweet little baby, my last born.
Amber always had the most beautiful smile!
Being the youngest of six, she was loved (and cherished) by her siblings.
Life was wonderful until she turned nine. Amber (and her sisters) was visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Arizona when she started losing weight. She was cranky, and not herself, but enjoyed her time playing with her cousin Autumn.
Her dad drove to Arizona to bring the girls back and pick up a travel trailer we had purchased, as soon as they returned we took the kids camping. During the ride to the mountains, Amber sat on my lap and I could feel how much weight she had lost. At that moment, I realized something was very wrong with our sweet little girl. The worst case scenarios were swimming in my head but hubby kept reassuring me that she was just fine!
When we returned home, I immediately made a doctors appointment but not until we were driving to the clinic did the light bulb go off, she had diabetes. Her blood sugar was 697!! Our lives would immediately change!
Change it did, but she handled it like a trooper! During the next six months we were on a learning curve but were making progress with diet, injections and the balancing act of a new diabetic, when the next shoe dropped!
Again with the weight loss..10 more pounds, blood sugars sky high and an enlarged cervical lymph node. My heart sank. She had severe cheek pain and headaches, we were running to the doctor every other day..they labeled me as an over reactive mother but I knew something was terribly wrong and I kept insisting that they were missing something. Finally, thank God, they sent us to a general surgeon who biopsied the node..Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Chemo, radiation and hair loss defined the next year!
Stays in the hospital, spinal taps, procedures, severe nausea from chemo and this beautiful little girl never stopped smiling! This chapter in her life defined the woman she is today.
Strong and resilient!
Somehow she sailed through that time in her life unscathed.
She blossomed into a beautiful young woman.
She met a man, fell in love and married.
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| with Grandma and Grandpa |
Amber always wanted to be a mom.
Prior to her first round of chemo, I was required to sign a paper stating that due to the poisonous ( lifesaving) drugs that would soon be flowing through her veins, she would have a high probability of being infertile. Amber knew this but she had a positive attitude and took steps with a perinatal clinic to get her diabetes in tight control so she could try to conceive. Amazingly, she conceived soon after but that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.
During the early months after her miscarriage, Amber was devastated and my heart ached for my daughter. Every month, when she realized she wasn't pregnant, the despair grew deeper. One day, while I was washing dishes, I heard a voice that said Amber would get pregnant in December! I know I told her but she probably thought I was a crazy woman!
I'm sure you guessed it, she found out she was pregnant.......just like the voice had assured me!
As with most diabetics, she delivered 6 weeks early.
Jaycie was an 8lb 9 oz preemie....the baby of a diabetic mom. The light of her mom's eye!
Unfortunately, Amber's marriage ended in divorce. Although devastated, she bought a new house to make a home for her and Jaycie. She enjoyed making new friendships, spending time with family and moving on as a single woman.
A little over a year ago she met a man, Chris, who compliments her values and beliefs. Along with his son, Cameron, they are forming a new family.
Amber is my crazy girl!!! She loves to have fun, be silly and to heck with what anyone thinks!!! I so admire that in her! She does what she wants, when she wants, and enjoys life!
Amber is the one that keeps our family grounded. She is the one who was chosen to accompany me to Arizona when I met Wendy, the daughter I had given up for adoption when I was sixteen. I could not have asked for a better travel partner! She was my rock during that weekend, and I will be forever grateful!
This beautiful woman is strong, opinionated (in a good way), intelligent, giving and caring. She is our Electronics Queen, able to fix anything! Amber is a devoted (and thoughtful) daughter, mother, sister, aunt and friend to many. She will always go the extra mile!
Amber has always made me proud, made me laugh and is a wonderful friend and confidant.
Amber is a caretaker and always looks for the best in others, she is the one you want on your side!
Happy Birthday, Sweetie!
You will always be my little girl,
Love,
Mom
