My thoughts are with your family
 

Heather, I wish you strength and hope. I want you to know that I have a cousin who has been blind since birth, and he is an amazing man. He went to a wonderful school for the blind in CT, then to college,is a computer genius,(talking computer) and he is a music director at a church. He plays piano and has since he was very young, and is married and very very happy.
I am sure it is difficult to think beyond the regrets for what your son may be missing in his life, but try hard to concentrate on what wonderful things he will have. He has YOU!

I know that with you as a mother, your son will have every opportunity to have a very wonderful and successful life. Hang in there, dear. I'll be thinking of you. :p

Oh Heather, I am so sorry to hear about your little Ayden. It just makes me cry to think of what you and this little angel are going through. I myself am 13 weeks preg with my 2nd child and am in constant worry of all the things that can go wrong. Like someone said, God sends "special" angels to "special" people, and sounds like he couldn't have picked a stronger person to send little Ayden to. You will definately be in our prayers. Please keep us posted on him. God Bless you and your family.

((((((((((((((((((Heather)))))))))))))))))))

You are entitled to feel overwhelmed sometimes, it only helps resolve your strength when you need it most. Thank heavens that wonderful boy has such a great mommy! :love: to all your family.

Heather, I've said a prayer for you and your family...especially your son. Your story as well as Pat's stories made me cry. So many times, I gripe about what I have instead of counting my blessings. God be with you and your little one. I prayed for healing and strength and that God would lift you up and surround you with His love. You're a special lady and God has much in store for you.

Heather,
I am so sorry to hear about your little angel. It is so hard when things like this happen to little ones, we feel so badly for them. But you know what, this will be his life and he will probably do so much better than you, because this is what he will know. I've seen so many children with, what are called disabilities, and they have no idea they are disabled - this is just what their life is. WE want different things for them, because WE know the possibilites but they have everything they want/need - they create their own possibilites and although they may be different from what we dreamed and hoped - they are right for them. Usually children who have disabilties from birth do VERY well, much better than us grownups!

Again, I'm very sorry, I know you are heartbroken, I would be too - but try to take one day at a time and you can get through this.

Heather this is a very touching story of your son's quest for life. He has his angel's in his home with you... his family. The love that pours from your story is proof of that. I will send all my thoughts and prayers for your little guy and your family. He is truely blessed to have you as his mother.

Heather,

You've had such a tough time lately. I pray for peace for you and your family. I wanted to share this poem with you. The author is unknown.

The Most Beautiful Flower

Author Unknown

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read
Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.

Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,
For the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,
A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down
And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight,
With its petals all worn - not enough rain, or too little light.

Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play,
I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat next to my side
And placed the flower to his nose
And declared with ovacted surprise,

"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too.
That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead.
Not vibrant of colors: orange, yellow or red.

But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.
So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,
He held it mid-air without reason or plan.

It was then that I noticed for the very first time
That weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun
As I thanked him for picking the very best one.

You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play,
Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see
A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.

How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see
The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.

And for all of those times I myself had been blind,
I vowed to see the beauty in life,
And appreciate every second that's mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose
And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose

And smiled as I watched that young boy,
Another weed in his hand,
About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

God bless you and your family. To me babies are always like a blank canvas and we as parents will teach them and each "painting" is beautiful! I feel certain that your little Ayden will be a masterpiece!! We will keep you all in our prayers!!

Just know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, and I think I can speak for most of us here on YT when I say that if you need anything or if we can help in any way, please let us know. Don't be afraid to call on us.

[[[[[[[[[[ GREAT BIG HUGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ]]]]]]]]]]

You and your precious little boy are in my prayers. I wish you all the best. His story really touched my heart.

Heather you and your entire family are in my families thoughts and prayers!!!

I just have to say thank you so much for posting this poem on here. You will NEVER know what an impact you just made on my life. You just helped me see this in an entirly different light. I read this poem, and when I got to the part about the boy being blind, I just broke down and cried. I think that this poem is something that I am going to share with everyone I know. Because it's the truth, I just wish everyone could see the world through the eye's of a blind child. I'm sure we would stop sweating the small stuff, and appreciate all of god's gifts that we take advantage of everyday.

I wanted to share this with you......

Welcome to Holland......

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

I also wanted to share that I grew up with a blind girl. The first time she ever knew she was "different" was when we were old enough for school and we went to one and she had to go to another Her parents never treated any differently than a sighted person. She rode a bike, roller skated, and anything else we kids did.

Heather,
You and your little one are in my thoughts and prayers.

The poem posted by yorkieusa just proves there are more ways of "seeing" than with the eyes. The little blind boy saw with his heart. As your little boy can. I'm sure the uplifting stories here are an inspiration to you, as they were to me. Please do keep us posted on how your little one is doing.