Recently I received a request from a close friend; she was asking if I would take photos of her daughter, Alexis. I was honored when she asked me to do this for her because I knew she had a special and inspiring story that I wanted to share.
Here is their story, written by mother Nicole:
Isn’t it ironic that the best day of your life can be followed by the worst day you’ve ever had? Unfortunately, that is what happened to my husband and I. It all began on May 7th, 2006 when we welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Alexis Nicole into this world. Being a first time mom, when I questioned why she didn’t come out kicking and screaming, i was told that it was fine. When I questioned why she slept a lot I was told that was normal. When I questioned why she didn’t want to eat, I was told that I didn’t know how to do it right. When I questioned why her finger and toes nails were blue, I was told it was no big deal. Well, apparently she wasn’t fine. As my husband and I were getting ready to take our baby home, a nurse came in the room and said Alexis looked a little pa! le and that she wanted to check her out. Next thing I knew the nurse walked back in my room, without my baby. She told me that her oxygen level was dangerously low and that she needed to be transfered to another hosptial by ambulance. They hooked her up to a breathing machine and took her away. When we got to the second hospital we met with her cardiologist who told us she has hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He told us there were three options for our little girl. We could wait for a new heart, which he said is very hard to find, take her home and let her die, or go with a three step surgery that. We decided option three would be the best for her, and hoped we made the right decision. The next morning she was air lifted to another hospital where she had her first open heart surgery at five days old. She was in the hospital for a month and when we got home we had a month of monitors, doctors appointments, learning how to give her all of her medicines, and how to feed her wi! th her feeding tube (this was her only means of eating until s! he was e ighteen months old). Then after being home for that short time, she was not doing well, so at three months of age she had her second open heart surgery. As before, she was in the hospital far from home for another month. Luckily she was home for a few years before it was time for surgery number three. At three years old she had her third surgery which she bounced back from very fast and was able to come home in two weeks. A year went by and she did great! However, shortly after we were back again so that she could have a stint put in that lasts three to five years. Although Alexis will never be “fixed” and there will always be daily medicine, restrictions, doctors, and more procedures and surgeries, she’s the picture of happiness! She is now five, just started kindergarten and loves to dance, swim, play outside, and anything else a five year old loves to do. We enjoy each day with our child, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. We are so lucky that we are able to b! e parents to such an amazing and special child. Alexis is my strength, my inspiration, but most of all she is my hero!!!
So you see, Alexis is truly a special child and a miracle in the eyes of many so this shoot had to be extra special!
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Ronda Wollard Originals ~ Deland Children’s Photographer, Central Florida Family Photographer, Deland Family Photographer, Volusia County Children’s Photographer ~ Vintage Inspired Photography