My premature birth

Last night Jenny was and I were watching a TV show on Netflix called Chicago Med. During the episode they showed a premature baby which weighed just over a pound at birth. Unfortunately, he died. Luckily, it was all fake on the show.

However, it got me thinking about my own birth. I was born in 1984, 3 months premature. I weighed in at 2 pounds and 3 ounces or just over a kilogram. I was given only a 10% chance of survival. I was in the NICU and an incubator for the first three months of my life. 

Because the doctors assumed that I would die, they gave my mom medicine to dry up her breast milk. She was on the medicine for a short time, then a nurse got angry at what they had done and stopped giving my mom that medicine thereby restoring her ability to produce breast milk. 

As of 2025, I have had a total of 29 surgeries. That is enough for anyone! Hopefully, I am now done with surgeries and hospitals. I have had some health issues and challenges. Especially, since my vp shunt failed five years ago.

I still struggle with my speech and mobility. I am nowhere near fully independent or recovered. However, I am not paralyzed thank God or in a coma. I can't do everything that I once did, easily or automatically. 

I still have a good quality of life though. I wouldn't wish my condition on my worst enemy. However, I wouldn't change anything even if I I could. I am truly grateful and a lucky guy. I hope to have many more happy years with my family and friends. Even if I don't, I am happy with the life I have had. 

I am very lucky to know that I don't have a degenerative condition which will only continue to get worse. Luckily, it is the opposite for me. My condition should only continue to improve with time and effort. 

I do so much physical exercise because I am trying to speed up my recovery for Jenny and Eliana. If I was alone I would probably be happy with my current progress. However, the girls can't have a normal life until I return to normal life. 

My progress day to day is slow and small. However, when I think about my total progress in the past five years, my overall progress has been huge. 

My parents are the strongest people that I know. They have been through so much in the past 40 years. However, they have always dealt with everything that has come their way with positivity and strength. 

I am very grateful to all of my family and friends and everyone that has helped me out in the past five years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Til next time, Tyler