Hello renee-1...

My son Gabriel was born on Mother's Day May 8th of 1994. He died on May 28th of the same year. It would have been his birthday in two days...

He had Spina-bifida. More females are born with spina bifida than males. The reason for this is unknown. the type he had was myelomeningocele. It is known as the most serious kind. It involved other severe disabilities such as:

Klippel feil, which is a rare disease consisted of a complex of osseous and visceral anomalies that included:

1. A low hair line in the back of his head.
 
2. Platybasia: A developmental deformity of the occipital bone and upper end of the cervical spine, in which the latter appears to have pushed the floor of the occipital bone upward.

3. Fused cervical vertebra with a short neck. His neck was so short that his ears would touch his shoulders.



His skull was too small and his brain was too big.
He also had a small rib cage and missing ribs.

There were anomalies with each and every one of his vital organs:
The arteries of his heart were reversed.
His lungs were too big.
He had only one kidney which was difformed.
At three days old the doctors discovered that the rectum was nonexistant so they installed a colostomy...I can't understand how they could have missed this!...
His liver wasn't functionning properly, it was poisonning him. When he died the skin on his entire body was in a dark yellow tone.

The doctors told us that he would have needed multiple surgeries and probably a few organ transplants for him to be able to have a somewhat quality of life, if any...during his last day, he had quite a few seizures. His heart couldn't handle the pressure anymore. He died in my arms after I asked the nurses to stop trying to revive him. I couldn't bear to watch my son having to suffer his entire life...it took me ten years to finally accept his death and deal with the guilt and shame that I felt for letting him die instead of fighting a little longer for his life...

He is now my 




How old is Cecil now and how is he doing after having had the last surgery?...Well I hope!...

My 9 year son old has Downs.  Can't talk worth a hoot.  Knows his letters and numbers, and knows many words by sight, not phonics, which is actually an advantage.  Cool.  When 2, he could run the computer, save things, call up things, etc..  Thought I lost my wife when he was born and made the list of all to call, etc., but God surprised me!  Cool.

Worked with adult Downs, austistics, kids whose parents poured gas on them while they slept and light the match, etc.  Have seen kids burn to death.  Nasty stuff.

Have patience for those with disabilites, but little to none with people who flake out but are normal.  Learning in that one.