Spina Bifida Awareness: Meet Madi!

Today we are joined by a cutie that I adore... both she and her family are so wonderful and inspiring to me! I sincerely hope you enjoy meeting Madi!

From Madi's mom, Jamie:

My name is Jamie and I am the proud mom to an amazing little girl, Madi.  Madi is 2 years old and was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.  Madi has Myelomeningocele.  Her level is about an L2, which isn't a "best case" of Spina Bifida, but Madi absolutely is the "best case" to us. 



Madi and her big brother Conor

 When I first found out Madi had Spina Bifida I was really taken back.  All I knew is that taking folic acid helps reduce your chances of having a baby born with a neural tube defect, such as Spina Bifida.  I had taken folic acid long before I conceived her, though, and eat an amazingly healthy, natural, diet.  I was scared.  I was scared that Madi would have no quality of life.  I was scared that I could not handle having a child with special needs.  I was just plain scared, and the doctors were really no help.  They had no answers and little encouragement.  They had a long list of what Madi would never do (like walk), and forgot to tell me about all the awesome things she would do.

It's now been about 2 1/2 years since Madi was born.  Since then I've learned a lot, but the most important thing I have learned is that Spina Bifida is not scary.  It is not the end of a life.  Spina Bifida is just a small part of who Madi is, and part of what makes her the strong, smart, determined, beautiful, funny, and amazing little blessing that she is.  Madi may wear leg braces and may zoom around in a cool pink wheelchair, but that doesn't slow her down one bit.  Madi is redefining Spina Bifida every day and is, quite literally, walking up to the doctors that said she "couldn't" and she's proving to them that she can. 

  

You can follow Madi's journey, as well as our journey to adopt another child with Spina Bifida, at www.aworthyjourney.com.

Thank you Jamie for joining us, and sharing your beautiful daughter with us!

Also, for those of you who do not know, the portion of the sales from the the Spina Bifida Awareness jewelry that I sell in my SHOP that goes to a family adopting a child with Spina Bifida is currently going to this wonderful family!