Joel did not just teach his mom to be brave but has taught me the meaning of blessed. I got this from Her World February publication 2009, one of the most touching and enduring real life story by KY and Shirley.
For Joel, every birthday is a milestone that’s nothing short of miracle. Nothing could have prepared them to face such big giant in their life when Shirley got pregnant and to know the fact after four months that something is wrong with the baby’s heart. The pediatrics told Shirley that the baby would likely die in her womb shortly after birth. So in times to come for both married couple, they live in tears and agony fearing that they could not be joyous over a new born baby.
It might be a less complicated had they decide to abort this baby, but they were deeply torn by their predicament. “During the scan, we could see our baby’s hands and legs, and we could not bring ourselves to kill him,” says her. Although she eventually decided to keep him, but it was a painful process waiting for the baby to be born. She even mentioned that, “Every time we walked into a baby shop, we would end up in tears. We didn’t dare to buy anything knowing he may not have a chance to use it,” says Shirley.
When Joel was born, there were many oxygen tanks surrounding this little baby who weighed 2.09kg, was immediately whisked into ICU in an oxygen box. Almost a week after his birth, baby Joel has to undergo open heart surgery to patch a hole in his heart and widen a narrow aorta. Joel’s heart was so swollen that the surgeon has to leave his chest cavity open for three days. Doctor advised both the parents to prepare for the worse.
It wasn’t a pleasant journey after all, but this has taught both KY and Shirley to be brave for the son Joel has gone through the tough beginning of his birth. When the couple sees Joel suffering, they sometimes regret their decision having him but as he gets older, he became more aware. Sick babies tend to be very grumpy but Joel is always smiling and laughing at everyone who sees him. When Joel returned home for the second time on the eve of his birthday, Shirley was six months pregnant with twins Jonathan and Joash.
Beyond his heart condition and a weakened immune system, which rendered him sick every couple of month, Joel couldn’t walk, talk, sit or hold up his head on his own. But that does not break the hope of KY and Shirley, they remain faithful in Joel and hold on to him without fail. Shirley and KY does not know what the future holds for him, Shirley claims that she still cries a lot over Joel, and she did not harbor any hopes that he will go to school or get married. Shirley remain strong for Joel, they promised Joel that if he made it this far, they would take him to Disneyland where he was conceived. Shirley ends with a promise, “You might have had a tough beginning, but you will grow up to be a tough boy.”
When I was reading this article, I couldn’t imagine how many times I would fail to take steps that Shirley has taken. Indeed it is my first touching story of the year to remind myself of how a baby could have so little faith to face such a big giant than adults in life.
*some statement adopted from 'HerWorld' 2009 Feb publication*
*he is too in love with 'this' cendol*
*our favourite cendol stall*
