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This is the nickname for my son Aldrick who is 24 yrs old now. In 1986, he was my 2nd pregnancy, I only gained 13lbs with full term preg, myobgyn told me this wasn’t the time for me to be on a diet! which I wasn’t..he said, my baby was too small n he was breech at full term, he broke my water at the office trying to turn him, so he said time to head to hospital for c-sec. After his birth, I got to see my healthy baby boy,as per pediatrician. As soon as I saw my son, I had a gut feeling..he was special. You see I grew up sharing the same bed w/my baby sister Rosa who was special too..and my son had the same tiny face,tiny hands,very angel like.. I told his pediatrician, I would like tests done on my son,he said..forget it he’s healthy. 2 weeks went by,he was drinking his formula contantly, he was never full with the 2oz. he didn’t cry but was very weak and fussy..so, I kept feeding him,he would suck on nipple with desperation and I knew there had to be something wrong. At his 2 week appt, Dr. weighed him and he had lost weight from 6lbs. went down to 4lbs.Pediatrician was mad at me stating I wasn’t feeding my baby and sent him directly to hosp.  At hosp he had the nurses watch me as I fed him his 2 ozs. then every 2 hrs. they came back to sit and watch me feed him again, I told them my baby was hungry all the time and had to be fed more than normal,but when Dr. saw that he was still losing weight he was baffled! I said, I want to consult another Pedi dr.you don’t seem to be doing nothing for my son, and on top of that you think I would let my kid starve on purpose!! Well, he called childrens protective services and I knew it was time to take my son to someone else but in order to do that I had to literally take my son out of hosp. when no one was watching me. I left sobbing not knowing what I was going to do or who to take him to. I couldn’t go home because child protective services and police would be looking for me there. I called my sister-in-law, crying..I need to know of a good pediatrician, she gave me a # to call and I did so even tho it was almost 8pm..I got an answering machine and left a very distraught message,I needed help with my son, explained what I had just done. Immediately I recieved a call back and the Dr. asked me to go to his office even tho it was closed. There the dr. examined my son, I told him everything how they were looking for me but, that other pediatrician treated me like a criminal. He had cases of milk in the storage room, for premature babies that the reps bring for them to try on their pts. Well, he said, your baby doesn’t need hospitalization, he is very hungry, so take these cases of milk premature 24 calorie formula and feed him all nite if you have to and by morning bring him back to my office, he called police dept,child protetive services and told them my son was now his pt. and therefore he was under medical supervision and to back off! Well, those were the longest days and nites, but my son starting doing better and he would actually sleep for quite a few hours after that, and since I couldn’t buy that milk otc..he had the reps provide me with a full yr of high calorie formula. My son got to be so chubby within that 1st yr. At 6mos. I went to pick my daughter up at the school bus stop and while there my son started foaming at the mouth, cold sweat, duskylips and bluish color, headed to E.R. and his dr. met us there, he was in seizure state almost 3hrs. and even with all medications given I.V couldn’t stop it..his dr. never gave up, he said he’s a fighter u’ll see. Hospitalized for 2 months ICU,found his Atrial septal defect,neurologists,genetecists…no one knew his syndrome back then..My sister was born in1961 and they never found out what was wrong with her, we just knew she was special,non verbal, and I was in charge of taking care of her and taking her everywhere with me..I love my sister to this day..she’s 50. Well, I was also given an angel my baby Awii..Since the age of 2 months I enrolled him in rehabilitation place where I took him everyday drop him off in mornings and pick him up at 6pm, since I have always worked. And that place did miracles..occupational therapy,physical therapy,even had a day care for special kids, so they would take them out to do their therapies there. Almost every2 weeks had to be hosp. for bad seizures, he started having up to 24 per day, he has been on every anti convulsant meds there is..eventually, now he only has them 2or 3 per day sometimes weekly, sometimes more often and we’ve gone to almost 1 month without one. So, it just depends on how often he picks up viruses. We have dilantin suppositories to give him in case he lasts longer than5 mins. We have cortisone shots for when he is down with cold or virus, it helps with immune to fight the viruses. He was on growth hormone shots for about a yr. but, it wasn’t to make him grow, endocrinologist said it was to improve his osteoporosis, but eventually I took him off it because there was no proof on his bone scans after a yr. that his bone was improving, and NO it did not help him to grow either! Endocrinologist said, he would probably grow and he would go thru puberty…well, he didn’t! I self DX him after going thru internet and finding a pic of a dead fetus, and saw it had same facial features as my son and my sister. In 2004, he almost died, he turned septic from a ruptured appendix for which he has a high tolerance to pain because I wouldn’t have known it had ruptured ,if it hadn’t been for him starting on a bad seizure spree which landed him in hosp for 21/2 mos. there, I consulted again a genetecist for which I told her I had a self Dx for him and she checked it out …and walla!!  Today he weighs 45 lbs, he still has his baby teeth,no cavities..he drinks ensure out of a sippy cup,walks with poor balance but at times you can see him thinking he is running..to get away from us. He hates to eat, we chase him it takes me and hubby to get him to eat few bites at a time. Mashed soft home foods in a 60cc toomey syringe we squirt it into his mouth, we have to sing and play games to get him to open his mouth. He does not chew, and we have prevented him all these yrs from having a feeding tube with lots of love,time, and dedication. I think back now and wonder, how in the world have I been able to do this!? Believe me it’s been a very,very tough road,..but I had lots of interventions by GOD..and he only made me stronger and a better person. I don’t think I would be the person I am today without having the experience,knowledge,patience,unconditional LOVE that my son AWII and our LORD has provided me with!! ONWARD, we go thru this LIFE full of happiness and joy that my son has everyday, he smiles,hugs,sleeps with us,and is constantly with us everyday. All our vacations include him, he is full of LIFE!  

Texas Mom, Eva <3