Happy Birthday Lauryn!!!

Happy 22nd Birthday to my beautiful daughter Lauryn!  This picture is from her graduation last May.  Lauryn was born with Down Syndrome, hydrocephalus (water on the brain), patent ductus arteriosis (a heart condition) severe cognitive impairment, acanthosis nigricans (a rare skin condition) and is severely speech impaired.

When my daughter was 24 days old and I was leaving the hospital with her I was told that there was a 90% chance she would not live to see her 3rd birthday, she would be a vegetable, never sit, never walk, never talk - basically she would just whither away to nothing.  Well, she's proved those doctors wrong! 

Lauryn has endured her fair share of medical challenges, she's had 22 bouts of pneumonia, 2 collapsed lungs, many bouts of bronchitis, 5 surgeries... but no matter what, this child has kept going strong.  She is social, loves to be around people, she loves to do her job at the day center she attends 4 days a week, she's known at the center as Miss Social Butterfly.  She loves to dance, she loves her movies (typically horror) and Ferngully is her number one movie to watch. 

Here are a few pictures of Lauryn for you to enjoy.

 This is Lauryn on Halloween, she's a scary whoopie cushion.












This is Lauryn and I at the local Mexican restaurant.









This is Lauryn and I are her Special Olympics competition last year.