|
|
The
sad part of the notation above is that Adam will never again face those
painful surgeries, but Adam's struggle for life is still a story of bravery,
unrequited love and a child who brought his family a joy that will last
an eternity. My name is Paul and the children on this site, including Adam,
often refer to me as Uncle Paul except one. You see, Steven
is Adam's oldest brother and also my son while the other children are Steven's
brothers and a sister ... the children of Daisy and Tony.
Get the picture? It is the ultimate reward of maintaining a good relationship
with a spouse, after a divorce. That being said, this site is about a very
special and very brave little boy, his parents, and his siblings. You will
notice references are often made about Adam throughout this site as if
he were still alive. That isn't an error ... it is intentional. While Adam
may not be here on this planet, I along with his family, take comfort in
knowing that Adam ... the person whose spirit occupied a small, frail human
body ... is alive in Heaven. This web site was created just after Adam's
fourth birthday and only a couple of weeks before passed away.
 On
May 19, 2001, Adam's family was separated by hundreds of miles for the
first time since Adam was born just over 4 years ago. This courageous child,
even though he didn't comprehend, was going to undergo his FIFTH open heart
surgery. This time the procedure required one of the world's leading specialists
located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA). One of Adam's grandmothers moved
in to watch his brothers and sister while his parents accompanied him to
Oklahoma. His mother, Daisy, would have returned after a week while Tony
was to remain until Adam recovered and able to travel back to Augusta,
Georgia (USA). Instead, two devastated parents returned together to await
the arrival of their darling child who would be flown back in a small casket.
The story of Adam starts about a month before he was born and you can read
about his FIRST YEAR.
 The
first four years were always filled with the stark reality, for Adam's
family, that life is precious and carries no promise of tomorrow. Each
day was seen as another gift from
God who allowed Adam to be with
them. His parents will be the first to tell you his life on Earth was through
the grace of God, the skill of doctors, the care of nurses and other medical
professionals, and enhanced by the love of family ... in that order. While
medical personnel were able to assist with the miracle of his life since
he wa born, it was his loving
FAMILY that was
the MOST important part of who Adam during his life on Earth. Likewise,
Adam has left his family only in body, but a precious part of his beautiful
spirit will always live on in each member of his family.
 Adam
not only survived four previous heart surgeries to correct problems, but
he had been through a number of other procedures and surgeries ... yet
he never understand how fragile was his life. To watch Adam, he is just
like any other child who enjoyed playing, watching cartoons and Disney
videos, and trying to keep up with his siblings. His older brothers, Steven,
Ryan,
and Jonathan, understood the need to handle Adam with care, but
his younger sister Katie didn't. With blood thinners in his system,
care had to be taken that Adam didn't get the normal cuts and scrapes other
children his age would easily survive. His older brothers were schooled
at home to reduce the risk of dragging home colds, the flu, and other illnesses.
You can take a moment to see more of Adam and the rest of the family in
the PHOTO ALBUM.
 Rather
shy when you first met, Adam was well adjusted within the family and would
warm up to you after taking a little time to "investigate" from
a distance. Small for his age, Adam didn't say much. It is easy to understand
the trauma of a tube in his throat, during his first year and a feeding
tube in his nose, delayed the practice most babies have of communicating
through cries, coos, and babbling. On May 19th, Adam accompanied his parents
to Oklahoma City for one more critical operation. Doctors hoped this would
be the last heart operation for Adam. You can read more about this OPERATION
which ironically was successful in the technical aspects. The scar tissue
from the previous operations, however, took their toll. That night, continuous
bleeding following the operation eventually caused the heart to stop at
one point. In spite of the valiant efforts of doctors to revive Adam, the
fourteen agonizing minutes to start that precious heart was far too long.
Summoned by the hospital chaplain, Tony and Daisy raced from the floor
below only to watch in horror and disbelief as medical personnel worked
feverishly to revive Adam. Daisy was in shock ... as if it were all a horrific
nightmare ... while Tony landed on his knees begging God to spare his precious
son. On May 24, 2001, Adam was removed from the life support system that
was keeping only his body alive.
The UPDATE
page chronicles Adam's last few weeks from the time this web site was created,
before the operation, until the last time I entered anything. Adam's grandmother
and Steven kept me informed of what often were hourly calls during that
last day on May 24, 2001. From the UPDATE page
you will find a link to notes about what occurred afterward, as I remember
them, and probably most precious of all ... some of Daisy's private thoughts
sometimes expressed in agonizing detail.
If you would like to send
an e-mail, note, or card please visit the CONTACT
page. |
