truth: the internet is bad.
truth: the internet is good.
today, i say the internet is amazing.
there is a lot of talk out there about blogging. good talk. and bad talk. i've done my share of thinking about it. maybe too much sometimes. after going around in circles time and time again, i always seem to come back to the same thought. there are still more good people out there than bad.
and that is why i continue to share my life here. and i'm so grateful that i do. so very grateful.
let me tell you why. here's where the story begins.
Lincoln. my son. he was born almost 3 years ago in the heat of an Arizona summer. everything seemed to go well with his birth…nothing abnormal which we were so thankful for.
at about 6 months, we started to notice what seemed to be a cute little head tilt he would do. and that's all i thought it was. just something cute.
as more and more people started to ask me about it, i began to wonder. that's when i went back and started looking through every picture i had of him. and in every picture, the tilt was the same. worry set in and i made a phone call. to a chiropractor.
that was over two years ago.
since that time Lincoln has been evaluated by:
a chiropractor
a pediatrician
a physical therapist
an optometrist
a neurosurgeon
another physical therapist
an MRI scan
another pediatrician
another chiropractor
another optometrist
and of course, two parents who were constantly stretching his neck muscles through many, many tears. oh and don't forget the collar that we made him wear for months. poor kid.
you could say he's been around. 🙂
but even after all of that. no one. no one could explain why he continued to tilt. he's an anomaly, they said. he'll grow out of it, i was told. and just keep stretching him and maybe someday…
after many prayers and tears of my own, i decided i just needed to put up a white flag and stop trying to change him. i felt like i needed to accept him just the way he was and hope the world would treat him the same.
not more than a few days later, i received a comment on my blog that said this:
Your kids are adorable -I just wanted to mention something about congenital torticollis -I'm sure you've gone down this road, but just in case, has your son seen an eye specialist? This is to rule out Superior Oblique (eye muscle) Palsy which can manifest as a head turn in very young toddlers/babies. Kids with this will actually tilt their head in order to align what they are visually seeing as double into a single image.
-Connie
I had taken him to get his eyes evaluated. twice. but i was told he was fine. immediately I googled the palsy she spoke of and spent hours reading. yes. yes. yes. i thought. this could be it.
the next morning i made another phone call. to a pediatric ophthalmologist.
with great anticipation i took Lincoln to the appointment. it took the doctor all of 5 minutes to tell me this is exactly what Lincoln has. what he has always had. this Superior Oblique Palsy which causes one of his eyes to drift upward, impairing his vision, which as a result causes him to tilt his head to align his eyes.
all the way home i cried.
could this be the answer after two and a half years?
i was happy. i was sad. i was grateful. i was angry. i was relieved. i was worried.
but after all those emotions boiled up, the one that surfaced was gratitude.
for connie (who is an optometrist). a stranger who doesn't know me or my son. but she was here and she cared.
now we are on the road to surgery. a frightening road indeed. but we are back on a road that i once thought was a dead end.
so many thoughts in my head at this moment.
what i want to say most is thank you.
to you who are reading and know me…thank you.
to you who are reading and don't know me…thank you.
thank you for caring about one girl and her family. that's all.
just thank you.
(most photos by tara whitney)
29 Comments
Tears of happiness for you and Lincoln and for the super nice people who read your blog 🙂
let me just say that you attract to you what you are. if you are kind, you will attract kindness. if you are selfless, you will attract selflessness. you have. and i love you for it!
Wow! that is amazing, what a relief to have a CORRECT diagnosis. love you guys!
The internet can definitely be a blessing! So glad you finally found the correct diagnosis.
Also, I didn’t see an email here on your blog to contact you directly, but I was wondering if you would answer a photography question for me. Which lens do you prefer to use when you guys go to Disneyland? We are going in a few weeks, and I have taken some decent shots before, but I want to try a new lens this time around. You have such a great eye and take such amazing pictures of your family! Thanks! Oh, and you can answer me back through email if you want. My email is: hollylesue@gmail.com
What a touching entry… I got your blog address from someone on your mission who I went to high school school with. He admires your photography skills and knew I might like seeing some of your images. My family is often the main focus of my blog as well. It’s truly an interesting world (blogging). Cheers
I am so so so so glad to hear this! What a blessing! I agree with whoever commented on you attract who you are. You are such a kind, generous and loving friend to all and I’m glad what goes around comes around, so to speak. Love ya! And YAY Lincoln! He is SUCH a doll!
Thank you for sharing this story. Not for my benefit so much as just for sharing..this is why blogging is “good” more than “bad”. I have P.C.O.S. I went to tons of doctors complaining for ten years about symptoms. It wasn’t until I went to the hospital for an unrelated surgery and a nurse I encountered for less than five minutes mentioned to me “has anyone ever told you that you have P.C.O.S.? that I got my answer. I googled it…found other woman’s blogs and got another appointment..but it was those blogs..that helped me the most.
I am soooo grateful for your blog. It lifts me, makes me empathise, laugh and often makes me really happy. I love that you share yourself with the world. xxx
My friend’s son who is now almost 10 has this too. They havent done anything as of yet to correct it and he does all sorts of amazing things that doctors told my friend he might never do…ride a bike, snow ski, skateboard…
I wish you all the best…no matter what he is an adorable boy and you are a wonderful mama for sticking with it to find out what was going on!
cherie – i didn’t know you were blogging but am so happy to see that you are! what an amazing world the internet is. truly a place of it’s own. so happy that some kind someone was able to help you.
… here’s to making a recovery. I never knew how much mom’s worried and cried over their children till I became a mom. Can’t wait to hear the outcome.
I’m so glad to hear you are getting some answers! Linc is such a cutie! I’m happy to watch your kids anytime you need to take him to the doc. Tell us about the possible treatment plan for him? What did the doc say?
what a great story. praying for the best outcome!
xox
r
thank you again everyone for your kindness!!! i so appreciate it!
sent you an email, holly!
hey lindsay! it will require surgery to reattach an eye muscle. scary stuff. i hesitate to mess with the eyes but the doctor said he can ultimately lose vision in the affected eye. saying lots of prayers to figure out what is best!
A*MAZING story, Cherie! I’m so thankful!
I know you will make the right decision.
wow. this is a great story to read! so happy you found what you were searching for. (unlike bono.)
What a post. Cherie. Such a beautiful post. I am soo glad that you are finding the real cause of the tilt–for your sanity and for Lincoln’s health! I know the next road is scary–surgery–but be comforted in knowing that God has you ‘in the palms of his hands’. If he didn’t Connie would have never been led to your blog or to comment on your blog. You are amazing. Stay strong. I miss ya, tons!
Love ya!
Wow, Cherie, that is crazy! I am so glad that you finally have a diagnosis. Poor little guy!!
Dear Cherie,
I am one of those “reading but don’t know you” people. I am so glad to hear about your son. I have been a fan for a while after I found your blog (I served with the Masks in Spain). I always feel uplifted and inspired to be a better woman, wife and mother after checking your blog. Be it through your beautiful words or your beautiful photography- I love it all. Thank you SO very much for sharing.
Praying for your sweet little guy, Cherie! 🙂
p.s. How do you and Holly know eachother (comment above about what lens you use)? I know her through a mutual friend and you might know her from the same person…Nu Skin connection. 🙂 Just curious.
aw, I have been reading your blog for a few months now – love it, the writing and the photos always inspirational! What a lovely but slightly upsetting post. My thoughts are with you and your family through this hard time, and will have fingers crossed for the best. xxx
Beautiful words and family Cherie. Thanks for being so candid- I always know I can visit your blog and feel more excited and energized to take on the challenges of motherhood and life in general. Best wishes for a successful surgery! Your family will be in our thoughts and prayers. 🙂
Hey Evonne!
Actually I don’t know Holly. At least I don’t think I do. But maybe if I met her in real life I might! 🙂 Hope you and your adorable family are doing well!
ah Nu Skin. memories!
Oh Cheri! I’m so happy about this incredible story! Praying that Lincoln does well, and that Mama has peace!
Cheri and Jeff,
I am soo happy that you figured out the cute tilt! I will keep you all in my prayers for Lincolns speedy recovery! Love you all!!!
Lu
my goodness i haven’t been on here forever! we have talked about you guys several times lately as we go back and forth on vacation destinations!! i love your travel adventures! but i haven’t had a computer here at home for sometime, kade took all of ours to his office. anyhow, so good to catch up with the mask family! seriously, you need a dozen more kids–you have the beautiful baby skills my friend! your kids are gorgeous, helmet, tilt and all. what a story about your little lincoln, what a blessing. you are so incredibly talented cherie, you are amazing!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all your pictures. you’ve got it all go’n for ya! oh we miss you guys, but wow, you are doing great things. how lucky arizona is to have you!! xo’s from the us!!
thanks for the story. i thought you captured it so well with all the pics and the details. i’ll keep praying for you and sweet lincoln! love your kids and love you too! *you are amazing*!!