My Story

 

 

Emma Grace Shifflett was born May 10, 2004. She was such a beautiful and very well behaved baby. After a week old she was sleeping right through the night. Everything seemed to be normal until Emma was around 14 months old. She was crawling, but never fast and even that seemed to be slowing down a lot. She hadn't walked yet, but that wasn't what really concerned me. It was that she had never even stood up on her own. The closest she could come to standing on her own was on her knees, but never on her feet.

I was getting a little worried so I made an appointment with Emma's pediatrician. She was also concerned when she watched Emma crawl. She crawled like a little turtle. Very slow and she always keep her head down to hold her balance. Emma was then referred to a neurologist. There she went through many different kinds of testing. It took us about two months to get the results back.  On September 29, 2005 Emma was diagnosed with (SMA) Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II via DNA testing. That was the saddest day of my life!  All I could think about was that I was going to lose my baby girl! I just couldn't! She's my whole world!

Well, a lot has changed since that day. Emma continues to amaze me each and every day.  Every hospitalized she's such a fighter. She has given me a whole different outlook on life. I look forward to many more years with my princess. I now have so much hope in watching her grow and will cherish every moment. 

 

You're Listening to "In My Daughter's Eyes"