We found out with two weeks left in my pregnancy that Charley was going to be born with a problem that ultimately was diagnosed as Spina Bifida. One of the side effects that Charley had with the Spina Bifida was hydrocephalus. Two days after Charley was born, he underwent surgery to repair the opening on his spinal cord. One week after this, the doctors determined he was strong enough to have a shunt emplaced to help drain the cerebral spinal fluid which was collecting near his brain. Both surgeries were a complete success!

Charley will be three years old in January 12, 2012. Just last August 2012, Charley took his first steps and was able to walk on his own. This really changed his outlook on life for the better. While he was always a very happy child, now that he is able to play like the rest of the kids, he is even more happy than before. He is an extremely loving child and many of the parents tell us what a kind soul he is. We are very lucky.

Charley will enter pre-school in August. Charley's initial speed bumps don't seem to be impeding his cognative progress. He already knows his ABCs, can recognize each letter, can count to 20 (usually), recognizes and can call out shapes and colors and understand that every Jack in the Box has the ability to produce chicken nuggets on command. We look forward to continued successes with Charley. We also hope that some parents will read this during a time of question and understand that there is always hope and that good things can come out of difficult circumstances.