Daisy

by kasee
(louisville,ky)

Actually her name is Karyssa but at age 3, my mother decided that that name must be too hard for her to say so Daisy was born. But her problems began way before age 3, at 8 weeks she had a lung removed due to cystic adematoid malformation where her lung filled with cysts and had to be removed, then she had a low platelet count that required a blood transfusion.

At age 4 we discovered she had progressive hearing loss and then at 7 she had a lymph node die in her face and had to be removed. she also has about 5 extra teeth that will require surgery later, on top of all this she was misdiagnosed as having ADHD and bipolar because of her extreme mood swings and sensory issues. She was put on at least 5 different medications that made her not only a zombie but caused her to throw up on a daily basis. She has no friends her age, she has extreme sensitivities to certain material and food. She gets anxious to the point of throwing if her routine varies. New people and places are a no-no. All of this in the first 9 years of her life. I was almost to the end,having told myself that this is just how it was going to be, having cried myself to sleep on more than one occasion from pure exhaustion and an overwhelming feeling of pain... for her. This is not a scrape on the knee that I can kiss and make better... I am her mother and I am supposed to be able to help her.

We are just beginning our journey of recovery and although I realize its going to a long one, at least I know that I am helping her... I am kissing her boo-boo.