Thank you to all that have come forward to share already!
My Experience with my Tiny Light
On October 25th, 2010, I was blessed with a beautiful baby boy…7 weeks early! Mason was born weighing an incredible 6lbs 12oz with just a little breathing difficulty. Twenty four hours later, he was breathing on his own and doing well. We couldn’t wait to bring him home. Four days later, a large blood clot in his kidney was discovered, then a grade 4 brain bleed and subsequently, hydrocephalus. Needless to say, our world was turned upside down. We spent what was the longest and most difficult month of my life at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). A lot changed for me in that month, most of all my view on being a parent of a sick child. I’ve always heard stories and heard of friends of a friend who were taking care of a sick child. I’ve always felt for them and hoped and prayed for the best but I can honestly say now that I never really understood. I don’t think you can fully understand unless you’ve had first hand experience. It is something that I wouldn’t wish on any parent or especially any child. I believe that it’s truly one of the hardest things a parent can go through, being so helpless when their child is hurting. I was very thankful for the other parents we met at CHEO who were going through something similar with their child. It was comforting being able to talk to someone who was going through what my husband and I were going through, someone else who truly understood.
Ultimately, this was how I eventually discovered the Tiny Light Foundation. While at CHEO, we met Kim, Tiny Light Brynn’s mother. My mother used to teach with Kim and was following Brynn’s story. After Brynn’s passing, we saw Kim’s posting of the Tiny Light Foundation on her Facebook page and how happy she was that Brynn had become a Tiny Light. I read more about this wonderful foundation and spent the evening reading up on all the Tiny Lights. It was so comforting to see other families who had also gone through tough starts with their little ones and to see the pictures of their beautiful, happy child. I decided then to fill out an application for Mason.
I was thrilled when I got a response that Mason was accepted as a Tiny Light. A day later, I got an email from photographer Donna Larmour. She was ready to set up a photo session for Mason. Donna was very accommodating. We met her a few weeks later, not far from our home, for an outdoor photo shoot with our now, healthy 6 month old. Mason had become a very happy little boy. He smiles all the time and I wanted to capture his joyful innocence in these pictures. Once outside, Mason wasn’t so happy. It was the first time we had really taken him outside for any length of time. It was a very nice day out, but the chilly wind was taking Mason’s breath away. It took everything we had to get a few smiles out of him. We danced around, made noises, and wrapped him in blankets to protect him from the wind. Donna was very patient and came up with creative ways to get some good shots despite Mason’s crying. A few weeks later I was so thrilled to see the results of what I thought was a difficult shoot. The pictures Donna took were amazing! Not only did she capture his beautiful smiles, but she did it in a way that was real and candid. We couldn’t have posed him any better! Even some of his crying pictures were beautiful! She captured the Mason I get to see everyday.
My experience with the Tiny Light Foundation has been a lot more rewarding than I imagined. The gift of the pictures captured what we delight in. Looking at them, I sometimes forget about the hardship we went through that first month of his life, the hospital visits coming up and the challenges that may or may not lie ahead. Every parent worries about their child’s future, especially when they have a health condition. Even if only for a second, these pictures take my mind away from that worry when I see the face of my perfectly happy baby boy. When I look at all the Tiny Lights’ pictures, I can’t see the conditions. The only thing I notice when I read their stories and look at their pictures are all these beautiful, happy families rallying around a small child who brings them so much joy! No matter what they’ve gone through, or what challenges lie ahead, these amazing children make all of it worth while.
The Tiny Light Foundation, through something as simple as a website, give struggling families hope and support. We are gifted with the knowledge that we are not alone, that we are supported by those who understand and are going through the same thing. With these gorgeous pictures by talented, committed photographers, we are gifted with a memory of pure joy and happiness.
I check up on the Tiny Lights every day. It has become a part of my routine. I tell everyone I know about these amazing kids. It has forever changed my view on children with special needs and touched me more than I can ever describe. A big THANK YOU to the Tiny Light Foundation for doing something so simple that gives us so much in such an incredible way!
Jessica Brozincevic
1 comments:
Beautifully written Jessica. Thank-you so much for the kind words - you brought tears to my eyes. I am thinking of you both and little Mason.
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