Morning Has Broken

I love that song....'Morning Has Broken'. While the lyrics was actually penned by a poet named Eleanor Farjeon and the melody is a reminiscent of an ancient Gaelic hymn, the song made popular by Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam, is actually about the celebration of God and life in general. The lyrics also mentioned about the breaking of a new dawn - which was exactly how I felt when at last, my husband and I got to meet up with DSH's Neurosurgeon.

We were finally briefed on what Crouzon Syndrome is, how to treat it and in Malaysia, where. Our fear of not having enough finances to bring Adam to Australia or the US for treatment was appeased, somewhat.

Thank God, there were specialist in our very own National University Malaysia Hospital (aka Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - HUKM) and the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (aka General Hospital - alas not the Rick Springfield version). You see, Malaysia Boleh!

That Monday was also the first time I actually cried after Adam's birth. Not thinking of whether God has dealt us a bad card or anything, but rather finaly knowing and undesrtanding what little Adam will have to go through in his quest to lead a normal life.

Crouzon Syndrome 'sufferers' (for the lack of a better word) differ from one another. In fact, craniosynotosis itself has different branches of diagnosis - namely Apert, Pfeiffer and Meunke Syndromes to name a few.

Luckily for us, Adam's predicament is affecting his neck upwards (as from what we can see for now) - ie he has small ENT passageways, very very very (and I mean very) shallow eye orbits and of course a fused skull. But after a general check up, his lungs and other internal organs seemed to be as they should. In fact, his brain was also the normal size for a baby his age and his whole head is quite rounded as per normal babies. And unlike those with Apert Syndrome, his fingers and toes were perfectly well formed. For this, we really thank the Lord.

(Pix - Illustration of a craniosynotosis recontruction)

But like those with craniosynotosis, Adam will have to go through series of surgical help from as young as 3 months old to as old as perhaps 15 years old and even in his twenties. In fact, Adam's eye socket condition is considered quite severe. (I still cannot forget my Gynecologist's expression upon seeing Adam's eyes, when she received him at the birth bed).

But somehow, finally knowing what the ailment was and what to do next definitely lifted the heavy burden off our shoulders. Oh, the burden is still there, but it just felt lighter, somehow.

That was also when dear hubby decided that all the names we were toying with for him (like Airil aka Gaelic for The Nobleman, Arslan aka Turkish for The Lion/since Tiger in Arabic does not begin with A and Arif aka Arabic for The Knowlegeable) do not hold up to our little one.

Instead, we finally decided on Muhammad Adam Faiq - which literally means 'a Sign of Excellence' or 'a Sign from the Excellent (ie The Lord himself)'.

We may not know exactly what God is trying show us as Adam's parents, brothers and sister. Perhaps giving us Adam is just His way of showing his Greatness or for us to further acknowledge Him and buck up and worship him more, or maybe perhaps to simply leave Adam in our care as there would be no other better family for a special baby like Adam than us.

Perhaps (as proven later) it is also a sign (and knowledge) from God to his doctors who has and will treat him, for the Malaysian Medical profession, for his Indonesian nannies who cares for him in my absence and even for mankind in general.....

(Pix - Adam's Indonesian Nanies - Eli & Yati)