Transcript The Role of IDP In My Life

The Role of IDP In My Life
Katiejane E. Morgan
February 6th, 1989, nearly twenty
years ago I entered this world with
the weight of it upon my
shoulders. With obstacles piled
left, right, front and center to
stand where I am today the young
woman I am, some might tell you,
is nothing short of a miracle,
remarkable or astonishing. Yet, I
am only capable of standing here
due to the few special resources
and individuals that fought to
prove these predictions wrong,
including the amazing individuals
through the Infant Development
Program of British Columbia.
Born ten weeks premature with a
condition known as
Hydrocephalus (a build up of
spinal fluid on the brain), my
prognoses was anything but
favourable. Being placed into the
care of the Ministry for Children
and Families, finding a home
willing to take on an infant as ill
as I was, an infant that was not
suppose to see a day of life, was
a difficult process. However, the
couple, who would become my
mother and father adopting me as
their own, came into my life.
Little did they know they would
soon face another difficult setback
as I, this infant was rushed back
to Children’s Hospital failing to
breath properly, and later
diagnosed with the RSV
(Respiratory Syncytial Virus).
To a premature infant with weak
lungs as I had, my chance of
survival was slim, no doctor
thought I’d leave. Once again I
was out to prove them wrong.
Six weeks later I would go home
with my mother and father, I was
still ill, odds still very much so
against me. My parents were told I
would never walk, never talk,
never live life to a standard of a
so-called “normal” human being.
My mother told me; I would walk,
I would talk, I would live a life
being whoever I pleased to be.
This is when Infant Development
came into my life and along with
my mother told me I would walk, I
would talk, I would live a life being
who I pleased. Was this task going
to be easy, not by any means but,
overcoming those obstacles was a
must and here I am today capable
of walking, talking and living my
life being who I strive to be.
My life is not free of obstacles, nor
is yours, or anyone else’s. I have
many Neurological based
conditions that I will live with for
the remaining years of my life.
During my grade eleven year of
high school one condition causing
tremors progressed and once again
I was challenged to prove to the
world I would graduate, not on
time, it might have taken an extra
year but, time does not matter.
Accomplishing a task against all
odds is the most rewarding
experience one can have whether
you are that individual facing the
obstacle or the one who guides the
individual through.
Without the Infant
Development team in my
life I would not be
looking to the future,
standing on my own two
feet.
If IDP was not around
during my infant years
who knows where I’d be
today. I have nothing
but the utmost respect
and gratitude for a team
who gave me the gift of
life.