Giving Tuesday
November 30, 2023 by Sheryl J. Moore
My first-born, and only son for 17 years, was born with cleft lip and cleft palate.
Despite numerous ultrasounds, AJ’s congenital birth defect wasn’t apparent until his head emerged, during my delivery.
My baby had a giant hole in his face.
He had two upper lips. Half of his nose was missing. There was a channel running through the roof of his mouth. He had two uvulas.
I was so ignorant. I didn’t even know if he could live.
He never developed a sucking reflex, so I had to spoon feed him milk. I was hooked-up to a pump for nearly four hours a day because he vomited half of his intake, due to gas.
During his first surgery, when he was six months old, I almost bailed out. The hospital made me sign documents, which indicated that there was a risk of death with the surgery. I loved my little boy’s face, despite the hole, and I just did NOT want to risk losing him.
When I taught him how to brush his own teeth, at age four, I remember him looking in the mirror next to me, and saying that he hated his smile. He “wanted a smile like Mommy.” :’-(
When my home office’s health plan changed, AJ’s annual surgeries were no longer covered; he had a “pre-existing illness.” Never mind that it affected his eating, speaking, and self esteem. I left my job, and went to work for a second home office, just so that AJ could get the surgeries that he needed.
But then, my position was eliminated and I was without health insurance. By the grace of God, and through an absolute miracle, the Shriners Children’s Chicago Hospital came into our lives. They gave AJ the surgeries that he needed. They also gave him something I never thought I would see- CONFIDENCE.
AJ learned to love himself because of the Shriners.
AJ died by suicide ten years ago. He couldn’t take the bullying anymore. However, his legacy lives on. I have a million-dollar life insurance policy which will pay the Shriners, upon death. Each year, I donate thousands of dollars to this worthy cause.