With the return to New York, it was time to focus once again on Angelo's recovery. At least for today, the day of his 3rd-month check-up. Countless times, Niels had to tell Amanda to relax, but she knew he was nervous as well. Leaving Emi with Isa and Zelda, Niels and Amanda strapped Angelo into his car seat and took a cab to the doctor's office. As they sat in the waiting room, Amanda sent up a million prayers to the powers above.
Throughout the check-up, Angelo remained fast asleep. No matter what they did to him--from removing his clothes, to weighing him, to exercising his limbs--he slept on. Amanda listened to the confusing medical jargon: brachial plexus, birth palsy, sympathetic nerve fibers... She watched intently as the doctor performed several motor tests, feeling for any resistance in Angelo's muscles. Angelo had progressed fairly well; he had a far greater range of motion than he'd shown at birth, and while he wasn't exactly where the doctor wanted him to be by now, the improvement showed that there was still hope. The doctor slowly moved Angelo's arms above his head and when the doctor let go to explain the next plan of action, they were all pleased to see that Angelo's left arm retracted only slightly. "Now this is a great sign," the doctor remarked. "So at this time, I'll say that he doesn't need any immediate surgery. If he still has problems moving his left arm on his own after toddlerhood, then we will discuss surgical options again. But right now, I believe that he will continue to improve with time. Keep taking him to therapy weekly and exercising his arms at home. If he fusses while trying to move his left arm, then it's still a good sign that he's at last trying." Amanda beamed, tears of joy in her eyes. "Did you hear that? He's going to be okay," she told Niels. "There's hope."
0 Comments
"Ready?" Amanda asked, rocking Angelo's maxi-cosi as she waited at the door for Emi and Niels.
"Weady!" Emi exclaimed, skipping towards the door to join them. Amanda gently shushed her, not wanting her to wake Angelo. A small part of what made her nervous for this trip was the fear that Angelo would cry the entire time. They were extremely careful in carrying him to the cab, and though he'd awoken in the airport, he remained relatively quiet. On the plane, while Emi chatted with Niels, Amanda's thoughts wandered. She had a knot in her stomach, thinking about seeing her aunt Bry again. A ghost of the past. A few days ago, it'd come as a total surprise when Niels received a call from his father to inform him that his sister Marit had attempted suicide and was now in a coma. Sure, neither Niels and Amanda had been on speaking terms with Marit, but it still hurt. Amanda couldn't help but wonder exactly where things had gone wrong. It'd started in their teenage years, but somehow they could never repair the severed relationship. Today, however, they'd take a big step. They were to meet their two nieces for the very first time, and come face to face with family they thought they'd never face again. Kobe, it made her nervous. In her heart, she felt they were doing the right thing, but her thoughts nagged, trying to convince her that they were about to open up a can of worms; they were about to unleash emotions that they'd once locked away. Even glancing at Niels, she could see that he was troubled, but they hadn't spoken much about it. On the bright side, Amanda thought, Angelo was still fast asleep and the plane would be landing soon. As they walked through the gates, into the airport, Amanda took a deep breath. "Here we go," she whispered to Niels. The day started off like any other: Angelo's cries, Emi's excited demands to get out of bed, breakfast, a light lunch... The night before, they'd managed to bake cookies and get some decorating done while Angelo slept soundly in his lullaby swing. Today, however, Angelo was constantly fussing, wanting to be coddled and nursed. Yet at last, he'd settled down, enabling Amanda to relax while Niels took over the cooking.
Hours later, Rico and Ceci arrived. Emi immediately began entertaining them, offering them cookies just to show off her decorating skills. Angelo awoke, refreshed and content, and once he was happily cooing in Ceci's arms, Isa and Zelda arrived and helped Amanda and Niels finish setting the dining table--just in time for the arrival of the parents, Eli, Belie and the littlest sister, Aubrey. Amanda couldn't believe how much their little sister had grown. At first, Aubrey was shy seeing so much family in one place again, but soon she was running around with Emi. Teun and Rosa awed over the newest grandchild of the family, marveling at his heart-melting smile and his sweet little coos. Rosa held him close, taking in that 'baby scent' that always made everything feel alright again. Then at last, they all gathered around the dining table to partake in the food prepared. Amanda looked around. Everyone seemed happy. Angelo lay quietly in Rosa's arms, fascinated by her necklace while Teun admired his tiny fingers, Rico and Ceci smiled at each other with utter adoration, Zelda and Isa chatted with Belie and Eli who they usually babysat, and Emi, sitting in her booster seat, tried to show Aubrey how to use a fork properly. Amanda beamed. Their first time hosting a Christmas gathering--even if it was an impromptu one--was a success. Indeed, it was a merry Christmas. The aroma of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee wafted through the apartment. Amanda woke gradually, enticed by the comforting aromas. She thought she was imagining things until she reached out to Niels' side of the bed, feeling around for him. When she felt pure fabric slip through her fingers, she slowly opened her eyes to discover him gone. She wondered what time it was as she rolled over to glance at the clock.
7:00am stared back at her. Amanda blinked and rubbed her eyes. Seven? When last had she slept that long? Gradually, she realised that she didn't feel as exhausted as usual, that her head wasn't aching and her eyes weren't as bleary as usual. As she checked the baby monitors, she discovered that Emi was still fast asleep in bed and Angelo was... not in his crib. Climbing out of bed, Amanda set off to investigate. She followed the delicious scents of comfort food right to the kitchen, where she set her eyes on a precious sight. Niels stood over the stove, Angelo fast asleep in his arms as his father prepared breakfast. A smile quickly spread across Amanda's lips as her heart threatened to float right out of her chest. Kobe, what a lovely surprise on this Christmas Eve. It made all of her stress disappear. For one wonderful moment, all of her fears and worries were behind her. Her exhaustion was long forgotten, and she suddenly lived in a world where everything was perfect. A true pre-Christmas miracle. She cleared her throat after a while of taking in the priceless sight. She would remember this forever. She could imagine that a moment like this wouldn't be a big deal to others, but to her, it was the little things... Amanda couldn't get over how adorable Angelo looked in his R2D2 costume. Of course, he slept through his photoshoot, but he was adorable regardless. They left him in his crib, sound asleep with Zelda watching over him.
As Amanda walked into the living room, she heard Emi's excited squeal. "Mummy wook! I'm pwincess Anna!" She grabbed Amanda's hand, pulling her in a circle, singing, "Do you want to build a snowman?" Amanda chuckled and lifted Emi into her arms. "No, I want to hug and kiss my beeauuutiful princess Anna." She winked and showered Emi with kisses. Meanwhile, Isa walked into the living room, dressed up as Alice in Wonderland. Emi giggled. "Wook at Aunty Isa!" Finally, Amanda, Niels, Emi and Isa were out of the house, going from house to house. This time, being in New York, Emi had a true trick-or-treating experience. She often ran ahead with Isa, sometimes clinging to her skirt when a frightening costume came into view. Intermittently, Amanda checked her phone for messages from Zelda. Even in the midst of trick-or-treating fun, she worried about her baby boy back home. It was the difference between having one child and two. So this is what it was like. When she could no longer take it, she messaged Zelda, only to receive a response that Angelo was still sleeping soundly. "Relaaaax," Niels told her. He pressed a kiss against her temple before pointing to Isa and Emi, observing other trick-or-treaters. "Angelo's fine. Emi's having a blast. It's a great Halloween. Amanda smiled and nodded in agreement. "It is," she said. "Happy Halloween!" Radiology, Orthopedics, Neurology, Rehabilitation… Amanda sighed and massaged her temples. Her head was spinning just thinking of all the appointments that were lined up for her baby boy. The night had been endless with Angelo’s frequent cries. Amanda worried that he was in pain from the damaged nerves in his shoulder. She felt helpless that no amount of consolation on her account seemed to calm him. The following morning, as the pediatrician spoke of treatment plans, Amanda’s mind was barely there. She was too busy mentally sending up prayers to the powers above that their baby boy would make a full recovery. So far, the pediatrician was optimistic. While Angelo didn’t have full motion of his left arm and certain movements seemed to cause him discomfort, with immediate therapy, the pediatrician was confident that he’d recover within a few months. If no improvement is shown after three months, then they’d have to consider a surgical option for their little one. The pediatrician tried to assure Amanda, mentioning that some newborns with such nerve damage couldn't even hold their arms up the way Angelo did while he slept. His grasping was still weak, but it would improve with therapy. Still, Amanda’s heart ached, but then again, was he suffering? Her attention was directed to Angelo and Emi, moments after the doctor left the birthing room. He was quiet while his big sister talked to him, on and on about the most random of topics. “Wook!” Emi exclaimed. “Dis is youw teddy beah. And dis is my bunny wabbit. I have a wee bunny at home, too. And Ghost!” Despite the tears in Amanda’s eyes, she couldn’t resist laughing. Later that day, once they were back home, Niels placed Angelo in his crib to continue his nap. Emilia ran into the room with an armful of toys. “Wait!” Niels and Amanda chuckled as Emi demanded to be lifted so she could surround her baby brother with stuffed animals. “Now he can sweep,” she said with a proud smile.
Amanda peered down at their baby boy. He seemed comfortable and at peace so far. His condition could’ve been far more severe than it was. The damage could’ve occurred closer to his spine. He could've had a paralysed arm. But no, he had treatable damage. “You’re one lucky little one,” she said, caressing his cheek. “Welcome home, little angel Amanda was perched on the edge of the tub while Emi happily played in the bath. Suddenly, she felt a painful tightening in her abdomen and she immediately called out, “Niels!?” Emi fussed, concerned about her mother, but Niels quickly assured her. Within minutes, Emi was dressed and they were heading out the door and towards the birthing centre.
It was a smooth process, settling into the birthing room. There was a large, en suite tub available, a comfortable bed, and a lovely view of the on site garden. Emi settled in right away, climbing into bed with Amanda to watch a movie on the widescreen television. Niels constantly monitored Amanda, asking her on several occasions if she needed anything. Later that night, Emi fell asleep, cuddled close to Amanda. Just then, Niels’ younger sister Zelda called to let them know that she’d arrived and could take Emi back to the penthouse to wait things out. Meanwhile, Amanda’s pains grew stronger and stronger, inhibiting her sleep. As time dragged on, she grew restless and impatient. She rotated between the warm, soothing water in the tub, to pacing around the room, to relaxing in the rocking chair, but at last it came time to push. The process seemed to drag on for an eternity. As much as she pushed, the baby seemed not to budge. She gripped Niels’ hand with all her might, but still the baby remained lodged. Fortunately, the midwife knew just how to deal with such circumstances, and once she dislodged the baby’s shoulder, Amanda’s cries were transformed into tears of joy. At last, she could hold her baby boy in her arms. She could kiss his rosy little cheeks and encourage him to open his eyes so she could see what colour they were. But for the time being, she was happy with just holding him. “You have a big sister who can't wait to meet you. Welcome to this crazy world, Angelo Leonardo.” Amanda softly moved her hands her taut belly. She could feel her baby boy squirm inside of her. These days she could tell that he didn't have much room left to kick and jab, which honestly was a relief. Amanda smiled, letting the cool autumn air caress her face and play through her hair. It was lovely being in this part of Central park, away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city.
Nearby, Emi was running around with Ghost, Niels keeping a keen eye on her so she wouldn't stray while Amanda enjoyed relaxing in quietude. Things felt so surreal today. Watching Emi running around, she wondered what it would be like looking after two children. For the past three years, it had been just the three of them. Now they were soon to be four. So many scenarios ran through Amanda's head. Would Emi be happy about her new baby brother, or would jealousy set in? Amanda faintly remembered how jealous her little brother Renzo had been when Bella was born. Would the baby be calm and content as Emi was, or would he be a gripey baby, hard to console and quick to cry? She wondered what colour his eyes would be: green like hers, or blue like Niels' and Emi's? Would he have a head full of hair or be a little baldy? Amanda smiled and patted her belly as she felt the baby squirm again. One thing she knew for sure was that her love for him was already strong. She couldn't wait to hold him in her arms. She was grateful that she'd had such a pleasant pregnancy, with just a bit of morning sickness in the beginning. She'd almost miss being pregnant, but something more exciting was coming soon. Any day now. Our little girl is getting pretty good, don't you think? ;) Comments #1. She's doing amazing my love *grins* Nice mummy-daughter time huh?
Niels van Loon #2. *smiles and wipes her brow* yup! Tiring too! Amanda van Loon #3. *Laughs softly* Aaaahw, poor you *winks* Go take a nice relaxing bath to calm down your muscles? Niels van Loon #4. Hmmm that sounds absolutely perfect! Will you give Emi a bath in the meanwhile? *smiles* Amanda van Loon #5. *SMiles* I will, is she tired now? *winks* Niels van Loon #6. Nope, still full of energy. *laughs* Amanda van Loon #7. *Laughs softly* Why isn't that a surprise to me? Niels van Loon #8. *grins* you know our little girl. Amanda van Loon #9. *grins* So do you baby *winks$ Niels van Loon #10. *smiles and kisses his cheek* Amanda van Loon #11. *Smiles and kisses her gently* Niels van Loon #12. *smiles lovingly after* Amanda van Loon At last. Amanda collapsed on her bed, exhausted though tonight had been the most successful night trying to get Emi to sleep. Some days, Emi seemed to detest her "big girl bed", but ever since they took her along with them to shop for baby furniture, she seemed to have gotten a better idea that cribs were for babies and beds for big girls.
Niels chuckled as Amanda sighed with relief. "Silence," Amanda said, beaming. One bed time story and Emi had fallen asleep. No begging to stay awake longer or to sleep in her crib, no pleading with her parents to stay in bed with her. Just... silence. Peace. Amanda rubbed her belly, thinking how amazing life was. Their first child was fully transitioned to a toddler bed and their newest addition was soon to sleep in a crib. Most likely, they'd have to go through this transition phase again. Once their little boy was born, the cycle would start all over again: womb to arms to crib, breast to bottle, crawling to walking, bottle to sippy cup, crib to bed. And it didn't stop there... Tears came to Amanda's eyes. As much as she loved watching Emi grow, she wished she'd slow down and be her baby girl forever. For a moment, she wished she could keep her baby boy in a bit longer... But there was just one week left. Niels moved closer, putting his hand atop Amanda's. He looked at her with concern in his eyes, but Amanda only waved his concern away. "Hormones," she said, smiling sheepishly. "Riiight," said Niels. He smiled and Amanda could see the understanding in his eyes. He knew exactly what was on her mind. |
Amanda at a GlanceNames: Amanda Pontremoli, Amanda van Loon Archives
August 2017
Categories |