Dear Santa,

I pray this letter reaches you with the many toy, game, book, and pet requests from children.  I’m a mom to a handsome prince named Maxwell, also known as Max.   He will be 16 months soon, and he is our pride and joy.  You see last Christmas all we asked for is that God take away all the pain Max was experiencing while eating, and that he would continue to thrive and grow.  That request was answered just not as we had thought.  Because at the top of the year he was diagnosed as “failure to thrive” and we spent 9 days in the hospital to receive a gastronomy tube (g-tube).  Then had to go back into the hospital for an additional 7 days to receive a Nissen and Stomach Hernial repair.  You see Santa, we were scared of these multiple surgeries and this new way of eating.  But Max’s pain was taken away.  Max was beginning to thrive and grow by getting primarily fed through g-tube.

Santa, all the while Max started to experience head drops and twitches.  We knew that he would have some seizure activity because of his brain injury from birth, but these were also scary.  We went to the neurologist and had appointment after appointment, with new drugs being administered after every visit attempting to get his seizures under control.  We were scared our pride and joy wouldn’t be able to grow and develop because of all of his seizure activity.  But, Santa you know what?  We prayed and asked God to remove his seizures.  And guess what?  He did, but just not as we thought he would.  We went through a round of daily shots for 75 days to help eliminate Max’s seizures.  They worked, he went days while on the shot seizure free.  As we begin to decrease the dosage his seizures came back, but not as strong.  Max was beginning to talk more, recognize faces, and move more.  The seizure shots worked, but just not as we thought they would.

Now Santa, I’m telling you all of this to let you know that this Christmas all I want is one thing.  I know that you will be able to grant this request because I already asked God for it.  This request is also scary because we can’t predict the future.  But, I know by past experience this year that everything I asked for it happens even though it may not be as I predicated it would.  I’m asking for you to blow my mind when it comes to the possibilities for Max.  All I want for Christmas is that Max reach his full potential.  For no Cerebral Palsy diagnosis, developmental delay, not being able to do this and that, stop him from living his purpose.  I’m not asking for you to make Max be like other “typical” kids, because he isn’t typical.  All I’m asking is that you help him reach, teach, and preach his purpose.  That is my only Christmas wish Santa, and I know it will be granted just like the others.  Even if it isn’t packaged the way I want it to be.  I’m already grateful for knowing that Max is doing all that God created him to be.

Signed with love,

From Max’s mom,

~Erica