Portrait of a miracle: signing "camera"

Reuben, the walking, talking miracle who defied all the odds (never walk, never talk) and 11 multiple surgeries later, he's a beautiful signer, has the voice of an angel and such deep soulful eyes that speak volumes. Here he is signing "camera".

My baby undergoing open heart surgery has to be one of the most heartbreaking experiences I hope to ever have to endure. Due to prolonged hospitalisation, 5 months to be exact and several admissions since, his throat then became so badly damaged from the ventilator, that he had to have a tracheostomy, an artificial airway in his throat, simply to breathe and glasses which make him look like the little kid from Jerry Maguire. Reuben feeds through a Gtube due to reflux and a swallowing dysfunction, is moderately-severely deaf and hears through a hearing aid and our lives are precipitated with daily intervention school, occupational, physical, speech therapy and the two of us continuing to learn to sign.

These challenges are the result of a rare genetic disorder called CHARGE syndrome but when we strip that away, he is the most adoringly loving and clever little boy whom you could ever hope to love. That I find it hard to keep up with his sign language explosion is testament to that sweet little huge brain of his.

I hope you enjoy sharing our journey, along with his 1 year old brother Callum, on this journal