Dear Chloe | a documentary film from Jd & Liana Works on Vimeo.
In December of 2013, my husband and I found ourselves expecting our third child, but a routine 20 week ultrasound left us with questions, concerns, fears, and learning how to trust that our child would even be born.
Chloe Elizabeth was diagnosed with Mosaic Trisomy 22 at around 21 week gestation, and from there on we began meeting with specialists and the Children's Mercy Kansas City hospital's Fetal Health Center, where she was delivered at 36 weeks 5 days.
From there on, the crazy wild path called parenting a special needs child began. We faced uncertain times as we raised our two other littles, lived out of a tiny Ronald McDonald House room as a family of four while our fifth family member was less than a block away fighting to grow in the NICU. She handed us many challenges, and the Lord granted us strength and knowledge, energy and much more during that time.
Chloe has now survived four coding events, bouncing back miraculously each time, survived two open heart surgeries and multiple minor surgeries, fallen in love with many of her NICU and PICU nurses, and stolen the hearts of those who meet her. She turned two this past spring, and is thriving and growing, only to the grace and blessing of the Lord and the widsom of her team of doctors.
Our hope with this blog is to share a bit of our lives, what it is like to be an unexpected medical family, how we balance (and don't balance) it all, and to bring hope to other families in similar situations.
Our passion is also to spread awareness of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD), Mosaic Trisomy 22, as well as other various ways to give and love back in the medical community through supporting various causes like the Grace Blanket Drive at Children's Mercy and support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City.
Above all, our desire is to share the hope of Jesus, our Anchor through all of this. He is our only hope at healing and eternal life, no matter what this fallen world tries to throw at us.
We welcome you to Chloe's blog, and pray that you'll find hope, joy, laughter, a little humor, and lots of love here on these pages.
Photo Credit: lianamoments.com
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ReplyDeleteLittle hands and mama's lap and computer keyboards....a combination that leads to the delete button being hit on accident!! :)
Delete;)
DeleteSweet Chloe Elizabeth.......what a precious little miracle you are! We are praying for you.....praying that God will heal you. While we don't know how God will answer that prayer, we do know that God has big plans for you. We know that He is going to use you and your family in a mighty way as your story unfolds. So to the dear Gerling family....Alan, Jodie, Isaac, Abi, and Chloe....we love you and we are by your side. I know your prayer will be answered....your prayer that God will use this for His glory. He already is. In His Love, The Clines
ReplyDeleteChloe Elizabeth....I pray with all my heart I will meet you some day and you will also call me.......
ReplyDeleteGamma Biffff...Love you little one!
Aww...Chloe there are so many praying for you and the entire family!
ReplyDeleteI am praying daily for Cloe and your family. Our God is the great physician!
ReplyDeleteRaw is beautiful. Love to you all.
ReplyDeleteDear Lord, Bring healing to Chloe. You love her as You love all children, Bring healing to her. Stay by her side and comfort her parents, Isaac, Abi, and their families through this trying time. Keep us ever mindful of Your loving presence. Bless them with Your powerful healing and comfort us also. Thank You for hearing our prayer!
ReplyDeleteI think I've finally got a handle on my own emotions over health and fertility troubles, and then something like this brings them all back up again. I'm so sorry to hear of what you're going through. I'm not the praying type, but I hope it's a comfort to know that all sorts of people are thinking of you in their own way during your troubles.
ReplyDeleteLord YOU ALONE are in CONTROL, YOU ALONE are GOD, Cloe's life is in YOUR Hands, you have designed her, you have purposed her in this family and your will be done in this situation. Where things seem hopeless, you bring hope, where things seems overwhelming, you bring comfort, where things make no sense you bring peace, where things seem devastating, you bring comfort. I ask you to blow a fresh anointing into this situation, bring healing if this is your will, give strength, courage, love and hope to this family as you meet their every need. Cuddle them in your arms during this time of warfare and pour your heart into theirs. I pray for a hedge of protection around them and that you life up a standard against the wiles of the enemy. Bring forth life where death has been sent, bring forth mercy where judgment is given, bring all of you father, when the whole world seems to be falling apart. I ask you to seal this prayer by the Blood and Authority of your Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Amen....
ReplyDeleteHello! My friend Dana Krueger sent me here to read about your journey. How precious your little Chloe is! Thank you for sharing her life with others. I'm sure it's not easy. Our daughter Mercy has been in and out of CMH with Pierre Robin Sequence and now a diagnosis of Stickler Syndrome. While her issues are not as serious as Chloe's, it's nice to connect with someone who knows CMH and life there. If you are interested, you can meet Mercy here - https://www.raisingarrows.net/pierre-robin-sequence-stickler-syndrome/ Blessings to you on this journey!
ReplyDeleteDana is a sweet friend! Thankful she sent you here for us to connect. I'm going to look up your blog tomorrow, but any friend that frequents CMH is a friend to us ;). Perhaps we'll get to bump into each other there at some point for appts and get to say hello. Blessings back to you on this journey as well <3
DeleteI’m also a special needs mom. My daughter has dwarfism and is trached while my son has spina bifida, clubbed feet, uses braces and is in a wheelchair.
ReplyDeleteNone of their disabilities tell you much about them though.