Precerpt from Raising God's Rainbow Makers: Child #4 - Doah
Precerpt (excerpt from book prior to publication): Raising God's Rainbow Makers (Mahlou)
Doah was a surprise (well, so were the other three) who quite fortuitously was predicted to be born in Pittsburgh, PA around Christmas Day 1977 -- semester break from my studies at near-by Renboro University. However, it was my grandson, Nathaniel, who ended up being born on Christmas day. Doah was born quite early, messing up both my teaching schedule and studies (and creating quite a lot of subsequent havoc due to all his medical issues -- 30 years later, he is still creating havoc, mostly due to his overly inquisitive and highly extroverted nature, coupled with some serious mental challenges).
I don't remember all my labors, but I do remember Doah's. I went into labor while teaching a foreign language class! I managed to make it through the class (my stubborn nature, which does not always serve me well) and asked one of the students in the "college over 60" program to stay after. She had given a report in the foreign language on her five grandchildren, so I assumed she knew something about childbirth. I asked her if a fourth child might be born prematurely if the first three were on time, and she said, "Yes, indeed; in this business, anything is possible." I suggested I might wait a little to see if the labor progressed because I did not want to "bother" my doctor in vain, and she responded, "Trust me; your doctor wants to be bothered" and marched me to a pay phone, waiting until I had talked to the doctor and got the same information from him. (It turns out that my student was a retired obstetrician!)
Told to come in by the doctor, who was ten miles south of where I was at the university, I first drove 30 miles east to our home area to pick up Lizzie from school, Noelle from her nursery school, and Shane from his day care center. With all three kids in the van and no way to reach Donnie, this being days prior to cell phones and he always working at various AV sites at various hotels, never knowing where he would end up on any given day, I called my mother-in-law who agreed to watch them; however, she was at my sister-in-law's, which was ten miles west of the university, and I would need to pick her up and take her to her house, which was ten miles south of the university but fortunately just a few blocks from the doctor. Having done all that driving, I stopped and filled the car with gas enroute to the doctor's office, getting there very near the end of the day. He confirmed that I was indeed in labor and should get to the hospital immediately. Seeing the keys in my hands, he asked if I planned to drive myself, and I said yes, explaining the situation and the reason that it had taken me nearly three hours to get into the office. He was not happy at all about that! So, I was driven to the hospital -- and five days later Doah was born. Not a labor I would want to repeat!
A premature birth is always a difficult one. Doah was not allowed to room in with me -- but I did get a taste of it when the staff brought him in to nurse and we both fell asleep with the blanket covering him completely. With the change in staff an hour later and no Doah in his little incubator, there was quite a panic at the hospital. No one wanted to tell me until they found him. So began a vicious circle, in which, of course, no one learned that he was sound asleep snuggled up against my warm body! I am sure that I am not the only one who remembers that night!
Post shared from the Clan of Mahlou no-longer-active blog; more posts about Doah and the other Mahlous can be found there.
Book Description:
A Family Memoir of Grace, Grit, and Growing Up Different
What happens when a military family welcomes four children—each with wildly different needs—into a world not always built to support them?
In Raising God’s Rainbow Makers, one mother shares the remarkable journey of raising two children with complex disabilities—one with spina bifida, one with CHARGE Syndrome—and two intellectually gifted children, all born in different states during years of military life. Through medical crises, educational challenges, and societal roadblocks (both intentional and unintentional), this honest and inspiring memoir tells the story of how one family built a life of strength, compassion, and resilience.
With warmth and unflinching honesty, the author reflects on emergency surgeries, IEP battles, unexpected victories, and the fierce sibling bonds that formed in the face of it all. The children—now grown—bear witness to the power of support, faith, and never giving up.
This is not just a story of survival. It is a celebration of difference, a chronicle of hope, and a powerful testament to what love and determination can build when the world says "impossible."
Keywords:
Parenting memoir; Special needs parenting; Raising children with disabilities; Military family life; Family resilience; Inspirational family story; Faith-based memoir; Coping with medical challenges; Sibling support stories; Gifted children; Spina bifida; CHARGE Syndrome; Hydrocephalus; Congenital disabilities; Complex medical needs; Pediatric neurosurgery; IEP and special education; Gifted education; Educational advocacy; Inclusive education; Hope and healing; Courage and strength; Love and perseverance; Raising different children; Disability acceptance; Parenting through adversity; Overcoming barriers; Finding joy in hardship; Special needs journey; Family unity and support; For parents of disabled children; For parents of gifted children; For educators and therapists; Christian parenting memoir; For families facing rare diagnoses; Real-life parenting stories; Memoirs about raising children; Stories of medical miracles
For more posts about Elizabeth and her books, click HERE.
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