Thursday, September 16, 2010

Happy Birthday Angelfish


23 years ago on September 17th, I was in a helicopter on my way to a hospital to deliver my first child. I wasn't very good at the whole pregnancy thing and had actually spent more time in bed then I had on my feet during the entire pregnancy. But on September 17, 1987 my body had finally had enough, and when my blood pressure went through the roof, due to the preeclampsia, my doctors decided it was time to take action.

I remember it like it was yesterday, the flight nurse came in and started to explain the whole process of flying and how they couldn't turn on the air conditioning in the aircraft until we were aloft. I looked right at him and said, "Oh I've never been in a helicopter before I can't wait!" He looked relieved and said "Good, we have someone who likes to fly."



Originally my dear friend Tracey was supposed to drive me in an ambulance the sixty miles north to the hospital, but when the weather cleared and with traffic time approaching, time was of the essence and so off I flew, leaving Mr. Tide behind. As I left to board the aircraft he said "You can name the baby whatever you want," something we had struggled with over the course of my pregnancy. He went home to gather a few things, since it was nearly 6 weeks before my due date and we had no idea today would be different from any other day...much less a birthday! He slogged through traffic and a few hours later he joined me at the hospital.

He was half hoping that by the time he got there he would have a bundle of joy to hold, but I was still being prepped for emergency surgery, so we just waited together wondering how it would all turn out. This wasn't the way they said it would be, no breathing together, no blissful delivery like we had pictured and heard about. Mr. Tide wasn't even allowed to be in the delivery room because I was given general anesthesia.



He remembers that day, and the ones to follow quite differently than I do. For me it was a blur, one filled with heavy medications and lots of sleep. For him it was a time of worry, I went into tachycardia during surgery and had to be in intensive care for 4 days, they wouldn't even let us turn on lights in the room for fear of me having a seizure, all part and parcel of the preeclamptic. And he was torn between staying with me and being with our tiny little baby who was so very small, but perfect in every other way!

After 8 days in the hospital we were finally allowed to go home, to start our new life together, no longer just a couple but now a family of three. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time! Having this little helpless human being to care for, wondering if we would get it right or if we would fail miserably.



She was so small, and SO colicky, and so wonderful all at the same time! And she grew, and learned, and achieved in ways we could have never imagined! She was cautious and daring, timid yet brave, quiet but exuberant all at the same time!

She taught us more than we could ever teach her, about patience, strength, beauty, and compassion. She is gorgeous on the inside and even prettier on the outside and we are so very proud to be her parents!



She has traveled to far flung places, volunteers to help others, is loyal, works incredibly hard, and doesn't compromise on who she is or what she wants from life!

And although she lives on her own now, she still shares her humor, her wit, her intelligence, many talents, and her zest for life with us through cards, emails, phone conversations, and wonderful visits! I like to say that she was tough in the beginning, but she's made up for it ever since. She is an old soul with wisdom well beyond her 23 years, and I will be forever grateful that "I" was picked to be her mom!

All of the photographs above are her work, she finds beauty all around her while sharing hers with others!

And just like 23 years ago, she is still impatient, and she's informed me that in other parts of the world it is "already" her birthday, so I'm posting this tonight!

Happy Birthday Angelfish, We Love You Bunches!!! :-)


29 comments:

  1. Kat, Happy Birthday to your daugher..she is the same age as mine.

    She is a great photogrpaher.!

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  2. What an emotional story. Happy Bday to her.

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  3. Beautiful tribute. Beautiful photos from her.

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  4. Thanks so much, Mom! Love you!

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  5. Aww Kat that is amazing!! What a beautiful story and what a beautiful daughter! Happy birthday to her!! Her photography is gorgeous, I know where she gets that from!! ;)

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  6. happy birthday to your daughter. mine will be 21 in January...where does it go?

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  7. What a perfect song and slide show that was, we got to see her grow up right before our eyes! Loved getting a glimpse of you too in there Kat. Your daughter is so beautiful, amazingly talented and I just love her sense of style. Happy birthday to your sweet Angelfish! ~Lili

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  8. Kat: your daughter is beautiful, I can see such a joy of life in her eyes. My son was born on September 17th and will be 37 tomorrow. He is this minute winging his way home from the west coast. I can't wait to give him his birthday hug tomorrow. Thank you so much for sharing the story of your daughter.

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  9. Oh, Kat - what a beautifully posted birthday tribute to your sweet daughter! I just loved watching her grow up in that sweet video. She's so very pretty and looks very happy and contented in those photos. You are blessed. And she is blessed to have you as her mom. Sending her Birthday Wishes! :)

    xoxo laurie@heavens-walk

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  10. Your daughter is beautiful - and what a sweet video you made. Like you, I have a 23 year old daughter - we are lucky Mamas!

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  11. Kat, what a wonderful post to your daughter! I hope she has a wonderful, wonderful birthday!! Enjoy the celebration of her life!!

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  12. Kat, wonderful. I hope she has a fantastic birthday!

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  13. hope she has a lovely birthday. my daughter had the Pre eclampsia on her 18th birthday so it was a rush to hospital and the surgeons and nurses were running but thankfully her and her son were ok. they had a new treatment, i think it was magnesium sulphate to stop seizures. the little boy is 9 now and is fine. she s also got 2 more boys now.

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  14. Thank you everyone! And Lilian, I'm so glad your daughter and her son were both ok!

    Kat :)

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  15. What a lovely tribute to your darling daughter!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

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  16. How wonderful. She's such a blessing!

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  17. As usual Kat your video brought a tear to my eyes. Love your choice of song too. Your daughter was a real cutie and turned into a beauty. Hope she has a lovely birthday.
    ~Sam x

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  18. Wonderful story (glad everything turned out so well!). The slideshow was great. Obviously, your lovely daughter's a talented photographer (like her mom!). Stunning images!

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  19. Hi Kat, Your daughter is so beautiful and such a talented photographer. I know you have to be very proud of her. I enjoyed the slideshow and the graduation picture on the dock is wonderful.
    hugs, Sherry

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  20. I loved reading your story and especially the ending when things turned out so well! Aren't daughters sooo very special? She sounds like a daughter to be very proud of. I love her photography. What talent.

    Donna

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  21. She's very good at this photography! I had pre-eclampsia with my first child. I was 17 years old and pretty much alone in the world. It was very frightening and I remember little of it. I was the turkey on Thanksgiving Day 1974 and my first daughter was born. She is almost 36, but will always be my baby. Your story was wonderful. She will be so happy to read that about herself!
    Brenda

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  22. Wow. Dare I say, those photos rival yours.

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  23. I love the slideshow of your daughter growing up....so beautiful. Happy Birthday!

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  24. Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter. Your story is very touching. I know you are very proud of your daughter and she is very blessed to have you as her mother.

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  25. Happy Birthday to your daughter! It's also my brother's birthday, he's a tad bit older (lol) than your daughter!

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  26. That is such a beautiful story and quite an adventure. Happy birthday to your sweet daughter.

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  27. The music alone just wiped me out! Isn't it wonderful when they turn out to be even more than we could have hoped for! Your delivery story sounds really scary...I was lucky with that. However, our girls sound as if they could be friends...mine is just 3 years older. I love how you said you were grateful to be picked to be her mom...that is exactly how I feel.

    She is a very talented photographer...loved this!!

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  28. Sorry I'm late chiming in on the birthday wishes. Love your daughter's photography and love seeing her grow and change in the slideshow. She looks like a wonderful young woman. I do think it is funny we both had our firstborns within 2 months of each other and our second borns within weeks of each other. I was the renegade and had a third.

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