New beginning with Kittu....

While  little Kittu lay by my side on the hospital bed....unaware of the happenings around her....trying to adjust to the new environment ....we as parents and the extended family were trying to battle out with the reality.Didn't know where to start....she was born on a Saturday and Tuesday was the day she had to get a few blood tests done to confirm her being Downs Syndrome.Came Tuesday morning and we kept our fingers n toes crossed that nothing comes out of the reports.Blood samples were taken....sent to Gangaram Hospital in Delhi,the only place where these tests were done.The reports were expected on following Friday.Finally discharged from the hospital....with a lot of love in our hearts and lot of unfulfilled dreams for the little girl...we welcomed her home.Came Friday morning...the reports were expected.We hoped and prayed...nothing comes out of them all....but as they say...Destiny gets the better of you.Whats bound to happen...will...no matter what you do.We waited with bated breaths while my husband went to get the reports.Every phone call would set our hearts racing....and finally the dreaded moment came....Sushil called and confirmed....Kittu has Trisomy 21!!!!!
Absolute silence in the house....tears flowing down silently too...none of us wanted to talk to each other...the only thought that kept crossing was...what has the little innocent soul done to deserve this.I was upset with God...if he wanted to punish someone it should be me...why my little one? The only saving grace through all this was the entire family's support....be it parents,siblings,kids in the family...each one stood by us like the Rock of Gibraltar.I can never forget those days of intense emotions,hurt,pain....hatred to some extent...dont know why though!
Now the only option left with us was to take this thing ahead from here positively....we made up our mind....nothing..absolutely nothings going to change our love and commitment towards our little baby.We will fight with fate for her...the decision was taken ..we will do what we can  to ensure that Kittu leads a normal and a happy life!Then started a long and tedious journey....repeated visits to doctors...Downs Syndrome specialist...Dr.I.C.Verma...who would follow up with the treatment for Downs,cardiologist Dr.Vikas Kohli who would moniter her for her heart ailments....Downs kids generally have holes in the heart.Regular medications and follow ups would at least keep her progress on track.Doctors gave us a green signal to take her to Yemen where my husband was posted then.So all of 3 and a half months...she accompanied me along with my older one to a new life at Sana'a,Yemen in Feb'2004.....

Downs but not out....Kittu's journey 1....the arrival!

2001 was the beginning of a new chapter in my otherwise carefree life....longing to hold my own baby for 7 long years....God blessed me with my older daughter Akshu...just when I had lost all hopes....she was a miracle in disguise...literally!I was grateful to God for being kind to us....and thought our world was complete with her..We enjoyed showering her with all our love...accumulated over the years...she was the apple of the entire family.We were a content family! Then when we thought everything was going just the way we would have wanted it to....the arrival of another baby in the family was announced....the year was 2003.We were ecstatic....because we had never expected to be proud parents of two babies....we looked forward to completing our family....so to say.
Kittu was born on 11th Oct 2003 in Delhi...the doctor announced ...its a girl! I was happy just to see her...nothing else registered.Saw a  fair and  plump baby in the doctors arms....I just smiled! My family was complete....then when I was just getting used to this fact....my happiness was shortlived...a pediatrician walked in.He informed me that there seemed to be a problem and they needed to do a few tests before telling us just exactly what.Another doctor walked in...checked my little ones palm n toes and walked away shaking his head...leaving me all puzzled and anxious.I kept wishing someone would tell me what was wrong.Then another one walked in and what he told me ,left me all shaken up...and I felt my little world coming crumbling down.My little soul might not be a ' normal child'.She may have difficulties with her milestones n may never be able to sit,stand,walk.....be like the other normal children....I didn't know what hit me.I forgot all the pain I was in....gathered all my courage and guts and told him..."Letme handle this."I wanted to break the news to my husband and family....and I did! God gave me the courage to face the situation and tell the eagerly waiting family outside the OT about Kittu.This is the time when the words from 'FOOTPRINTS"came to my rescue....We have a baby here and she is diagonised with Down Syndrome . I had no clue what it was all about...all I knew was Kittu had arrived and we would do our best to prove the doctors wrong...how, we had no idea....but it was a promise we made to ourselves.Hence from here our lil one started her journey!!!!!