Children of SBS featured on this site:
Alex
Andrew
Brittney
Caley
Cassie
Charles
Christian
Colton
Cynthia
Deena
Dustin
Evan
Jake
Jessica
Jessica Rose
Joseph
Kierra
Kristina
Kyle
Macie
Matthew
Nathan
Patrick
Ryan
Skipper
Stephanie
Steven
Taylor
Troy
Wayne
Charles' prognosis is looking good. He had an EEG in July 2000, which came back normal. That was the first normal one..ever. Doctors are going to try weaning him off some of his meds. Currently he takes 8 pills a day. It takes me half an hour to get the pills down him. He fights taking them and spits them out if given the chance.
His sight has returned but he has now developed a lazy eye. Developmentally he has caught up with children his age. His delays are in speech and potty training. We are working on both with moderate success in both. Charles still cannot relay all his needs through speech. He has made gains in his vocabulary but is still rated at that of a 2-year-old.
Charles and I have come a long way in the last 4 1/2 years. I wouldn't say our life is perfect but at least we are together. I am reminded every day of how lucky we are to be able to spend another day together. I give thanks for God sparing him and allowing me to raise my son.
Michele Pickett
Mom to Charles
Charles was born a healthy and happy baby who was starting to develop a wonderful personality.
One of his more visible traits was (and still is) his notorious appetite. By the time he was one month old, he was drinking as much as a six-month-old child.
My whole world as I knew it changed forever on April 20, 1997 when Charles was just 5 months old. That is the day that he was so severely abused that doctors advised us to plan for his funeral. Charles did live but not without numerous problems. He suffered from seizures, temporary blindness and developmental delays.
I had a very hard time dealing with the entire situation. When I was around people, I put on a strong front. But when I was alone, I cried. I cried for my "old" life, my son and for the injustice of it all. I took the huge step of enrolling in counseling to help me learn to deal with it all.
The feeling of guilt went away but not the anger. I have always been one to hold a grudge, usually for "small" stuff. To me, this was huge. I have since lost trust in mankind. Before I hire a babysitter, they go through a long process of interviews, inspection and family scrutiny. Still after all that, I am hesitant. I probably always will be.
One good thing did come out of it. I have learned to be more vocal and fight for what I believe in. My son would not be where he is today had I sat back and let the government decide what was best for him. I decide what he needs and I fight till I get it. He deserves it and so do I.
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