During his first week of life, Milo struggled with feeding and lost weight at an alarming rate. Seven days after his birth, his parents decided to take him to the Saint-Eustache Hospital. After two days of hospitalization, the medical team realized that Milo required specialized care and decided to transfer him to the Montreal Children's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. "That day, we saw the floor disappear beneath our feet, we found ourselves in freefall, before bouncing back," recalls Aude.
Diagnosis and treatment
During the 8 days Milo was hospitalized, several conditions were identified: abnormally small head, muscle diseases, developmental delay, inability to feed orally. The little one was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, the cause of which remains unknown. It was also discovered that Milo had swallowing disorders: the milk he drank was entering his airways. The doctors decided to stop feeding him orally. To nourish him, a nasogastric tube was inserted, which he kept until he was 4 and a half months old. Milo later underwent a thoracic surgery for a gastrostomy at the Montreal Children's Hospital. "Milo has always received the best care, thanks in part to the existence of medical equipment at the Montreal Children's Hospital, including the incubator, transport stretcher, electric beds, and monitors," explains his mother.
Evolution and family support
The following years were marked by countless medical appointments, both to try to discover the cause of the little one's illness and to address the many problems he faced. Since he required constant care, Mom completely set aside her teaching career to focus on her son. Now, at 3 and a half years old, Milo can sit up with supervision and stand with assistance. Every day, he takes medication to control his epileptic activity and follows physiotherapy exercises. He is now able to eat smooth purees and drink thickened water. The balance of the entire family is affected by his health condition. Breaks are rare. His older sisters' childhood was turned upside down with the arrival of this little brother who needed so much help and care. They love him unconditionally and happily accept the constraints and compromises imposed by Milo’s illness.
Resilience is learned daily with Milo. As his dad says, "Everything is put into perspective... What are the real problems?" There are no long-term plans. The only things that matter are the present moment, which we learn to appreciate, Milo's progress that we celebrate, the moments of happiness that we seize with both hands.
"To the donors, we would like to say that your gesture, your donation of time or otherwise, makes a difference in the daily lives of so many people. A real difference, not just a number at the bottom of a sheet or list. More smiles at home, a break, a laugh, a real difference. Thank you," share his parents.
– Aude Cadieux-Leblanc, Philippe Morin, Lou (7 years old), and Charlie (5 years old)
