Let me remind you all of a sweet girl named Maggie. She had the most loving blue eyes and the sweetest smile. Maggie never spoke a word but said so much. She would shuffle into a room and plop on the first person she saw. She would kiss and sometimes smack that person so hard! Now we laugh, but those smacks could hurt! We miss those kisses! So many kisses. Mags would grab our faces to get a kiss. I think she did this because she wanted to look you in the eye. I think it was her way of saying, "Hey! I really love you!".
Maggie loved swimming! She didn't care about the danger, she jumped in without a second thought. Mags kept us on our toes. Her sister, Kate, would jump in the pool to swim with her even though she didn't want to because she wanted to protect her. Maggie complete in Special Olympics too! No, not in swimming because she couldn't actually swim. She competed in softball throwing. She actually was the state champion for her age back in 2009. Both Dan and Kate assisted her with her throws. It was some hard work! Maggie was stubborn and when she didn't want to hold the ball, she wouldn't! She got disqualified multiple times😂.
Here is when she got disqualified and was NOT happy!Some back history...She was born September 16, 2000, after a relatively easy pregnancy. As many of you may remember, when I was pregnant, I always had a feeling that something was wrong. She didn't move as much as Dan and Kate did. Maybe I didn't notice her movement as much because I had 2 toddlers to chase after. Either way, I just knew something was different.
At our first ultrasound, the doctor found 2 cysts on Maggie's brain. He was very quiet. He did a lot of checking and measuring of all the organs. Nothing else was abnormal but these cysts. He explained what he found and offered options. We didn't want to hear the options because Scott and I knew that God had given us this baby and she was perfect the way she was. He scheduled a 2nd ultrasound to see if the cysts would dissipate. We waited 4 long weeks. We prayed, worried, and we cried. At the 2nd ultrasound, we sat in silence...the cysts did go away! The doctor was happy but I still had a feeling though that something just wasn't right.
5 months later, a beautiful little girl was born! We named her Maggie Grace. She was beautiful. She was perfect. Everything seemed "normal". Maggie did everything a baby was supposed to do. At 9 months, I noticed that she started staring off, she wasn't hitting her milestones like she should, and the doctor said "all kids are different and progress at their own pace". I debated and questioned but the doctor was not concerned. At 14 months...Maggie had her first Grand Mal seizure. She had been sick with an ear infection, so when we were at the hospital, it was suggested that was the reason for her seizures. After 3 longs days in the hospital, we were sent home. We were home for 2 days when she started seizing again. This time, at the hospital, she was put into a medically induced coma to stop the seizing. After another 3 days in the hospital and we were sent home with the diagnosis of epilepsy and medications to control the seizures.
So begins the journey of fighting for our girl. We fought hard for reasons and answers. We got multiple opinions. We traveled to different hospitals for tests and diagnoses. It was hard but our family stuck together. Dan and Kate experienced all of it. People forget about how hard it was on them. Maggie's journey was not hers alone.
Dan and Kate never complained about long doctor visits, missed social outings, traveling across the state for 2nd opinions. They stood beside their sister every step of the way.
On November 19, 2016, Maggie left this earth to be with our Heavenly Father. Dan was visiting Makenna in Cincinnati, Kate was on her way to work, Scott was at the gym...it was a normal Saturday morning. But it wasn't. We ended up meeting at the hospital. All of us back together, fighting for Maggie. She had finally won. God told her that her job was done on earth. We were to continue her legacy. We would continue fighting for others who could not fight. We would continue to spread love and kindness in Maggie's honor. As a family, we would start a fund that would help siblings of those like Dan and Kate.
The Magpie Fund was started. This is a platform that we can help children with disabilities and their siblings. Every year, we award a family $1000. They can use the money however they want. Our hopes are that the money helps them enjoy some of the little things they may be missing out on because of the financial burdens caring for a child with multiple disabilities can be.
I just wanted to write about my girl and my family. They are all amazing and I am better because of them. I thank God for Scott being the one God sent to live life with and blessing us with 3 beautiful children.
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
