Dreama Tran Writes about Baby's Fight for Life
Child's Struggle with Down Syndrome Brings a Miracle
May 15, 2009
What began as a routine ultrasound at 22-weeks of pregnancy, turned out to be anything but routine. For Dreama Tran and her family, it turned out to be a day that led to a two year ordeal that tested her faith in God and proved that miracles exist, prompting Tran to share her story with the world in a 48-page book called, Isaiah’s Story, My Baby’s Fight for Life published by Publish America on May 11, 2009.
Isaiah Tran's Struggle with Down Syndrome
On the fateful day of that ultrasound, doctors found that the baby had short legs and arms, which was a sign of Down syndrome. Further tests including an amniocentesis, proved that the baby did in fact have Down syndrome.
On March 15, 2007 and weighing in at two pounds, ten ounces, Isaiah Tran was born.
“It was a struggle from the moment he was born,” said Teresa Hicks, Dreama Tran’s sister during a telephone interview.
Tran said her understanding of Down syndrome is that it isn’t hereditary and it randomly affected her baby since no one in Tran’s family has it.
Before Isaiah’s first birthday, he went through many surgeries, some of which were directly related to his disease. Only a few of the surgeries performed include: the unblocking of a bowel obstruction, open heart surgery and a surgery for a gastrointestinal tube.
Isaiah Tran's Health Problems Continue
In February 2008, before Isaiah even celebrated his first birthday, what started out as a short stay for dehydration turned into a nightmare that led Tram and her husband to believe they were going to lose their baby.
“We had stayed in the hospital for five days and he was just about ready to go home when his health started deteriorating,” Tran said, “the doctors basically gave me a choice on how he would die, to take him off the ventilator or he’d slowly die by drowning in his own bodily fluids.”
Tran said a miracle took place before she had to make that decision.
“I was thrilled that he peed on my leg,” Tran said, “it meant his kidneys were working again.”
That day at the hospital, the family Pastor came to say a prayer and ask for a miracle. Within an hour the baby’s kidney functions were coming back. “The doctors said the percentage of that baby’s functions coming back were very slim,” Hicks said, “It was truly a miracle.”
After Isaiah Tran’s health began to stabilize, Tran was encouraged by friends and family to write a book about the emotional impact the ordeal had on her and her family.
“I used to be one of those people who looked at other moms with sick kids and wonder how they do it.” Tran said, “Now I know.”
Tran fully credits her faith in God as what helped her get through it. “I would pray that God’s will would be done.” Tran said.
Tran said Isaiah’s future looks good. He suffered some brain damage that the family is dealing with now, but Isaiah is developing at the rate of a 3-6 month old baby. Tran said the doctors can’t predict how much he’ll develop because the brain is a mysterious thing, but she believes he will be whatever God wants him to be.
Tran takes pride in the fact that Isaiah is showing an interest in music, and watches with happiness as he learns to reach for things. Isaiah turns to sounds and knows the difference between friends and family.
Dreama Tran Writes Book
Tran chronicles her entire ordeal in her book. “I want to encourage other people who face similar circumstances to never lose hope," Tran said, "When things are at their worst, look up. The strong and loving hand of Jesus is reaching down to you and all you have to do is accept."
Hicks said she often wonders how her sister has made it through the difficult times, and always with a smile on her face. She said she is excited about her sister’s book and thinks it’s important that she wrote it.. “If there’s someone out there who can say there’s hope when the doctors say there isn’t, people need to hear that.” Hicks said.
Isaiah’s Story, My Baby’s Fight for Life is Tran’s first book and she does hope to follow up the book with another one that chronicles Isaiah’s life until he reaches the age of five or six. The book is available on Dreama Tran's website.
Source
- Dreama Tran and Teresa Hicks were interviewed for this article via telephone on May 15, 2009.
