Protecting Owen No. 1 goal during pandemic

“The pandemic has made a lot of families change the way they see or do things. As a family to a medically complex child, we haven’t had to change much in our regular routine or way of life. To protect Owen since he was born almost three years ago, we have learned to frequently wash our hands better, sanitize items we constantly use, and refrain from visiting family when they have been recently sick. We also tend to hunker down during the winter months because Owen is so vulnerable to respiratory illnesses that are catastrophic for him with his congenital heart issues. So we try to be as cautious as possible, and I feel more families are starting to see how we have lived on a daily basis.

“However, I can say that two things have been extremely difficult for us during all this, and they have directly affected Owen. One is how hard it was finding the items he needs with people hoarding supplies in the beginning. Examples are the only brand of baby wipes his sensitive skin tolerates, and the only brand or flavor of baby purée he will eat because of his oral aversions. The other big thing is having to virtually attend his many therapies. Owen sees four therapists weekly (occupational, physical, speech and feeding). With new hospital protocols, we’ve had to do them via telehealth on our iPad. Lucky for us, Owen has continued to grow and develop on his own at home.

“During all the chaos these past few months, our village online and in person has helped us in unimaginable ways. Families have gone out of their way to find and ship Owen the baby wipes he needs when I post a photo of the rash he developed on his face from the only ones I could find in town. Families have dropped off some of the baby purées he will only eat when I can’t find them. Families have continued to be kind, generous and helpful even when they could be struggling themselves. I will always be grateful for that, and will continue to look for the silver lining.”

— Blanca Bobo

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