Eight weeks, 13 weeks, Monozygotic (one), one in 200 million, December 12, March 25, eight days, September 2008, March 2009, June 2010, one in 110. All of these numbers are a few life-changing days and moments in the life of our family – The Montgomery Six (Eric, Hope, Collin, Londyn, Lakin and Lauren).
Eight weeks – You’re pregnant with twins – no fertility, natural conception
13 weeks – You’re pregnant with triplets – NO WAY – YES WAY
Monozygotic – One Sack – your triplets are identical
One in 200 Million – estimated statistic of identical triplets or higher order multiples
December 12 – The sex of your triplets – female; “Daddy grab a shotgun,” said the ultrasound tech. This day was also the 11th anniversary of my mother’s passing.
March 25 – the birth of the triplets, affectionately called – the triple divas; born at 35 and half weeks. ½ week shy of the recommended due date by the OB-GYN.
Eight days – the time the triple divas spend in NICU – only issue, jaundice.
September 2008 – noticed something is going on with Lakin (Triple Diva #2 – Baby B) yet, many say they are triplets, developmental delays are normal etc…etc…etc.
March 2009, Lakin diagnosed with PDD-NOS – Pervasive Development Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified – Autism.
June 2010 – Londyn (Triple Diva #1 – Baby A) and Lauren (Triple Diva #3 – Baby C) diagnosed with PDD-NOS.
One in 110 – the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD.) According to many Autism Networks/Research – 1. 5 Million are diagnosed with ASD, Millions more are diagnosed worldwide. ASD is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS. Yet there is no cure, various treatments, but each child reacts to each treatment, differently.
One could only imagine the anxiety, the stress, the tears, heartbreak, shattered dreams, the “what if’s”, the “who do we trust”, is this treatment fact, fiction or fraud? All of these emotions swimming through your head, like a bunch of little fish.
It’s constant, it’s draining, it can suck the air right out of you. However, when we look into the beautiful faces of our triple divas, Londyn, Lakin and Lauren, we just shake our head and a smile comes over, even in the midst of tears.
My husband and I have asked the question why, but we also asked the question, why not? We are not above tragedy. We have been here before with either love ones passing or just life experiences. We know that our daughters and son, Collin (8 yrs old) are gifts from God. We hold on to our faith, because all of our lives we’ve been taught to do just that. As adults, we have learned what the power of faith and prayer can really do.
With our faith and prayer, we know we will get through, we just do not know how or even when. We have exhausted our finances. It’s funny, when we found out we would be parents of four, we anticipated that our riches would not come from money, but from love, our family and children. Never did we expect that we would do without lots of things in order to make ends meet and to make payments on treatments that could possibly help our girls.
Yet, it is a place that we find ourselves often. Eric is a full time, pharmacy technician working towards a PH.D. in Pharmacy. I am CEO (Chief Everything Officer) of Montgomery Enterprises and work part-time as a public relations consultant.
Currently, all of the girls are PDD-NOS. Lakin is non-verbal, even though she was the first one to count to ten. Londyn and Lauren have verbalization, but it is limited.
There are various treatments that are offered to our girls, but many are not covered by our insurance. We have tried speech therapy, and occupational therapy (stopped because insurance stopped providing coverage or paid very little), working on securing ABA services for all girls, have researched and spoke with various physicians regarding biomedical treatments, the list goes on. How can we afford the treatments that just might give our children an enriched and fulfilled life? We ask ourselves this question everyday.
My friends often ask “How do you do it?” On a rough day, I will respond “Oh am I really doing it?” But I know in my soul, it is because of God’s Grace! Lord knows that however Eric and I are making it, we are doing so because of him and those that he have placed in our lives – extraordinary parents (my Mom is blessing us from heaven), family, friends, sister friends (you know who you are) and several others who have shared their stories of battling PDD-NOS, or some form of Autism.
In various ways whether great, good, bad or ugly, we are reminded to listen to our souls, stand on what we know to be true (His/God’s Grace) and empower ourselves to be even stronger advocates for our children. We are also reminded of something that Eric often says, “This thing (PDD-NOS/Autism) is a beast” – meaning it is overbearing and we can not battle it alone.
Our story is one of millions. Every family that is affected by Autism has their own personal fight, because there are no two fights that are the same. The fight may be similar, but never the same.
Blessings,
Hope and Eric Montgomery
Proud Parents of Prince Collin and Triple Divas Londyn, Lakin and Lauren
10% of all Autism BuzzBandz sales beneift Autism Speaks and a family affected by Autism.
Visit www.HopeforThree.org to read more about the Montgomery Family.
