LOVING BROTHER
ABSTRACT
The story of how my brothers birth was saved by a blood transfusion, and how, in the long term, saved mine.
Ford, Christopher R
A one of a kind child born without embryotic fluid, thought never to survive with a mother who had advisory for an abortion. The mother whose love was unconditional even with her son in the womb paid off. Charles Ford was born on October 10, 1994; however, he was born into a struggle between life and death. His lungs collapsed and he needed immediate attention for various major issues. Donated blood was given to support him, while tubes stuck out of him from all angles. My brother is now a paratrooper in the United States Army, and without him, I may never have made it through childhood.
At a young age, Charles had shown to be undoubtedly talented in sports and loved to be active. He had huge scares all over his chest, without them you would have never had guessed he had already been to Death’s doorstep and back. While an abusive father had towered above his family’s head and the mother ran to try to save her kids, I was born. We made it out alive, bruised emotionally, mentally, and some physically. My mother had found us an escape and we moved to Arkansas. My life had sloped into a decline. I started to become more depressed over time, and my brother became angry about what had happened to the family. We grew as brothers, and as we aged, we each had our own issues to overcome. Our mother had told us stories about what we had pulled through and survived.
One day our mother told us the story of Charles’ birth. At the beginning of the pregnancy, the man she was married to had pushed her down the stairs and hurt her. The embryotic fluid had never formed due to the abuse. Every doctor told her having this child would kill her and the baby. There was no chance for the child live; Abortion was often recommended. The time when she still could have an abortion came and passed. She would not do it. She could not, she never even thought of it as an option. The day came that her water broke; the doctors assumed the contractions would crush the child. Instead, it was almost as if the baby was pushing the contractions to the side. Charles was born strong and muscular. He had brawn since the day he was born. His lungs where not so strong, though. The doctor had done to do everything he knew to do to save the newborn. Tubes filled my brother and donated blood had to be given to him to keep him alive, and then by a miracle he stabilized. He was breathing. He was alive and well.
My Brother, the miracle child, deserved to live; so, he did. He looked death in the eyes many more times in his life, and still walks on Army Strong. He touches lives and brings those around him up, and without him, I may not be here today.
I have battled depression for most of my life, and my brother stayed by my side and helped me through it. At a young age, I would seclude myself and my brother would walk up and just sit there with me. He would be my vent, my shoulder, my friend. He was there when I thought no one was. He saved me many times. He did not save me physically, yet I would not be alive without him. My brother told me one day, “Chris, if I ever commit suicide, engrave the word COWARD on my grave stone, because it’s the cowards way out.” I took his words to heart and in my depression, I stopped myself from committing suicide because I thought about what he said, and I thought, what about Charles.
Today my brother is still there for me even in Germany. He always texts and calls to make sure I am okay. He has grown into a loving; respectable soldier who you would never had guessed that had been knocking on heaven’s door from the day he was born. He will marry April 9, 2016 and someday hopes to be a father. He is healthy and I love my brother, and he one day will have a beautiful family and be able to give them happiness equal to the love he has for them. He is truly a scholar, and he will love as he loves others. Charles is going to do many great things and he shows much gratitude for those who give blood, as does all of his family.