Julian, the Baby that Could

By: Sarah, 5th grade

          A baby born with a handicap is like a car without a wheel or a table without one leg. It’s a disadvantage for everything you ever do. It’s also a disappointment when you have a child and when first holding the infant realizing there is something wrong. The parents just sit there thinking, I gave birth to this child! Why me?

          That is what Margaret Wilson was thinking when she gave birth to her second child, Julian Andrew Wilson. Julian was going to have a dilemma like no other.

 When the doctors told Margaret that she could not hold her new baby because he was in critical condition she was petrified. Her first delivery had gone picture perfect and her now three year old; Molly was extremely healthy and fit. She wanted to break out crying but she was too exhausted from staying up all hours in labor. Her husband, Brian was sitting by her side and was also saddened by what was going on spoke up,”What’s wrong with our son?” The doctor stared down at the squared tile with a quenched up face and said nothing. “What is wrong with him?” Brian demanded firmly.

The doctor still looked down as he spoke in a small, fragile voice, “His arm….uh……” Brian could feel his fist clenching together slowly; he wanted to punch that doctor so badly, he could just feel his anger building up inside of him. You always had to shake information out of doctors and it drove Brian nuts. It was like a guessing game and the patients always lost because it took what seem hours for the doctors finally crack and say what was wrong.

“And what is the problem with his dang arm?” he yelled at the doctor. The doctor stood there silent, staring straight into Margaret’s eyes.

          “Oh you poor people, I feel so sorry for you. Having a child with something wrong with it is awful,” the doctor replied softly. Margaret had enough of this guessing game and suddenly burst out crying.

          “What’s the matter with our baby Dr. Gerald?” she whimpered.

          “His arm…... It isn’t there and his heart rate is dropping, and he isn’t breathing well! I’m sorry to say this but he might not make it.”  Margaret and Brian felt tears trickle down their cheeks. Was their baby was going to die? How could this be?

Margaret and Brian were sitting a waiting room impatiently with their daughter Molly. They were holding hands and saying a silent pray for Julian. Molly was confused, she didn’t understand why they were praying for him. Usually when people prayed they wanted them to get better because they were sick. Was Julian sick? Molly did not know if he was sick or not. She was very bewildered.

          “Mommy why can’t I see Julian?” Molly asked. Margaret gulped, she knew this was coming. If she told Molly that her new baby brother was fighting for his life Molly would be heartbroken.

          You see, Molly was so excited to have younger sibling around before the birth. She was always bragging to all her toddler friends that she would have a baby to play with and they wouldn’t: she was always pretending too be a big sister with a baby doll and changing the baby dolls diapers and rocking him to sleep. She was always asking her mother if he was kicking and if he was ready to be born. She was anxious and happy that he was finally going to be born and Margaret didn’t want to let her down wit the bad news, so she didn’t say anything.

          “Mommy, why can’t I se em’?” Margaret jumped, she had to say something so she spoke out, ”He isn’t feeling very good honey and he is a little sicky right now.”  Molly frowned sadly.

          “How sicky Mommy????” She asked

          “He’ll be all right…..” Molly hugged Margaret tightly. “I hope!”

          “Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, Julian has took a turn for his worse come quickly!” a nurse said out of breath. Margaret, Brian, and Molly jumped up to the seen and ran to the ICU,

          . Margaret and Brian were worried about Julian; thoughts were racing through their minds like, Was Julian going to make it? Will he be sick forever?

          “I thought you said Julian was a tiny bit sicky mommy!” Molly yelped.

          “Well, he got worse baby,” Margaret said worried.

          The family finally reached the ICU door. Each person was holding their breath as they walked in. There laying under a baby blue blanket was Julian Andrew Wilson.

          Margaret felt tears fall down her eyes. “This is my beautiful baby!” she said to herself thousands of times. This baby was wonderfully gorgeous! He had jet black hair everywhere on his head; his skin was white as snow, his eyes were coral blue, his nose was like a button that you fastened your shirt with, lips were rosy pink, and when he smiled two big dimples appeared. He wasn’t “the perfect” baby all around though. He was born months early so he was as long as a  child’s forearm, and his little hands were as big as a little hot wheel car. When the family first saw him they started looking at his head then down to the arms and legs. When they saw Julian’s arm it was hard not to look away. All that was there was a little bulge down below his shoulder closed in tightly.

          Then Margaret looked down at the computer screen up above him; it said that his heart rate was dropping and there were lines going up and down but now they were almost perfectly straight.

          Molly was so short that she couldn’t see the baby in his bed. ”I wanna see him! I wanna see him!” she whined. Brian quickly picked her up to let her see Julian. Her mouth opened stunned by her baby brother. “What is on his mouth?” There was a miniature oxygen mask on his small little face.

          “That helps him breathe. Molly Julian is extremely sicky and he might not be able to live……” Margaret paused; she could feel the tears filling up in her. “, And ifthat line quits going zig- zag then Julian has passed. Margaret started to bawl crying. Molly looked at her mother’s saddened face.

          “It’s okay mamma! He’s gonna be all right! Aren’t you Julian? You’re gonna be fine! You can make it! I know you can!” Molly yelled. The screen up above Julian was showing a straight line. Brian and Margaret could feel the horrible grief inside of them. Julian was dead. Everyone put their heads down and prayed,” Dear Lord……”

          “Come on Julian you can make it! You have too!” Molly whimpered. She stuck her hand into the isolate where Julian was. Suddenly, Julian rose up his small hand and held Molly’s finger! “He is alive mama! He’s alive!” she screamed. Everyone raised there heads from praying and looked up at the computer screen; there wasn’t any straight line indicating that he  was dead, it was a zig- zag line! He was alive. Julian was smiling a big toothless grin. He looked adorable.

          “Everything is going to be just fine baby! You’re going to a great little kid aren’t you?” Margaret said wiping happy tears from her eyes.

          “Why doesn’t have a he have an arm?” Molly asked.

          “Well, he was born without one,” Brian replied.

          “Oh that’s sad, poor little Julian,” Molly replied. Margaret smiled, everything was going to be all right. If Julian could survive what he had just gone through he could do anything! He could play basketball without an arm if he wanted, he could even play football. Margaret then realized he had no dilemmas at all, Julian could do anything he wanted because he is the baby that fought for is life and if he can fight for his life and be successful; he can be successful at any thing he tries. Julian Andrew Wilson is a baby that could.