The Daddy Diary
Musings on Babies, Bulldogs, and Beer
Six Years Ago
I had just sat down at a pub to join some friends, and the waitress set down my freshly-poured Guinness. Instead of reaching for my pint, I reached for my phone because I saw that Michelle was calling.
I just knew.
When a routine sonogram told us that Audrey’s heart defect would require open-heart surgery after she was born, I knew that nothing was going to be normal with this girl. Audrey’s due date was three weeks away, but as soon as I picked up the phone, Michelle said, “My water just broke, you need to come home.”
I reached for my wallet to pay the waitress, and one of my friends said, “What are you doing? We’ll take care of your tab. Get out of here.”
I was so nervous driving home that it felt like my stomach was doing back flips over my butt. I remembered being nervous before Ella was born, but this was different. This wasn’t a good nervous. This was “is my child going to die” nervous. I had no idea what to expect.
If it had only been a heart defect.
It wasn’t a heart defect; it was four heart defects. It wasn’t four heart defects; it was five other birth defects.
I can’t remember which doctor said it first, but the medical staff told us Audrey’s condition was “Incompatible with life.”
Well, 17 surgeries, countless sessions of every type of therapy, and enough medications to kill a 1980s rock star later, here we are.
They said she probably wouldn’t live, but she did.
They said she wouldn’t be able to see, but she can.
They said she probably wouldn’t be able to walk, but she does.
Audrey hasn’t won every battle, but she is winning the war. It’s been the toughest six years of my life, but I would do it all over again because this is what “Incompatible with life” looks like – Audrey style.
Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!
P.S. Audrey owes me a beer
One Comment on “Six Years Ago”
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The Daddy Diary 
Andy, Thank you, as always, for sharing Audrey’s story. She is so blessed to be an integral part of a family who loves + cares for her so deeply. Those around you feel incredibly fortunate to witness her milestones in this unexpected journey. Ang
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