She is...

You know I have many strong women in my life. My birth mother who gave me up so I could have the best life, my adopted mom who raised three boys as a single parent, and my fiancé who raised my step daughter as a single mother for 6 of her now 9 years of life.

But the Strongest most extraordinarily inspiring and inspired female in my life, most definitely has to be my daughter. Although I didn’t get the amazing opportunity to be her dad til just mere years ago, I have definitely been present since day 1. As she grew over the years she proved to be wise beyond her years, always asking questions. Hell even some that made me question my own knowledge, or general thought processes! Now most parents think that their child is extraordinary, and I am a firm believer in all children ARE.

But the reason my daughter is in my eyes the most inspiring being I know, is at the young age of 6 she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. But that diagnosis did not at all come quick, it was after a year of constant doctors appointments, emergency room visits, and just panic as to why she keeps getting so ill... Why can she not keep food down? Why has she lost so much weight overnight (8 lbs to be exact) leaving her just skin and bones, eyes sunken in hair thin and frail. Why... why is her skin grey? What’s happening?

All of these questions all of these fears, and all before I became “the father figure” in her world. The small human had a body that was failing her and 7 doctors had no idea what was going on. It wasn’t til that day when I was too far away, when her mother sent the text and my heart sunk... while staring at the pictures of a once Rosie cheeked playful girl. Seeing her bones through her skin and the light no longer in her bright eyes. Her body withering while she lay in the hospital bed curled in the fetal position.

It was another waiting game of tests being run and doctors “doing everything they can..” but were they really? When one nurse asked a simply question... “How long has your daughter had diabetes?...” that question I didn’t physically hear but it still lingers in the wind. How did one woman’s question turn on the light? How did no doctor during this whole ordeal think of this? How was no blood taken to check her A1c? But the biggest question of all, Why...Wh...why did we not see it? why didn’t we know...?

Type 1 Diabetes! We finally had the answer, we had a way to help her feel better. To help her come back and feel like new. And in the coming months we were terrified, that she wouldn’t be able to handle it. The finger pricks from hell, and the needle sticks of god. But she blossomed and grew more than most child would. She wanted us to record her checking her blood sugar, and giving herself an insulin injection. Not necessarily to show others, but to show herself what SHE could do! Of course we shared the video and captioned it our bravest warrior. Meaning that in every sense of the word... see her dad was definitely afraid of needles himself. But in time watching and helping her, that fear of mine faded and she made me stronger in giving me that gift. Although I might not have diabetes and the shots I give myself are only once a wk, compared to her at least 3 a day but unfortunately usually sooo many more. She gave me the strength to work through my own fear. As I was worried I would fail her if I couldn’t find a way to be able to move past that and be able to assist her... when she just didn’t want to deal anymore.

Many days have come and gone and break downs have happened begging us to find a way to be rid of this disease. But then the light of another day comes and she’s flying down the halls at her school. Telling everyone who will listen that she’s a diabetic and showing them her life saving supplies.

It’s in these moments you can see her true strength and resilience. That once broken child, became a now guiding light. And with each day she teaches me new ways of growing and coping as do I for her or her mother. But I have found that at just 6 she left me speechless with how she handled all this news, although confusing she asked questions and handled it with a grace you don’t even see in many adults. She’s grown and now at 9 I see in her the compassion for those with invisible illnesses like herself, I see the fight in wanting to find a cure by fund raising and attending events to raise awareness, and I see Strength like NO other... she’s simply put Wonder Woman living life a day at a time and fighting for a better tomorrow.

So the girl, or should I say young woman that as inspired my life and challenges the way I think, and the things I do each and everyday. Is my daughter... my lil bean... my piece of Extraordinary!!!

Xavier G. 3/7/20