Marcus, Brigitte and Madison
Courageous Heart
Brigitte Cadena-Ramirez is doing her best to help families navigate unfamiliar territory. Her website, Hearts of Courage, is full of information for parents whose children are considered medically fragile or are chronically ill with life-threatening illnesses. The inspiration for the site is her son, Marcus.
On November 17, 1998 Marcus Ramirez was born with heart abnormalities that resulted in many secondary disabilities and medical needs. He had cardiac surgery in the first week of his life. Marcus is dependent on a ventilator for breathing, has a seizure disorder, cerebral palsy and cortical visual impairment. All of these things attempt to describe his physical being. His personality and spirit are a different matter.
"My son cannot do a lot of things other kids his age do, but he laughs harder and smiles brighter and bigger than any kid I have seen. To me that shows quality of life. He is home with his mom and sister and when he is not with us, we miss him terribly," says Brigitte.
"My children love each other very much. I worked very hard to put them together when my daughter was a baby. Now my daughter can't wait to see her brother when we come home," Brigitte goes on. She is a single mother to both Marcus and Madison, and lives in Corpus Christi, Texas (she also moderates a listserv for single moms).
Brigitte has some nursing help through a home health agency, and that helps her plan her week and function as a single mother. She says she often feels that she's in transition from serious situations and events such as surgery. Marcus has been hospitalized approximately 15 times in the past year and a half.
Marcus has taught Brigitte to appreciate the present moment. She says, "You never know what is going to happen. My son has taught me what true inner strength is. He is my hero. He has taught me unconditional love and so many things. I am who I am because my son is in my life."
"My son is still around for a reason and as long as he fights for his life, I will be his voice and advocate for him to get the best possible chance to improve the quality of life. Just because our life seems harder to most people, we don't want pity. I would rather have someone befriend me than pity me."
Written by Carolyn Murray
