Starting at birth Dion was born at 27 weeks weighing 2lbs 2.3oz and 14 1/2 in long at 9:54pm in Albany Medical Center. I had to have an emergency c-section due to her low heart rate. The doctor flat out told me she was trying to become still born in my stomach. I was very upset and didn't think she was going to make it seeing how she was going to be 3 months early. The night I had her i didn't get to see her because she was rushed right up to the Nicu where she was placed on breathing machine and other machine to keep track of her vitals. While in the Nicu she spent 4 months and one day altogether. She faced many obstacles while she was there. Some of them were maintaing her own body temperture, gaining weight, infection in her intestine, brain bleed, consitpation, seizures, severve jaundice, and breathing on her own. One of the scares we had while her stay there was they weren't sure if she had bile ducts in her liver to break down the sugars in her body. An ultra sound showed that she didn't so I was told she would most likely need to be put on a transplant list for a liver. If she she needed the surgergy 90% of babies don't survive it. It was the worst and the longest 3 weeks of my life to have them finally tell me another test they did showed she did have the bile duct and surgergy was not needed. It was the best news I could ever hear. They sent her home 4months and 1 day but she still wasn't 100% healthy still.

September 12, 2010 the day my precious Dion came home weighing now about 8lb at the age of 4 months old. It was the best but scariest day of my life. I couldn't wait for her to be home but I didn't know how to take care of her at first cause she needed so much care and medication, but i did it. She was on about 10 medications and would not stop shaking from her seizures. I just pulled myself through and told myself she needed me and that what I did. She was definitly my miracle baby and i was happy she was home, but that wasn't the end of it.

October 2010-April 2011 Dion was in and out of the hospital for respitory problems due to her asthma, chronic lung diease and BPD(Broncho Plumonary Dysplsia). Also, ear infections that came along everytime for some odd reason. These problems would cause her to have 105*F fevers. I can't count how many times she was hospitalized but it was a lot. All the times being hospitalized she was put on oxygen again, feeding tubes and IV's. I swear it felt like she'd came home and end up right back in there.

November 2010 she was 6 months old when Ealry Intervention came to evaluate her. They were very shocked on how delayed she was. She qualified for Speech, Special Ed, Ot, and Pt. Our days became very busy. On top of all her specialist she had to see it was just crazy.

In the summer of 2011 I recieved a phone call from Albany Medical Center the genetic specialist and finally got the news on way Dion been having all these problems. They told me they found a duplication on her chromosome 8 that was inverted and the other side that had a deletion. There is no specific but said it was basically called Inverted duplication and deletion of 8p. It was good to know why everything was happening but was very shocking and I just thought to myself why? I did a lot of search and there is no known cause. I want to start this to donate the money to help raise awarness and so they can do more research on it.

Dion is now 2 years old and 3 months and is a very happy baby. She loves people, car rides, playing with mommy and her sister, and clapping her hands. She can not walk, talk, sit or crawl yet due to this chromosome disoder. Her corrected age is at about a 5 month old. Many people with this that I have talk to their parents their child still are ot mobile or verbal. I only met one parent and her daughter is 8 that can walk and talk. I'm hoping and praying to god Dion will be one that will be able to, but if not it's ok she is my miracle baby and i thank god everyday that she is here.

So, my reason for starting a fundraiser is to help raise awarness on rare chromosome disorders, and help so they can do more research on it. No baby should have to struggle and go through any bad situation. Lets help do it together!!!!!