Mildred Marie McKenzie
Mildred Marie McKenzie was born on March 22nd, 2010 to her mother Charlotte Ouellette and her father Mark McKenzie. Mildred weighed 9 lbs. and 7 oz. Mildred was 21 inches long and was born by an emergency C-Section at Lowell General Hospital.
After leaving the hospital with her mother, Mildred went down to 7 lbs. 12 oz. Mildred doctor was very concerned that Mildred was not getting enough nutriment from feedings. 2 months later Mildred was diagnosed with failure to thrive. They put her on a special formula for food and she started to slowly gain small gains of weight. Mildred went to see a Genetic Specialist and Mildred’s mother found out that Mildred was born without 2 muscles in her back that hold her scapulars in place. In addition, Mildred was diagnosed with Hypotonia ( Click Here to learn more). Sadly, Mildred was frequently sick and in October of 2010, Mildred had her first surgery. Mildred had tubes put in her ears and a partial adenoidectomy. The reason the doctor did a partial adenoidectomy is, because Mildred had an abnormal pallet and would have more problems swallowing than if he took only half of it. On November 22nd, 2011 Mildred learned to walk for the first time. This made Mildred’s mother elated, because doctors thought she would never walk or be able to talk normal. Mildred’s doctor diagnosed Mildred with having a Laryngeal Cleft Type II Click Here to learn more). After Mildred was diagnosed with Laryngeal Cleft Type II the doctor wanted to schedule her surgery to repair the cleft, because he was concerned about more damage would happen if left uncorrected. Mildred had this major surgery on December 4th, 2011. Mildred mother was very worried about this surgery because Mildred was going to be sedated for 2 days and having a ventilator to breath for her. This was necessary for the surgical area to heal properly. After the surgery she was placed in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). The doctor explained to Mildred’s mother that her Laryngeal Cleft Type II was causing Mildred to asperate up her nose and down to airway. Once she was taken off the ventilator Mildred would need to be on thickener for liquids until her muscle tone improved. Unfortunately for Mildred this would take longer than what the doctor expected, because of Mildred’s Hypotonia swallowing issues would always be a problem.
During Mildred’s recovery from her major surgery, Mildred got to know her mother’s friend Raymond and started to really like him. In January Mildred’s mother and her friend Raymond asked Mildred if she would like to let Raymond be a part of her family. Mildred hugged both and shock her head yes. Mildred’s mother and her friend got married on February 14th, 2012. Mildred started preschool after she turned 3 in March. The school noticed Mildred was barely verbal. Mildred started to get speech therapy, but her progress was very slow. Mildred’s mother had a new baby on January 23rd, 2013 and her name was Zoe Bryant. Mildred was very excited to have a new baby in the family and loved her very much.
On June 24th 2013 Mildred was removed from her family after she tried to tell her teacher she got hurt on the way to school. Mildred’s teacher knew that Mildred mixed words up often, because she would fall outside on playground or off a swing and they say that her daddy did it. Yet Mildred teacher saw what happened and knew that Mildred father was nowhere around to have done it. This day was like no other, but the teacher had to document what she saw and what Mildred told her. The teacher had no clue how much it would be blown out of hand. Mildred never got to say goodbye to her mother and father that day. They placed her in foster care with her brother that night. Mildred did not understand why she was not with her mother and father, but she knew at least Jayden her older brother was by her side. Mildred did not understand why her older brother Jayden was so mad at her, but to Mildred she loved EVERYONE unconditionally. Mildred saw her mother and father only twice for an hour each time in a span of a month. Mildred was sad and hysterical every time she could not leave with her parents. Finally, after a month of being away on July 21st, 2013 Mildred and Jayden came home. After this experience Mildred would always be anxious of losing her family and making someone mad at her for saying the wrong thing.
In March of 2015 Mildred and her family moved to Orlando, Florida. While there Mildred got to spend time with her cousins whom she barely remembered, because when they moved she was only 1 years old. Mildred started Kindergarten in September of 2015. Mildred was beyond excited to go to school. She wanted to learn to read and grow as a person like her brother and cousins. Mildred blossomed while attending Fern Creek Elementary. Mildred may struggle with speaking, but when it came to read, she took to it like a duck to water. She could read the words amazingly, but she could not understand the meaning behind the words she was reading.
In February of 2016 Mildred and her family moved back to Lowell, Massachusetts. Mildred was sad to leave her new school and her cousins, but she was looking forward to making new friends. When Mildred and her family moved to Massachusetts Mildred attended Center Elementary School for the remainder of her Kindergarten year. This school was very different than Fern Creek Elementary, because it was only half day instead of all day. Mildred’s family had to move again in the beginning of June of 2016. The last month of school she attended the Bartlett Community Partnership. Mildred truly loved this school, because it was a full day of learning and growing. Mildred thrived with the social interaction. Mildred’s language improved and by the end of the year the entire school knew who Mildred was. The following year was more of the same for Mildred. She enjoyed her 1st grade year went, but she felt bad for her brother Jayden, because he was being teased by people. At the end of Mildred 1st grade year, Mildred was told by her mother that Jayden and she could attend a Catholic school called Saint Louis School. Mildred enjoys attending Saint Louis School.
Mildred is the most loving person you will ever meet. Mildred’s smile would light a dark room like it was high noon in the desert. Mildred’s compassion is mature for her age, but at times she is overly social. None the less every one Love sweet Mildred. To learn more about Mildred and Mildred’s family Click Here.
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