March 29, 2010 Sara Fatima Payne was welcomed into this world, but all was not well for this sweet baby.  The first warning sign that something was wrong came when she did not cry at birth.  The troubles continued during her first night in the nursery, Sara began having apnea spells causing her to stop breathing and turn black and blue. Sara was then rushed to Children’s Hospital where she would spend the next six weeks. While at Children’s Hospital Sara began having 50 back to back seizures a day. It was determined the source of the seizures was caused by the common herpes virus. In Sara’s rare case, the herpes virus attacked her brain and left her with only 5% of her brain functioning. There were several instances she was declared in a vegetative state and was not expect her to make it out of the NICU, however after much comfort, many prayers, and mommy and daddy by her side, Sara came home.

Sara is now two years old and has undergone two separate hospitalizations for pancreatitis and uncontrollable seizures. Despite all she has endured, Sara still pushes forward. She can now bear weight on her legs (she prefers her stander), is more alert, has become emotionally involved and will smile when happy, she enjoys eating by mouth, and is trying hard to learn to keep her head up! The future can only tell how far Sara will push against the odds, but with her strong family, faith, and all the love in the world the sky is the limit.

 

photography by brittany wilbur

music by eva cassidy :: songbird