Useless Rant: I Just About Died Today

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:44 pm

There I was at the office, out having a smoke break, and a couple of neighbourhood kids & their mom came by to visit the boss's dog. Mom was carrying a new addition to the family - a seven week old adopted boy. She adopted him when he was 3 days old, and he's amazing.

He was also born completely deaf, with mild brain & nerve damage and addicted to crack cocaine. He's still withdrawing, and is monitored closely by a physician and team of professionals. He allowed me to pick him up and hold him, then looked me dead in the eye, smiled, nuzzled against my chest and fell asleep. I'm not a religious guy, but this was an angel straight out of heaven. I friggin' cried today. Call me a wussy if you will.

Except for his hearing, this kid has a good chance of full recovery. He has the medical help he needs, foster parents who love him fiercely and would die for him, and a good shot at a normal life. I have no idea about his mother - maybe she tried but the addiction was too strong, maybe she hasn't thought about him since. I hope it's the former. I still have baby-drool marks on my shirt from him, and I swear I can still feel him breathing against my chest. Some day, somehow, I'm going to help this guy. I'll figure something out.

I wish we could bait crack dealers sometimes.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:13 am

My employer adopted a crack baby some 11 years ago.He was born way premature-I forget the figure right now,but he was a little shorter than a pencil when he was born.I'm pleased to say he is reasonably healthy and normal today.He is quite small for his age,and has attention defecit disorder,but in all other respects is doing great.
I wish we could bait scum like that sometimes too,but I don't think I'll call you a wussy.I'll wager most of the members of this forum,myself included would pretty much do the same thing Smile

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:09 am

You're not a wussy Obi, you have a heart, and that heart is very gentle for kids.

If only these crack addicted moms realized and cared what their addiction does to their unborn children, I think there would be a lot less of it.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:40 am

I wish we could bait them too. Mad

You are special Obi and I love you. Cool

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:18 am

Obiwan, not a wussy. I nearly cried reading it.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:22 am

Nice one Obi, I sympathise with the mother, my youngest son was born deaf, both cochlea look like starfish instead of spiral shells.

I hope he recovers from the brain damage, I could go on about the frustrations she's going to come across as he grows, but in hindsight, (wonderful thing that) I think you get that with kids without handicaps as well.

My son managed to get through life,school, he had a choclea implant when he was 20, he's working in a bank here now, assistant manager, so please let your friend know there isn't anything to hinder his progress, apart from other people.

And I wouldn't mind being as wussy as you Very Happy

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:40 am

Obi, I've seen terrible things in my life. Stories like this help me make it past those things.

Thank you for being you.

A really great guy wrote:

I'm not a religious guy, but this was an angel straight out of heaven. I friggin' cried today. Call me a wussy if you will.

"There are no athiasts in foxholes" is a term I'm familliar with. I've learned (the hard way) that god doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. Consider yourself special.

Stop being a wussy. Laughing

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:58 am

Obi, thank you for sharing this story. If you are a wussy, proudly wear that silly label. I shed a tear after reading the story and I am honored to be a wussy like you. My heart goes out to the baby and his new family. There will be challenges along the way, but my heart tells me they will overcome every one. The human spirit and capacity for love is amazing. It is easy to become cynical with what seems like a continuous stream of bad news and events we encounter and hear about every day. It is stories like this one that renews my faith in humankind. Thanks for making me cry. You are not alone.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:02 am

Quote:

...Call me a wussy if you will...

If being a compassionate and caring human being is wussy then you are a wuss, and I admire you for it. As for the "Useless Rant" heading in your subject post...far from it.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:39 am

Obi you wussy bastard, thank for putting a tear in my eye first thing in the morning. it take special people to to love and help a special child, and as I see the child felt safe in your arms and thats a big sign of who you are. good to see theres a softer side to go with your hard ass butt kicking nuke all the scammer in the world side.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Shame it's illegal to kill these horrible people who give birth to these children.

Irish, which mother are you talking about?

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:37 pm

Small children are very perceptive and just know things, and this little tacker knew he was safe in your arms Obi. Take that as a huge compliment. With enough love and nurturing from people who care he'll be just fine no matter what medical hurdles has has to overcome and thank God he found someone to do that.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:58 pm

When I read the Title of this post and then read

Quote:

There I was at the office, out having a smoke break

I was thinking something entirely different.

It was a fantastic day for you and one you will never forget. We all need to shed a few more tears.
That post made my day Smile

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:02 pm

Gnasher wrote:

Small children are very perceptive and just know things...

Over the years, I have come to value the perceptions & knowledge of infants over my own in that sort of thing.

Obi - proud of being that kind of wuss along with you Very Happy

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:58 pm

@Obi - your story made me cry too, I just didn't want to admit it. Smile

** Retired ** Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 750 Location: Air

I echo alot of the sentmients already posted. I doubt you'll find many people here that would gag at the thought of your caring side, those sorts dont tend to register to websites dedicated to benefiting the general human race.

Moments like today make this shitty life just about bearable. I have yet to experience an event of such gravity but can genuinely say that I would likely react in much the same way.

We stand along side you.

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:17 pm

^^ What he said! Wink

B

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

In Britain we don’t use the word wussy ,but if means a caring Bloke ,top Man Obi

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:55 am

Obi:

Top story!

Makes me happy I used to "bait" the crack dealers in a former life.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 2:17 am

The world needs more wusses like you Smile

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 2:23 am

Never could you be called a wuss, Obi. I didn't cry at the story, but it was definitely touching. Trust me though, if I had been in your position I would have be crying my eyes out.

I think that men who do not allow themselves to cry are the true wusses, because they are not brave enough to let their true emotions show.

There was a photographer who recently did a series of portraits of some of Hollywood's most famous manly men. All of them were crying. It shows that no matter how tough you are, you can cry, and should be allowed to cry. You can find the series entitled "Crying Men" here.

Looking at the pictures made me cry the first time I saw them, because they are so moving.

*sighs* I wish we could bait crack dealers, or crack moms...or whatever. It's just so terrible the amount of agony they cause their babies when they are born.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:57 am

I don't know what it was, or why I decided to post it in here. When it comes to letting the emotions out, I'm neither a manly-macho-man with a heart of stone nor one of those sandal-wearing metro-sexuals who cries when they watch Bambi. In my "adult" life, I've shed tears when my kids were born, at a couple of funerals, when my friend was in grave danger, and that's aboot it. I came pretty close when I went to the cinema for Dukes Of Hazzard and saw Stiffler, the guy from Jackass and Jessica (t*ts on a stick) Simpson trying to act, but that was different!

Something about that little critter just rocked me to the core of my soul though. Maybe it was because he's known nothing but pain and confusion his whole life but smiled at me anyway. Maybe it was how he just didn't give a fuck (sorry) about the injustices piled on him from day one, and was able to find enjoyment no matter what. Next time I'm having a lousy day, I'm going to think of this kid and how he wouldn't let his problems break him down.

It's not the first time I've learned that lesson, but it was a damn good reminder! For now, however, I think it's time to hurt some more lads. Thanks for all your support folks.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:58 am

Obi, your compassion is touching.

I also commend that adoptive mother. She is the only mother that tyke will ever know, and he will be safe and secure in that family. I have a special spot in my heart for parents who take on the responsibility of raising a child that is not theirs biologically, because I was adopted myself. But for someone to take on the even greater responsibility of caring for a child with so many things that might be considered strikes against him by uncaring, unfeeling people - that takes a special kind of person.

And to earn the trust of a child to the point of having them go to sleep in your arms - well, Obi, there are depths to you that we have only now begun to see. Keep up the good work.

Useless Rant: I Just About Died Today	View next topic View previous topic