Saturday, May 12, 2012

:: The Story of Laura :: An Annie & Isabel Warrior Who Will Inspire You This Mother's Day


As we celebrate motherhood this weekend, we hope you will join us in giving thanks for all the mothers in our lives. We celebrate not only mothers and grandmothers that we were blessed with in this life, but also the "untitled" mothers who raised us...the teachers, coaches, aunties, girlfriends, neighbor ladies, brownie leaders and all mentors who nurtured us. We honor all of these women who gave us love along the way and taught us how to be mothers ourselves.

We especially honor Laura this Sunday, a courageous women who is a role model for motherhood, even while facing many serious health concerns. Laura is not only a mother and a wife, she is a true Annie & Isabel warrior in every way. She battles Cystic Fibrosis on a daily basis. We talked with her husband Kevin for this very special Mother's Day post. Here is what Kevin said about his lovely wife Laura.

"Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a recessive genetic disorder affecting the lungs as well as the pancreas, liver, and intestines. It causes the thin layer of mucus that helps keep lungs free of germs, to become thick, clogging airways and actually leading to infections that ultimately damage the lungs to the point of no repair. Most CF patient will require a single or double lung transplant. Today the average expectancy for patient with CF is 37 years. When my wife was diagnosed with CF at the age of 2, the doctor's provided little hope that she would make it to her teens. A couple decades later, she is still out to prove them wrong."


"Her strength and tenacity to fight the disease is amazing but it is not easy. On a daily basis Laura has to do 1-2 hours of breathing therapy which includes a percussion vest, nebulized antibiotics, and a number of inhaled medications. With an active 4 and a half year old boy about, 2 hours of anything is tough."        

"The frequent hospital stays away from have long lost their luster. As you go into the ICU time and time again, it is one of the few places that you don't want everyone to know your name. Her doctors and the staff are amazing, but these are not the type of "stays away from home" that most look forward to. It is comforting to have our hospital fashion consultants, the Annie & Isabel line, to make our stays a little easier. We really can't say enough about Selena and Anna and their hospital gowns. It is surprising how many little details are in their gowns and they do make your stay better. They are always the topic of conversation and seem to lighten the mood a bit. Thanks ladies."

"As a spouse of someone with a chronic disease, it is sometimes difficult to deal with the consequences of what life has dealt your partner. At the same time I am amazed at the strength in which Laura faces CF and all that accompanies it. She is always positive, always looking at the silver lining to a situation and making the best of it. She has taught this trait to me and our son, making her an amazing role model, wife, friend and mother."

"I cannot say enough about what a great mother Laura is. She has created an environment for growth and development that is perfect. She provides endless activities and ideas that challenge our son in a fun and exciting way. She constantly shows patience and provides encouragement regardless of the situation. With all of her health issues, I cannot imagine anyone being a better mother. We both love her very much. She is an amazing mother."

"Happy Mother's Day Laura. From Kevin and Everett."

We just want to thank Kevin for taking the time to honor his beautiful wife Laura on this Mother's Day weekend. What a beautiful family he and Laura have. Little Everette is the cutest!!! Laura truly inspires and we are so happy to share her story with our readers. Happy Mother's Day Laura!


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