AT 29, Michelle was understandably excited about getting her first baby.  Christmas was drawing near, and being just two months away from her expected date of delivery, she knew she’d have to go lightly on preparations for the holidays, and this she did. Whatever went wrong she still does not know; but, on December 16, 2006, she went into premature labour and was rushed to a city hospital, where she delivered a cute baby boy, whom she named Jonathan.
The baby was placed in the incubator, where he spent several days under doctors’ watchful eyes, and she remained in hospital with him.
But before long, Michelle detected something about her baby that caused her some concern. Unlike the average newborn, who would lie face down on the tummy, with arms forming a 45-degree angle at both elbows, her child assumed an unusual position lying in the incubator. His neck and trunk would arch backwards, literally like a reversed “C”; and when fixed, he would promptly assume his preferred posture.
To her horror, doctors later told Michelle that her baby had been born with cerebral palsy, a disease characterizsed by abnormalities of motor function in movement and posture from infancy, which generally persists throughout life.
Then came the dreaded pronouncement by local doctors: her baby would not be able to walk or speak.
Such devastating prognosis for a young mother eagerly awaiting the birth of her first child was not easy to live with, and it took a great toll on Michelle; but she was determined not to cower in confronting this disease, and would definitely not give up on her child like that.

On leaving the hospital, she began asking questions back and forth, demanding answers. The causes of cerebral palsy, she learnt, include:
* Prematurity, genetic disorders, strokes, and infection of the brain.
* Failure to take certain precautions during the pregnancy; and, to a lesser extent, Asphyxia — the lack of oxygen to the brain

And so, immediately she took the situation in hand, seeking out the best professionals, whose work she combined with intense prayer and fasting. After asking God’s guidance, as a caring mother, she did what she had to do: Exercising great faith, she relaxed, surrendering the situation to God’s infinite love and concern.
That was, for her, the beginning of good things to come, though not without challenges. In short, Jonathan’s story is one which defied doctors’ prognoses that he would probably never be able to walk.
Two years after Michelle surrendered to God’s incredible love, Jonathan was walking … attending Summer School and Play School (though with some challenges). By age four, he was attending swimming classes at the Pegasus Hotel, and was doing well.
He plays lawn tennis and other ball games, and for him, there is never a dull moment. Having reached K4, he was so intellectually developed his performance had exceeded that of other children his age, and his mother was urged to take him to a higher level school.
Today, at five plus, Jonathan is a fairly well-rounded child, full of energy and verve, attending a summer programme at Global Technology, doing computer studies for which he has a passion. Come September, he will be heading to primary school for the first time.
But it was not without challenges that Michelle embarked on the path that led her to eventual victory over her son’s situation.  Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, she recalled that after a period of intense stress, when her baby was about one year old, she met in the city the mother of a child who also has cerebral palsy, and that woman advised her on having him enrolled for therapy at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, noting that it was not in the child’s best interest to keep him at home if he needed to be helped.
That meeting set in train an incredible support system, and little Jonathan was enrolled. The therapy was effective, staff members were supportive; and for the first time, his mother noted improvements in his condition.
“He went to Ptolemy Reid’s for therapy three times per week, and I am satisfied that they worked really well with him there. But even though I saw positive changes, I needed to know how far he had progressed, and so I took him to the  George Washington Hospital in New York, where they ran neurological tests,” she recalls. At the end of it all, the neurologists informed Michelle that her son’s motor skills’ development would be very slow, and they could not guarantee that he would ever be able to walk.
That was devastating news, not much different from what she had been told by local doctors, but she kept faith in God. Back at home, she approached Pastor Michael Perreira of the Eccles Assembly of God Church, who prayed with her and, believing God, they both affirmed victory over the situation.
Jonathon continued having therapy at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, and by age two, his mom had the surprise of her life.  Her baby boy was beginning to walk, effectively defying the prognoses of distinguished doctors.
Having been enrolled at School of the Nations’ Play School in Parade Street, Kingston, which caters for children with disabilities, shortly after his second birthday, he was struggling to make strides along the lengthy walkway to the building.
In retrospect, his mother admits his journey was never easy…  There were times when her heart bled because it was not easy for her to get him enrolled into an institution. “At age three, I recall trying to get him into a particular play school after he had attended  their summer school … but at  the end of their parent conference, I was told that their standard of work was pretty hard; their pace was fast, and I should take him back to the school he attended previously …  I left there crying,” the distraught mother  asserted.”
But both mother and child were resilient, and Michelle endured. Of course, there were those who were very kind and readily helped her along the way. Those who were a part of her support system were, according to her:  Mrs. Joanne Williams; Ms. Arianne Gordon and staff at Ptolemy Reid; School of the Nations; Mae’s Play School, among others.
The following year, having reached K4, she was looking for a school in which to place him; and this time around, after being tested by a school she approached, there was good news for the mother: “It’s no use enrolling your child here, mom; his performance is way too high for this level.  Your child should be in a higher grade school.”
Such positive words of encouragement not only buoyed Jonathon’s mother, but because he was intelligent and able to understand what they were saying, made him feel good about himself, ultimately lifting his self-esteem and paving the way for improved performance.
Having been placed and attended his new school for the last year, come September 2012, Jonathon will be quite prepared for entry into primary school.
He recently completed a 4-week Training Programme in Art for children, conducted at the Burrowes School of Art, and is currently attending classes at Global Technology, where he is doing computer studies, for which he has a passion.
Michelle is eternally grateful to God for the miracle He has performed in her son’s life; for giving her the strength and resources to undertake the responsibilities which devolved and continue to devolve on  her; and to all those who – in whatever way — played a part in putting her son’s miracle in motion.