For Maria, motherhood hasn’t always been easy. But it is always beautiful.
Her older son, Darian, was born premature and lives with cerebral palsy. Maria had to go home from the hospital without Darian soon after he was born. She then watched for months as he fought for his life in the NICU. Amid all the fear and uncertainty of that time, Darian filled Maria with an inexpressible love.
When Darian finally came home from the hospital, his health challenges still weren’t over. Maria struggled to fill all the roles that Darian needed her to. “The biggest challenge for me is when I have to be other things before being a parent,” Maria shares. “I have to be his nurse, his therapist, his advocate, his teacher… Sometimes I just want to be his mom.”
That’s where Darian’s Aveanna nurse comes in. “Darian’s nurse is a godsend,” Maria says. “She is so patient with Darian. She truly sees and hears him. And by taking care of his medical needs, she allows me to focus on being his mother. I thank God for her every day.” When Maria doesn’t have to fill those other roles, she is able to pour all of her attention into enjoying time with her son.
Darian is 14 years old now. He is funny, sweet, and generous. He is brutally honest at times and always makes Maria laugh and helps her see the world in a new light. “Darian is so different – not in his abilities, but in his spirit and perspective,” Maria explains. “He always sees the beauty in things. He is unbreakable. Witnessing his resilience and positivity is the best thing about being Darian’s mom.”
Like so many moms, Maria continues to experience motherhood as a journey full of both joy and obstacles, beauty and difficulty. “There are hard times,” Maria admits. “We have our struggles. But the love Darian gives outweighs it all. I’m so blessed to be his mother and to get to see the world through his eyes.”
If you're a nurse and you'd like to help moms like Maria focus on just being moms, we encourage you to check out our home care nurse openings in your area: https://jobs.aveanna.com/jobs/nursing/