As I drove to meet Samamtha, my husband, and our younger son at the Endocronologist’s office Inreceived a text from my husband:
“No Growth.”
When I walked into the patient room, Samantha raised her hands up with joy and smiled ear to ear.
I think we are towards the end of Samamtha’s HGH Tour.”
Sure, there have been some months where Samantha hasn’t grown as much as others; however she has NEVER had a 2-month span of no growth in 37 MONTHS.
At first, I was disappointed. Had she really completed growing? I then realized, she is 14 1/2 years old; I stopped growing at around the same age. The average age for girls to reach their adult height is 15 years old. Samamtha is just about there...
I then reminded myself where Samantha had started 3 years ago. A young lady entering 6th grade, Samantha began self-administering (by choice) daily injections at the age of 11. Month after month, her body changed in size. As her body grew muscle and bone at a rapid pace, she could not fit in her clothes from month to month. Her shoe size grew so quickly that I didn’t buy her more than 2 pairs of shoes at a time. How could I be disappointed, Samantha’s results were beyond my expectations, or were they? Many emotions flooded my mind within moments.
Samamtha, her father, and I gave Samantha a precious gift: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
- We still do and always will.
- We watched Samantha take PRIDE in herself and become her own advocate.
- We witnessed Samantha grow in height and inner STRENGTH AND PERSEVERENCE..
- We all FOUGHT the good fight of NEVER GIVING UP. There have been times when Samantha has asked when we thought she would stop taking her medication; however, she always knew taking on this challenge was a long road and she was an integral part of the decisions we made as a family each step of the way.
Is it really over? No one knows. Samantha will continue taking her medication for the next few months; however we all agree that by the end of 2018 she will have reached her final destination of this road.
Samantha started this blog to raise awareness of GHD (growth hormone deficiency) so other children in a similar circumstance to her would not feel as if they were the only ones in the world struggling with the very same issues. As she has traveled through this journey, I hope she has helped others feel they aren’t walking in darkness as Samantha felt when she first began Growth Hormone Therapy.
Life is a journey, not a destination. There are many more roads to come for Miss Seriously Samantha. She has made such an impact upon the lives of those she touches. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for her. I am eternally grateful for Samantha’s gifts she has given to our family.
My daughter has helped me become a better person. She has taught me lessons I never thought I would learn.
