by Melanie Mackie
about the author:
Melanie Mackie’s son, Dylan, had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Type I Diabetes. Dylan passed away in 2011. He was 14 years old. Melanie continues to support our community with many Facebook groups. The biggest one is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Group.
Living on the Edge: Dylan’s Journey
Chapter 1 excerpt
I have always said that I should write a book because my life has been full of so many things that I have had to survive through.
Not necessarily physically surviving, but mentally and emotionally. I’ve had to deal with loss and grief in the worst kind of grief being the loss of my beautiful son.
He was born close to Christmas in 1996. The labor was horrifying and as time went on too long I ended up being rushed somewhere else to deliver him. I remember saying at some point years later that he may have known what was to come and just didn’t want to come out of the safety of my womb.
When he did come out with the doctor’s forceps, he wasn’t breathing. The cord was around his neck. After what seemed like an eternity I heard him. He cried.
Finally a week later our baby was ready, and we were able to bring him home. Being so beautiful, and a pure little angel with blonde hair and the best blue eyes, he looked like a little Gerber baby. Of course I fell in love.
Chapter 14 excerpt
He looked at me and begged, “No more needles Mom, please.”
The nurse turned away to try and stop herself from crying. I said, “Okay, Son. Okay, I promise” and I told them I was taking him home. And I did. Me and his stepdad just took him home as he wished…
On October 16th, 2011 Dylan said to me, “Mom tomorrow I will be better. We will go out and do something okay?” Oh how my heart shattered. Not even realizing that he was going to die…
He passed away that evening and as he took his last breath his eyes opened and he looked straight up at me. It was and always will be the worst day of my life. A horrific and heartbreaking moment in time. I hugged him and cried and told him to go to the angels and be at peace in Heaven. Run free, my warrior.
When the couple from the funeral home came to get him I decided I couldn’t watch them take my baby away… And just like that, he was gone.
One Reply to “”