Five Years

Earlier this year, I officially celebrated my 5 year Faceversary at Facebook. Its been a crazy ride and one that I am fortunate to be on. While there has been a lot of negative press about some of the mistakes the company has made over this time period, I’m still proud to call it home. For me, Facebook holds some more than a place where I get a pay check. This is a place where I make connections to people all around the world. The mission had always been one of those, of coarse we’re connecting people all around the world. But it really started to hit home for me with my post about The Ochos

This is where people that I hadn’t talked to in a while started coming out of the wood work. Friends that I knew from previous jobs talked about their experience with their cardiologist in the area that was great! We were lucky enough to have him as our Cardio doctor for Ev. Other friends were part of the early access groups in another part of the state that hooked us up with the central chapter. Friends that were pediatric nurses helped us through the g-tube care, other friends reached out as we would work with them when he got out of early access in home and into the public schools. Co-workers, friends, and neighbors brought meals so we didn’t have to worry about it after a day in the NICU. It was an amazing outpouring of love and support and we were truly blessed.

Then there was the heart surgery.

We had been told that he would have surgery around 6 months of age when he was first born. But each visit to the cardiologist kept bringing that date sooner and sooner. Then, on a Thursday in early November, our doctor gave us the news that he didn’t like the way that the lungs looked and we needed to do the surgery now. That following Monday Ev would get checked in for a Tuesday surgery.

My co-workers were amazing, they took up the slack at a moments notice when I came back from that doctors visit and said I would be out starting Monday for an unknown amount of time. It would end up being another 6 weeks before I would return.

My oldest son came up with the idea of us all wearing red the day of Ev’s surgery to show our support. For a kiddo of 6 at the time, he showed a lot of heart and a lot of guts as he was just as worried as we were. We posted it out as we thought some others would want to join. And boy did they. Friends came to our house to give us an early Christmas carolling all wearing red. Co-workers across the world and especially here at home decked themselves out in red. Again, the outpouring of love and support for our little guy was inspiring. Ev’s heartversary is one of my favorite FB memories now as I see all the people pop up again on my memories timeline.

I have support groups now that I never knew I needed but I’m so glad that they are there. I’m in a dad of twins and multiples groups. I’m in several down syndrome groups one started by a couple of ladies from here in Ankeny.

Its what it is about. Connections. Friends. Strangers that become friends. All trying to make it through life dealing with joy and sadness. Sure there are some negatives that have happened and we all have run into those few apples that try to spoil the bunch. But what I’ve gotten from my little section of Facebook gives me hope that we have a bright future ahead.