Joseph was diagnosed with CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia) at birth on October 16th, 2015. This past year, he has been home and thriving in his environment. The ventilator support that he receives is just at night. Now that he is off all day, Joey is having fun playing from sun up to sun down, like a typical two-year-old. Now that the weather has become warmer and Joey is now much stronger, he loves to be outside. Joey loves to kick his green soccer ball around the yard. When he’s not doing that, he swings for the fences, learning how to play baseball from his mom and dad. In October of 2017, he received a speaking valve and his words have just started to take off. Hearing him say “mom” and “dad” for the first time is truly one of life’s special moments. Moments as his parents, we will never forget. Joey has discovered the joy of food, eating pretty much everything. He loves his pasta, strawberries and eggs, and of course, the occasional chocolate bar. His G-tube feedings are minimal with just two cans of Pediasure at night.

As time moves forward, so will Joey’s progress. In the future, we hope one day that he will be strong enough to enjoy more than life has to offer. As of now, his adventure continues and we can’t wait to see what happens next.