The pregnancy seemed to go normally, without any problems. Until the doctors had to call Mom because the most recent tests revealed that something was wrong.
Cheyenne Potts and her husband Michael were told by the doctors that the fetus was “ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏᴇᴅ.” The doctors were resigned: He probably would have been sᴛɪʟʟʙᴏʀɴ or would have ᴅɪᴇᴅ shortly after birth. So the doctors suggest the couple ᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛᴇ the pregnancy, but Chayenne and Michael decide to go ahead.
The couple decided to defy the doctors and carry the little boy. Leo has a ᴅɪsᴇᴀsᴇ called Osᴛᴇᴏɢᴇɴᴇsɪs Iᴍᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛᴀ, or ᴄᴏɴɢᴇɴɪᴛᴀʟ ᴏsᴛᴇᴏᴘᴏʀᴏsɪs, as it is also called. The ᴅɪsᴇᴀsᴇ causes a sᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ᴅᴇꜰᴇᴄᴛ in the bone tissue that results in ꜰʀᴀɢɪʟᴇ ʙᴏɴᴇs and ʟᴏᴡ ʙᴏɴᴇ mass, which leads to frequent fractures.
“We decided to do our best and plan as if the doctors were wrong. We talked a lot about how Leo’s life was going to be. We spent the next four months like this,” says Leo’s grandmother on the website Love What Matters.
Little Leo was born in January 2019.
“Crying, alive, and all by myself! The doctors were wrong,” Leo’s grandmother wrote after the birth.
“Was it perfect? No, he wasn’t perfect in a perfect way, and here he was, alive and fighting. That day, Leo began to show the world that he would create his own story.”
For everyone, his birth was a real miracle. As the days went by, Leo amazed everyone. He should have spent at least 6 months in the intensive care unit, but Leo only stayed there for 3 weeks before going home because he was better. Life at home was not easy. Parents had to be careful of every bump or fall to avoid breaking bones. Yet mom and dad are grateful for every moment they get to spend with him.
“Leo has had ups and downs over the past 6 months. Life with Leo is like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs. But for these heights, it’s worth it, and we’re thankful for every second of every day. We’ve been asked which moments we think are the most memorable, and to be honest, I can’t pick out just a few things that stand out. Leo’s whole life is memorable. He is incredibly full of life, and we see him touching and inspiring people wherever he is,” says Leo’s grandmother.
Two years after his birth, Leo is still here, sunny and playful like any child of his age.
