Chosen for This Journey: Dawson’s Story

Written by: Jessica Kloosterman, Dawson's mom

Dawson Jace is a perfect gift and our family is better because he is a part of it!

We moved from Colorado to Arkansas in the spring of 2022, and shortly after the move we learned during pregnancy that our third child had a congenital brain malformation. Specialists gave us a few possible outcomes, but after his birth, Dawson was officially diagnosed with septo optic dysplasia (SOD) which puts him at high risk for seizures, visual impairment, and developmental delays.

The first three weeks of Dawson’s life were spent in the NICU stabilizing seizures. From about six months to a year old, we faced another difficult stretch of recurring seizures with multiple hospital stays and consistent follow-up appointments. Dawson is now on daily seizure medication and is followed closely by a team of health care providers - a neurologist, ophthalmologist, endocrinologist, and a team of therapists. Early intervention has been key, and today he receives physical, speech, and occupational therapy on a regular basis along with consistent check-ins from his team of doctors.

There’s a quote by Charles Spurgeon that has stuck with me since we knew Dawson’s story would be different:

“If you could have chosen your own circumstances and conditions in life, you could not have made so wise a choice as God has made for you.”

We believe God gave us the gift of Dawson’s life for a reason we may never be able to truly understand or put to words. It’s our prayer that through Dawson’s life and the life of our family, God’s love can be seen. Sometimes we feel the weight of what we’ve been asked to carry is extra heavy. But we have so much hope. Dawson has overcome a lot and continues to grow stronger with the support family, community, and his care team. He is such an example of resilience. He has taught us so much about perspective. And he is a continual reminder that we are not defined by what limits us. 

Dawson is fiercely loved along with our two other children. Raising a child with dynamic medical needs requires a different rhythm. Then you add that cadence alongside two other kiddos and two parents working full time and you have a unique symphony. 

Our house is full of life. Ben is a middle school teacher, and I work full time. Weston and Bailey are in school and activities, so our calendar is like most families - packed. Dawson’s day doesn’t match the pace of a typical child his age therefore we have to make sure we’re intentional about our organization and preparedness. 

A “typical” day means managing Dawson’s care alongside the usual chaos of family life: school drop-offs, work schedules, school schedules, sports, meals, homework, bedtime routines. We consider our family a team and we rely on each other to work together and do our part.

It’s a lot, but it’s our life. We cling to the things that make it easier, and one of those things is mejo.

What people often don’t see in caregiving is the sheer volume of information you have to track and share. Details that are vital not only to Dawson, but also to the many people who surround him. His continual support team - medical specialists, therapists, teachers - adds up to more than ten individuals. And that doesn’t even include our personal circle: family, community groups, Sunday school teachers, babysitters. There’s a constant stream of people who need to be informed and updated on Dawson’s needs.

The other unseen weight? The paperwork. Every year brings another round of forms - applications for medical financial assistance, developmental evaluations, school paperwork, care paperwork, medical paperwork. It feels endless. And frustratingly, the systems don’t make it easy. They don’t carry your information forward from year to year, so you end up re-entering the typical repeat details again and again. On top of that, there’s information no one could reasonably memorize like every provider’s address and phone number.

That’s where mejo makes such a difference. We use it as a single place to store and access all of Dawson’s information. It doesn’t eliminate the hand cramps of filling out forms, but it’s a huge time-saver when every bit of information we need is right at our fingertips. And when it comes to sharing with Dawson’s team, whether medical or personal, mejo makes it easy to pass along the most accurate, up-to-date information to the right person, every time.

While the challenges are real, so are the joys. Dawson has reshaped how we view time, priorities, and success. We value the little wins, celebrate progress in any form, and continue to put family first while doing our best to serve our work and community. These days you can find Dawson laughing at silly noises, jamming to Forest Frank music, enjoying bike rides and bringing smiles to the faces of everyone he meets.