Mandy Harvey.Photo: Laura Moll
Mandy Harvey, the formerAmerica’s Got Talentcontestant who stole viewers' hearts after showcasing her musical talents despite her hearing loss, is ready to open up about a new journey.
Harvey, who was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder calledEhlers-Danlos syndromeat 18 years old, says until she met her husband, she was convinced she didn’t want to have kids.
“We struggled a bit at the beginning. We wanted to make sure that we could lay a good foundation in our relationship before we started even attempting that. But we went into trying for a kid with the caveat of, we’re going to try this. And if it doesn’t work, we’re going to adopt,” she says. “We didn’t put pressure on it because of my medical history. We struggled with the idea of, ‘Is it socially responsible when you have a preexisting condition to bring another person into the world who may have that as well?’ "
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Mandy Harvey.Laura Moll
She continued, “But the odds of me having a successful pregnancy seemed like it was going to be a little bit lower. So if it just didn’t work, we figured we’re both okay with that. So it really took the pressure right off. But we wanted to have a family, whether it was biologically or in a different route.”
“I got to a point where I was throwing up 14 times a day. I was throwing up to exhaustion and dehydration and I had to get IV’d to rehydrate. I tore some of my uterine lining. So now everything is really painful,” she says. “You have to roll with the punches. The best part of it is, I’m at a stage now where I’m not as afraid, because I know that he’s in a survivable place. And I’m home. I’m not far away from help.”
And though her pregnancy has taken a toll, she’s still looking forward to the various aspects of motherhood with her son — whom she and her husband have already named Louis after the “creative king of France.”
“I’ll be doing English and sign language, and he’ll be speaking exclusively in French,” she says of her husband, whose family is from France. “Our neighbors are from Cuba and Columbia. And so they’re like, ‘We’re only going to speak in Spanish.’ So he’s going to grow up with so much diversity, which I think is quite brilliant.”
Harvey is especially excited to experience “all the firsts.”
“I know that I get the opportunity of understanding this kid a little bit differently than how the rest of my family would. I’m not necessarily going to be able to hear him cry. I’m not necessarily going to be able to have those sound moments that every mom looks forward to,” she says. “But at the same time, I get to pay attention to so much more. I’m really looking forward to finding beautiful ways to communicate.”
She continues, “I’m looking forward to having all of the amazing amount of people being a part of his life. This kid is going to be overwhelmed with how much love people have in their hearts.”
At the end of the day, Harvey knows her journey as a mother will come with challenges, but she’s not afraid of them.
“As a mom with a hearing loss, I’m not feeling like I’m missing out on something now. I feel like I’m very excited to be able to learn my child in my way,” Harvey explains. “I’m very thankful that I’ve had those beautiful people to answer my questions and be amazing examples of success.”
source: people.com
