I got teary-eyed again listening to this emotional recount of Oakley's early days, and also so uplifted at hearing his amazing story of how he is slowly recovering against all the odds handed to him at 2 days old. Her energy is infectious and I am deeply humbled listening to their life story.
Daryl is a powerhouse of a mother, forging his path with him. You can find her on Instagram at @acornupdates
Oakley was born with an imperfect brain, and was on a NG tube, intubated and was having seizures. He isn't fully mobile, is registered blind and non-verbal.
This is their wonderful story worth listening to. You don't have to have everything in common in order to gain so much from their experience.
Timestamps:
0.52 Birth story
1.59 Painful diagnosis at 2 days old
3.47 Taken to NICU ( ICN)
4.25 What the MRI showed about Oakley's brain
5.19 Seizures started
7.05 NG tube placed
8.32 What he can do today: Tube free, not blind anymore
10.00 Attitude is key
14.25 Hard days and mum guilt. What works, what doesn't.
18.00 They pick everything up
21.00 How he uses a whiteboard
27.00 From NG tube to eating normally
31.00 Typical day
34.00 Improved sight
38.00 Oakfest - see @teamoakleyevents The Cricketer's Pub, Hitchin, Herts, 12th July 2025 11-6 Please go and support and meet Daryl and Oakley if you're living in that area.
You can download and listen on the go here and also on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Search for “ What worked for us”.
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