Meghan King Edmonds Calls Son’s Brain Damage Diagnosis a ‘Relief’

Having 13-month-old son Hart be diagnosed with “irreversible brain damage” was actually “a relief,” Real Housewives of Orange County alum Meghan King Edmonds admitted in a new interview with Page Six. The reality personality opened up about her family’s journey since the little one was revealed to have Periventricular Leukomalacia, as well as the therapies he is currently undergoing.

“I was in my car leaving my new house that we’re building, and [the doctor] started telling me, ‘He has damage to some white matter in his brain,’” she told the outlet. “It was a relief. It was vindication in a weird, twisted way. Vindication I didn’t want, but I knew that I would get.”

Edmonds added, “I really wanted nothing more than to just be a crazy hypochondriac mother, but I knew I wasn’t. Because of that diagnosis, I got him into all these therapies.”

King Edmonds has been sharing photos of her son in physical therapy since revealing earlier this month his diagnosis in a blog post.

“Hart has minor Periventricular Leukomalacia on both sides of his brain (namely the white matter), but more so on his right,” King Edmonds revealed on her blog. “[The doctor] said that this explains all of my concerns: the rigidity in his muscles, the (somewhat) delayed physical milestones, the lack of fluidity with arm and leg movements, the stiffness in joints, the weakness in his lower back, the somewhat favored use of his right side. She told me this mainly occurs in premies and since he was not a premie (he was born at 37 weeks gestation) she believes this damage somehow occurred ‘a couple months before he was born.’ She explained that he is at risk for being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and will be monitored.”

“Hart has irreversible brain damage, it’s called PVL,” she continued. “Like I said, I already knew.”

Despite this curveball that has been thrown at them, King Edmonds and husband Jim are dedicated to providing the best life for their little one.

“I explained to Jimmy how we are not somehow compromised or punished for having a child with special needs (whatever that may or may not mean!), we are BLESSED,” she added. “I will go on about this another time but just know that I do not see his diagnosis as anything but a gift: we were chosen to take on this special person. I truly feel as if we’ve doubled down and won the underdog hand. Truly.”

“I pray for a miracle and I grapple with how to navigate his life,” she concluded. “This is a heavy challenge as a mother: where do we go from here? This is where: one foot in front of the other.”

Photo credit: Getty