The voice
on the phone is bright and cheerful, exactly what I need today. “I have some great news for you,” she declares.
I could use
some great news right about now. My son has
been struggling with complicated health issues for a long, long time, and every
time the phone rings, it seems to bring more bad news. The recent lab work doesn’t look good. No improvement in the numbers. The new medication doesn’t seem to be
working. The medical team is deciding
what steps to take.
Once upon a
time, a long, long time ago, wishes came true.
Miracles happened. Prayers were
answered in the most amazing ways. A precious
baby boy lay in a hospital room, alone, fighting for his life, and against impossible
odds, in spite of the doctors’ decision to “make him as comfortable as possible
until the end,” he made it! He was given
a
chance to thrive!
But here’s the
thing about caring for a child with fragile health: not all wishes come true. Not all stories end with “happily ever after.” Sometimes prayers are answered, not with
miracles, but with silence. The medical
complications are not easily resolved, there are no specific “praises” that can
be e-mailed to the church prayer chain. He
was born with significant health issues, and seven years later, guess
what? He still has significant health issues. Seven years later we are still praying. Still waiting for him to be healed.
