I took Brea in for a check up on Thursday here in
Baton Rouge
. She had lab work, an echocardiogram and saw the doctor. The echo showed her shortening fraction (the heart’s ability to squeeze) as being 35.7. A normal range is 20-40 so she is falling in the high normal range! Before her transplant it was 5. Baker asked Dr. Brummond if her echo picture looked very different from the one before her transplant and he replied “Yes, this one is moving”. Before
Brea
’s transplant the echo pictures of her heart simply looked like her heart was rocking instead of beating. The echo also showed that the heart’s wall is thinning a bit. This means that her blood pressure is being better controlled. Thanks God! She is still on a high dose of Captopril three times per day but at least it is now doing the job and keeping her blood pressure stable.
I must say that we have been blessed with the most incredible team of doctors, nurses and techs during this ordeal. They are some of the kindest individuals that I’ve ever met. They really love what they are doing and it shows in their work. To them it may just be a job but to the people they care for it is so much more. God has gifted them with the talent and knowledge to do His work and we continue to pray for them as they care not only for
Brea
but for the others too.
Yesterday as I was leaving the hospital parking lot a song came on the radio that I’ve heard many times before but this time the song really “spoke” to my heart. The song is “Bring the Rain” by
Mercy Me.
Here are the lyrics:
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
[Bring The Rain lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray
Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
There were many times during this ordeal that people asked me how I stayed positive and how I was holding up so well. I can’t say that I always had it together. There were many times when I sat by
Brea
’s bedside and just cried. I’m not sure if I was crying because I felt so helpless, if I was crying because of the suffering that she was enduring or if I was crying for moments that we were missing but nonetheless, I cried. The nurses were so sweet and always tried to help but the only thing that helped was prayer and I spent many, many hours praying. Like the song says…
“since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord”
I don’t want to walk through life without my relationship with Christ and I certainly wasn’t going to tread through these weary waters without Him. There were many times while at the hospital that I met people who didn’t have what I had. They were trying to make it through their child’s medical crisis without God and my heart broke for them. You see, with all that I was going through with my little one, I was still the lucky one. So, next time you hear this song on the radio you might just want to listen with “new ears” as I did.
We head out again on the 11th for
Little Rock
for another biopsy. Please continue to pray for
Brea
’s tiny body to continue to accept her new heart. The doctors have told us that at some time she will reject her heart and they will treat it but I’m putting my faith in Him and I know that my God is so much bigger than science!
Have a wonderful weekend. May you be blessed with sticky kisses, bear hugs, scattered toys on the floor and the laughter and love of your family.
Hugs,
Mary
