babyhood / FAITH / family / MOTHERHOOD

a much needed little lesson

P1010014

I haven’t taken the time to write about it here, but it has been a bit of a rocky ride since Elizabeth was born. A cloud of "abnormal test results" has been hanging over us since the first day we brought her home from the hospital. We got the call from our pediatrician to tell us that her hospital PKU tests were abnormal and that we had to come in the next day for another test.
More heel pricks. More screaming baby. More waiting.
Then the second test also came back abnormal and we were thrown into a whirlwind of possible problems, and complicated predictions for the future. One of the hardest things with a newborn is fear of the unknown and we were definitely a little spooked.
Our next step in the process of finding answers was to seek out the help of a geneticist at John’s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. They gave us probably the best, most caring, attentive medical care I’ve ever received. And within one day had done more blood work, answered all of our questions and passed on the  blessed news that all the previous tests were false positives. Elizabeth was going to be just fine.

Of course, it’s easy to be thankful when you’re on the happy side of a potential problem. But that day, sitting in the pediatric hospital with our presumed "abnormal" baby, I was thankful. I looked around me at the children–some sick, some handicapped, some hooked up to IV juices, some tiny newborns like Elizabeth–and I was overcome with thankfulness. Even though we potentially had some problems ahead, there was still much to be thankful for. I was thankful for my two children at home–healthy and happy–and I was thankful for little Elizabeth. I don’t think I take enough moments to be grateful for those blessings.
And I also looked around me at those parents sitting beside me in the pediatric clinic–still smiling, still managing to be upbeat and joyful with their children–and I realized I was in the presence of some real-life heroes. And I’ll bet they manage to find a little thankfulness in life as well.
A much needed little lesson.

P1010014

I haven’t taken the time to write about it here, but it has been a bit of a rocky ride since Elizabeth was born. A cloud of “abnormal test results” has been hanging over us since the first day we brought her home from the hospital. We got the call from our pediatrician to tell us that her hospital PKU tests were abnormal and that we had to come in the next day for another test.
More heel pricks. More screaming baby. More waiting.
Then the second test also came back abnormal and we were thrown into a whirlwind of possible problems, and complicated predictions for the future. One of the hardest things with a newborn is fear of the unknown and we were definitely a little spooked.
Our next step in the process of finding answers was to seek out the help of a geneticist at John’s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. It was the same hospital wherein one of my cousins learnt How to Become a Certified Nurse Assistant. They gave us probably the best, most caring, attentive medical care I’ve ever received. And within one day had done more blood work, answered all of our questions and passed on the  blessed news that all the previous tests were false positives. Elizabeth was going to be just fine.

Of course, it’s easy to be thankful when you’re on the happy side of a potential problem. But that day, sitting in the pediatric hospital with our presumed “abnormal” baby, I was thankful. I looked around me at the children–some sick, some handicapped, some hooked up to IV juices, some tiny newborns like Elizabeth–and I was overcome with thankfulness. Even though we potentially had some problems ahead, there was still much to be thankful for. I was thankful for my two children at home–healthy and happy–and I was thankful for little Elizabeth. I don’t think I take enough moments to be grateful for those blessings.
And I also looked around me at those parents sitting beside me in the pediatric clinic–still smiling, still managing to be upbeat and joyful with their children–and I realized I was in the presence of some real-life heroes. And I’ll bet they manage to find a little thankfulness in life as well.
A much needed little lesson.

39 comments on “a much needed little lesson”

  1. Oh, Molly. What a relief and I would not want to imagine the stress those false positives caused. Bless you all. Your whole beautiful family. Hugs!

  2. I am so glad that everything is ok, your thoughts and emotions have really been put to the test these past few weeks. Glad you are on the other end, reflection is a good thing, never hurts to be reminded just how rich our lives are. hugs to you!

  3. Oh wow. I understand these feelings. So glad that Elizabeth is well. Hospitals filled with sick children do make one so thankful and the parents of those children are indeed amazing people. Love to you Molly and your sweet family.

  4. First of all I am so glad to hear that your little sweety is well and good. Secondly, I want to thank you for such a reminder. It has been a crazy day here and I think as soon as my boys walk in I am going to smother them to death with kisses and remind them how wonderful they are. Thank you again.

  5. I’m so glad all is well and it’s a wonderful lesson we all can share in. Thank you for sharing. Take care and congratulations on the birth of your daughter.

  6. Hugs for you Molly! I’m glad to know all is well now. We had an unexpected stay in the NICU after my son’s birth. I remember keenly how dark those days were while trying to act normal for the sake of our daughter.

    Love and peace for you all!

  7. Um… what’s PKU? I feel dumb for not knowing, but I haven’t gotten to the “mommy” stage of my life yet. I so happy that little Elizabeth is safe and sound and healthy, though!

  8. I know it’s hard to imagine sometimes isn’t it but there is always something to be happy about and also somebody else worse off.So glad Elizabeth is ‘normal’ whatever that really means xxx

  9. so glad everything is well. i know that feeling, though. i had to take my baby to a children’s hospital for some minor problem, and they were so happy to see this big, chubby, baby – such contrast to the others there.

    hug her tight!

  10. I am so glad everything is ok, I know that feeling though of waiting for results. I remember waiting in the hospital with my girls and just having that feeling that whatever it is I can deal with it and I love them no matter what, and then the relief when everything is ok – it’s just overwhelming. Have a wonderful relaxing weekend!

  11. Big hugs to you Molly! Your positive spirit + grateful heart are so inspiring. Sometimes life has a way of reminding us about the important things. =)

  12. I am so sorry that you had to go through that Molly. I hated the PKU, it seemed like they needed so much blood. And those screenings, I have been through that before, while pregnant and it is horrible to wait. Take care – such a lovely photo.

  13. i also learned this same lesson one year ago with my baby. all is also well but wow what you learn in the process. just found your site. i enjoy!

  14. thank you for sharing your story with all of us. it’s so, so good to hear your sweet little one will be ok. we have been through much with our second who spent her first 5 months in a harness to correct her hips. we are so very thankful the doctors acted on a hunch + ordered the ultrasound because her correction was so slight it could’ve easily gone undetected. next, she’ll have hand surgery around her first birthday but again, we’ll get through it. our children are our greatest accomplishments. each a blessing. take good care.

  15. My son threw me into panic sessions because he wasn’t a chubby baby. He was very very skinny. Seems so silly now, but then it was enormous. God was so good to give me an awesome pediatrician who has 7 kids himself and never forced me to stop breastfeeding.

    Looking back makes you realize how much God is parenting you when you need him most. Praise Him for his grace to your family!

  16. Oh, Molly, thank you for the little/big lesson. It is so good to be reminded how lucky we are and who the real heroes are.

    I’m so happy to hear that the little cutie is doing just fine. Hugs to you.

  17. I am so glad that everything is okay. It can be so scary when something is wrong with your little one. I know first hand. When my daughter was a baby she had several seizures and kidney reflux. Through all the hospitalizations and tests I always felt so blessed. It could be worse. I saw so many very sick kids in the hospital. Thanks for reminding us to count our blessings.

  18. i’m so glad that she is okay. Jeff and i were just talking about how thankful we need to be that our boys have been healthy. we would be thankful for them even if they weren’t… but we look around and realize how many things others go through.

  19. I am so happy that all is well with Elizabeth. The unknown is scary- I am so sorry that you had to go through all of that. Hugs coming your way.

    One of my girls has some medical issues (nothing big) and I just had the same thoughts as I sat in the children’s hospital two weeks ago. I am blessed. I am lucky. I am thankful.

  20. while it must have been so tough to have that uncertainty those first few weeks, i’m glad to hear you received some good news… thank you for the reminder to see the blessings and goodness in our everyday lives and not to miss them… (and your photo above looks like it is full of everyday goodness. very sweet)

  21. When Asher was eight months old, he suddenly started losing weight, had virtually no muscle mass, and it was all very mysterious. That December, I flew back to the States and spent the better part of six weeks in the children’s hospital. I had a very similar experience to you, I think– watching all the children and their families, and coming to peace with a new concept of beauty and diversity, and the human capacity for love. Thank you for reminding me of that gift, and sharing yours, too.

    (Asher is fine now, and your girls are so sweet. Makes my heart all warm and glowy).

  22. I am so glad that Elizabeth is fine. My heart goes out to the families who have to take care of ill little people and their siblings who have to go thru the stress too. Thanks for sharing and making me feel grateful so early this morning.

  23. I’m sorry you had to go through all that worry, and I’m glad all is well. Yes, I often marvel at families that have to deal with sick children — I can’t imagine anything much more difficult.

  24. I too am thankful that Elizabeth and you have weathered this scare. I marvel at how wonderful and ironic perspective can be. I have learned the same lesson and it is one I still feel really thankful for. when my girl had open heart surgery when she was not yet two, we went into the hospital so afraid and came out feeling like we won the lottery because our kid was “fixed” and she was coming home with us. I still like to volunteer there because that is real life. There are still people in there everyday, weathering their own struggles and sometimes its easy to forget that.

  25. Oh, I’m so glad to hear that all is well in the end. When my son was finally getting better after a scary 2-week stay in the children’s hospital, I too had that crushing sense of gratitude and thankfulness — and awe at the fortitude of those families with much sicker children.

  26. You’re so right – we all probably need to be better about remembering our blessings, and being thankful for them.

    And it goes without saying that I am so glad that this journey with MissElizabeth turned out so happily…

    xo

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