Answered Prayers (aka: What would you do for a little pampering?)

Our daughter was born with a heart defect. Those two words — heart defect — can terrify the most stable parent, yet in our case it has always been a non-issue. This week, however, I claimed my maternal right to freak out.

Ellie was diagnosed with a “murmur” at three months. Then around five months her doctors gave the murmur a very official and kinda scary-sounding name: coronary artery fissure (or fistula, depending on which cardiologist spoke). They explained it as an extra loop in her heart, then assured us it was no cause for alarm; it was just something we should keep tabs on with regular visits. It might even heal itself before her fifth birthday.

So, every six months for three years I’d take her to get an EKG and a sonogram of her heart. Around her third birthday, they changed our appointment schedule to once a year. At every visit they told us it was nothing to worry about — keep watching, let us know if anything changes.

Nothing ever changed. Including the defect. It didn’t show any signs of “healing”, but it also didn’t cause any problems. Ellie kept growing at exponential rates; she was supremely healthy in pretty much every way. I pushed those two scary words to the back of my mind, basically forgetting they ever applied to our family.

Then Monday reminded me. Ellie came home from school and complained of “splinters” inside her heart. She pointed to just the right spot, and my mind started spinning.

What if it’s “something” this time? What if she needs surgery? What if she needs a transplant? What if they can’t find a donor? What if we lose her? What if these short six years are all God intended us to spend with her? How will I survive that? Have I learned enough from her? Have I taught her all I could? Have I treasured her like I should? Does she know how much I love her? Does God know how completely unprepared I am for this? Does He know I’m not ready or strong enough to deal with this right now?!

I prayed, but it didn’t help, so I called for back-up. I posted on facebook and then on twitter. I emailed specific prayer warriors and called family members. Once I got everyone praying, I allowed myself just ten minutes to totally break down.

The most specific prayer request was that Ellie would stay calm. The last few times we’ve visited the cardiologist have been horrible. Really horrible. Ellie would get scared and scream and thrash and the doctors wouldn’t be able to see what was really going on. What should have taken only thirty minutes or so would last an excruciating two hours. This time we needed it to be different. We needed the doctors to be unhindered. We wanted Ellie to have a fearless trust in God. We wanted her (and me!) to remember He’s always with us no matter what.

I don’t know how many people were praying. A LOT. Some I haven’t seen in years; some I’ve never even met! And GOD HEARD.

Maybe it was how Rick practiced with her the other night, tickling her with pretend stickers, wires and ultrasound “jelly.” Or maybe it was that she’s older and more mature, less fearful. Maybe it was the promised reward of going to a real nail salon if she showed trust and stayed calm. Perhaps it was a little of all three. This is what I know: it was God. He can use anything to answer our prayers! And He does answer.

Ellie didn’t shed a single tear. She laughed and told stories to the doctor. She mused over how the “jelly” wasn’t red and probably wouldn’t taste very good with peanut butter. She watched Finding Nemo and was simply the best patient. I was (am!) so proud of her!!!

Best of all: she’s healthy. PRAISE GOD! The doctor got a good look at everything. She can’t tell where this loop starts of ends or why it’s there, but she can see that it’s not causing any harm. She attributed the “splinters” to growing pains. Ellie was declared perfectly healthy; we don’t have to go back for two years.

It may seem like much ado about nothing, but the unknown felt huge and the answered prayers feel even bigger.

So what would you endure for a little pampering? Last night Ellie and I celebrated with a trip to a nail salon. She loved her first manicure! Normally we don’t let her wear bright nail polish, but she said she could have red because “it’s a special day!” Add glitter and hand-painted flowers … almost makes it worth all the wires and monitors and sticky stuff smeared all over her.

This post included in Real Life’s Your Life Your Blog.