From Grandmother...through her eyes....

As the 4 of us entered the hospital on Monday morning, and the medical staff began preparing Bethany for surgery, I felt increasingly aware of the fact that this surgery would change all our lives, most profoundly Emma’s and Olivia’s, and that nothing would ever be the same. When the head surgeon came in one last time (just before they took Bethany to surgery) the enormity of this situation weighed down even heavier on all of us. I remember the surgeon outlining, again, the probable results of each surgery choice given. Without actually saying it, he urged both Bethany and Michael to reconsider their choice, and to terminate Emma and thus give Olivia a chance at survival. When Bethany asked him how many babies he had treated in the same condition as Emma and Olivia (with their same choice of surgery) and had survived, he said “None!” It was like a blow to the stomach, it took your breath away. Both Michael and Bethany had prayerfully considered the options and were now unwavering in their determination to give both daughters a chance at survival and leaving it in God’s hands. As the surgeon left the room, there was much sadness in his demeanor. When two nurses then came into the room to wheel Bethany down the hall toward surgery, Mike asked if we could have a minute alone, and the nurses readily agreed. As we made a circle of clasped hands (Bethany, Michael, Tom and Linda) Mike uttered the most beautiful, yet simple, prayer I have ever heard. Among our sobs, he told the Lord that he and Bethany dearly loved these little girls and wanted them to be a part of their family, but if He had a different and better plan for them, to please give everyone the strength to accept and deal with it. I don’t know about everyone else, but at that very moment when Mike prayerfully released everything to God, my tears of pain and burden became tears of joy and release – no matter what happened, these little girls were firmly in God’s loving hands. What more could we ask for?! After the surgery, that same head surgeon came to give Mike the initial post-surgery report – and he was almost giddy. As he spoke in a tone of amazement and with a huge smile on his face, he stated that he couldn’t medically explain this situation, but that we still had 2 living baby girls! The next hours and days were critical times, but at this moment both girls had survived the surgery. Some of the rest of what he said is a blur to me (Mike and Tom will each probably remember different details) but the surgeon’s relief and amazement at their survival was clearly evident. This was to be one of many times that our little fighters have beaten the odds, and they continue to teach us that God is, indeed, in control. What a mighty God we serve!!!

Blessings,
Linda (Grandma Miklik)