All of us have prayer's that we whisper to God any time of the day and specially at night before going to bed. This prayer that I will share with you was answered way back year 2015.
Here is why: My first child was diagnose with Congenital Heart Defect (VSD) Ventricular Septal Defect.. At that time he was only 2 months old when we have know about his heart condition.
When me and my husband was inform of our child's heart condition, we are both broken into tiny pieces. I can't speak and tears won't stop falling from my eyes. It was really painful, really painful for us. He is our first child, if only I... If it was my heart not his... If only I am the one having those problem.
After the doctor explain to us everything we need to know. We decided to go home.
On our way home. Both of us are silent. Both in deep thoughts, but at the same time trying to comfort each other by holding each others hands tightly. While our precious child is sleeping in my arms...
As a mom: "I Hope that my child will have a longer Life." Longer than mine...
"That someday he will have the chance to see and explore the world. To dream without limits and treasure everything that comes his way."
"To be happy and like any other kids: to be able to play, go to school and create their dreams."
He was only two months old but he can't enjoy the comfort of sleeping like other babies at his age. Those months before we knew, he was always crying. Now it is clear to us, Why? Why he is not like the other babies whom most of the time are sleeping peacefully and growing faster. But those times when its really hard for him to sleep, we are always doing our best to comfort him until he was relax enough to sleep. We love our son dearly it was so painful to know what he have been through all this time.
When we arrive home... Both of us cannot speak, we don't know how to start or what words to say... When we both cry our parents hug us and whispered: "We will always be here for you and your family. We love our grandson so much. We will do what we can to help.." They have felt our pain and fear, no need for to much words. Parents understand and they can feel what their children are going through. After we told them about his heart condition. We receive all the love and support for us to be strong...
Our baby need us... Love, Care and Comfort.. we need to be the best that we can be!
Faith in God. Family Support. and Continues Prayers...
Those are the reason why we are stronger, us we continue to live our Life each and everyday...
After knowing everything we can about his condition, the medicines he need to take everyday and following each doctors advise specifically for his condition. We have known how to take good care of him and what are his needs to be able to support his health and grow normally like other kids. The surgery advise are clear but we can still wait until he grows up and it also depends on the result of his laboratories.
We travel to Manila for his regular checkup, we make sure that all his medicines are complete all the time and was given on the right time. We are doing everything we can to take good care of our baby. To prevent him from getting sick we are always inside the house because they have low immune system.
Days... and Months...
Same routine everyday... He was not crying to much, have peaceful sleep now and for a longer time like any baby on his age. Because of the medicines and the air condition in our room. He really love the cold environment... The sleepless nights for me are the times when he gets sick specially with cough and cold. But, Thank God we still manage it at home with medicine from his Pediatrician.
Years have past...
Our little Baby, have grown to be a sweet boy! Always smiling, so many questions, playing around. But he can't have long walks and can't run too far, he easily gets tired and exhausted.
His schedule for check up and 2D Echo is every year after his birthday.
For the past years his check up and laboratory results are the same no complications.
But this year was different. Year 2014:
After his 3rd Birthday as usual we are in the hospital for the laboratories and check up. On the scheduled day of the 2D Echo the doctor who is performing the test have told us that our baby may have additional problem if we will not decide on letting him undergo the surgery he needed. The following day we meet our Cardiologist for his regular check up when he saw the results he advise us the same thing. His heart will suffer more and complications may arise...
We both need to think, accept and decide... As parents all we what is for our child to be with us for a very long time to see him play and be happy. To support him while he was trying to reach for his dreams without being hold back by his heart condition.
After a few days... Of deep thoughts and listening to our families opinion...
We have decided to accept the doctors advise...
We return to his cardiologist. He explain everything to us with regards to his surgery... Then he give us the list of all the necessary vaccines, health documents and laboratories... We need to complete all the requirements for him to be included in waiting list for surgery. After completing everything in the list, we submitted it for the schedule of his surgery.
August 2015 few days before his birthday we receive a call, telling us that he was scheduled for surgery on Monday. We need to be in Manila before that time because he still need to under go laboratory test before the surgery.
We arrived in Manila few days before the surgery. We did not told him anything yet, what was going on, or why we are there. We stayed in grandpa and grandma's house.. Until it is time for his admission.
Our first day in the hospital. Admission and briefing. He look like he was puzzled. He don't want to stay on the hospital bed. roaming around the room and asking so many questions, he was trying to his best to be able to understand. Why are we here? What are we going to do? Why are we sleeping in the hospital?
We told him: We are doing this for you, WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Second Day. Laboratories done... Results are all good approved for surgery.
The night before the surgery. We were told that the surgery would last 8 to 10 hours. Me and my husband cannot sleep anymore. but our child was sleeping peacefully in his hospital bed.
The day of the surgery arrive, the reality sink in deep inside. Before the set time for his surgery all we can say to him: "We love you so much, we are doing this for you. We hope that you will understand someday." We are trying hard to hold our tears because the doctors and nurses told us that he may feel the fear and cry too and if he will see us crying he will be troubled on what will happen next? We should be calm for him, we should be... To give him Love, Courage and Hope that everything will be alright from now on.
The doctors give him preoperative medicines at the bed side, so that by the time he enters the operating room he will no longer feel any fear being separated from us. After an hour they told us it is time to live the ward and proceed to the operating room.
On our way to the operating room.I am the one who is carrying him in my arms, he was a bet drowse and only smiles at me the sweetest smile.Those are the longest time of our Life... All the fears, all the emotions, everything... It is really hard to put into words all the feelings and thoughts that was within us.
Both me and my husband knows our unspoken words, all the tears...
Our Prayer: For him to have a Successfull Surgery. For him to have a Longer Life...
Three days after his surgery we celebrated his 4th birthday in the hospital. Still feeling the pain from his surgery. A therapist arrive she will guide him to walk around the ward, to assess his condition. Everyone is cheering for him and we are clapping our hands when he finish. He made his first walk after surgery It is like seeing your child making his first step after giving birth to him. I am so proud and so happy, he was really a very courageous boy. It was a very memorable birthday, and his gift arrived sooner than his birthday and we are so grateful for that.
That step was his first step in this new chapter of his Life. I can see that he was so happy surrounded by the people who love him so much and whom he loves.
Until now when ever I see my child, I never forget to Thank God. For my child's life, He give him his chance to be like any other kids: to play, to study and to dream.
I will always be grateful to God for answering this particular one.