Saraiah's miracle
This is a week of celebration. A birthday for my neice Saraiah.
It may not seem like a big deal to most-just another birthday...but Saraiah living 1 year is a miracle.
I will never forget the call I received in the middle of the night 1 year ago, and tears are coming right now just remembering it vividly. It was my Mom, and knowing my sister went in for a scheduled routine C-section for her 3rd baby I was waiting for the good news.
Instead my Mom was crying. Silence.
Then she said quietly: "she's here, Saraiah's here, she is only 5 pounds, Ronni's doing well, and... (more cries) she has downs honey." (more tears) I was so confused. What? There was no indication throughout the whole pregnancy of downs or any other abnormalities.
My tears came all night...flowing for my sister and the unknown future of her baby, or moreover the changed future...a different plan then we all had for her.
The next day the baby was rushed into the neonatal because she wasn't breathing and through routine tests for down syndrome babies they discovered she had multiple heart defects. Serious defects.
Everything seemed to swallow us up, as the next week was a blur of tests and flying the baby to the state hospital for opinions and options.
My brave sister and her husband after days of getting all the tests available and researching any options for surgeries made the difficult decision to leave Saraiah in God's hands. The humane and selfless decision. There were no success rates with any surgeries available especially for downs babies and no surgeries that could even operate on all the heart defects she had.
We needed a miracle. The doctors said that she could remain on life support and stabilized for a short time and then they would pull life support. After that her valve would close (at 2 weeks) and her heart would stop as a result. I can't express in words the pain and grief we all felt. I wanted to take the burden from my sister, I wanted to change it for her.
Preparing funeral arrangements and praying at the same time.
The night they pulled life support I thought I cried all the tears that a person could. Our whole family grieving together in that small room. Our family was so strong and God held us and others carried our burden at times.
Hugging, crying, laughing at my sisters random jokes. (She has a way of being funny in serious times to lighten things up!) Well, Saraiah didn't die then. We waited, and waited. Two weeks went by and she was improving even. The unknown was so difficult to deal with.
They decided to bring her to my parents and live there until she passed because the thought of bringing her home and dying there was too difficult. Weeks went by and still she kept fighting.
I cherish that time I spent with my sister during those weeks. Weeks of healing emotionally. Our relationship healing in little spots we didn't know existed. A baby did that. God showing me what was really important in life. Treasuring and thanking God for all the little things we take for granted. Every breath I breath, my sweet healthy girls, my beating heart.
It wasn't the first time I experienced loss or grief as we lost my husbands Mom and little sister in a car accident 13 years ago. The emotions of that day just flooded back instantly. But I was able to see through and know that God is and was faithful and will never forsake us. He can take anything and turn it into good, even when we can't see. He can do miracles and if He choose not to, then we still need to choose to trust Him and know that He is in control.
I have never seen an outcry of prayers from people like that time surrounding Saraiah's birth.
Spreading the plea for prayer on email and facebook. Asking for a miracle.
Spending time at the hospital as much as we could just holding Saraiah and crying with them.
Sometimes all you can do is cry with someone.
I have never learned so much about God then this year. The whirlwind of trials and situations this year has held I wouldn't trade for anything. He used that baby to touch me in a place I never knew needed healing. All walls and relationships that were damaged or bruised were instantly changed. The Lord did what the people that prayed for Saraiah asked for- He healed hearts. He didn't heal her heart really but all the hearts around her. He allowed her to live this whole year while the doctors shook their heads. No explanation. Her heart remains the same but she lives! Through times we thought that we would lose her and she was near death people would rise up and pray and she would pull through.
I also watched my sister's strength and voice speak out loudly of God's faithfulness and there were so many people that were changed as a result of seeing this. How can someone thank and praise God in a storm like this?! God uses everything. Nothing goes to waste. Not a tear, not a moment.
Saraiah continued to live and they eventually went home learning to live with the thought that they could lose her any time. Days and weeks passed. Some longer then others as Saraiah ( "Sa-cry-ah" as mom nicknamed her!) is in constant pain and suffering. Difficulty breathing and having to be held ALL day long took its toll. Sleepless nights for 1 year can really do something to a person but they are taking it day by day hour by hour.
It has been 1 year of living like that and giving her back to God constantly.
I love you Saraiah! Happy Birthday,
your Auntie Ang
It may not seem like a big deal to most-just another birthday...but Saraiah living 1 year is a miracle.
I will never forget the call I received in the middle of the night 1 year ago, and tears are coming right now just remembering it vividly. It was my Mom, and knowing my sister went in for a scheduled routine C-section for her 3rd baby I was waiting for the good news.
Instead my Mom was crying. Silence.
Then she said quietly: "she's here, Saraiah's here, she is only 5 pounds, Ronni's doing well, and... (more cries) she has downs honey." (more tears) I was so confused. What? There was no indication throughout the whole pregnancy of downs or any other abnormalities.
My tears came all night...flowing for my sister and the unknown future of her baby, or moreover the changed future...a different plan then we all had for her.
The next day the baby was rushed into the neonatal because she wasn't breathing and through routine tests for down syndrome babies they discovered she had multiple heart defects. Serious defects.
Everything seemed to swallow us up, as the next week was a blur of tests and flying the baby to the state hospital for opinions and options.
My brave sister and her husband after days of getting all the tests available and researching any options for surgeries made the difficult decision to leave Saraiah in God's hands. The humane and selfless decision. There were no success rates with any surgeries available especially for downs babies and no surgeries that could even operate on all the heart defects she had.
We needed a miracle. The doctors said that she could remain on life support and stabilized for a short time and then they would pull life support. After that her valve would close (at 2 weeks) and her heart would stop as a result. I can't express in words the pain and grief we all felt. I wanted to take the burden from my sister, I wanted to change it for her.
Preparing funeral arrangements and praying at the same time.
The night they pulled life support I thought I cried all the tears that a person could. Our whole family grieving together in that small room. Our family was so strong and God held us and others carried our burden at times.
Hugging, crying, laughing at my sisters random jokes. (She has a way of being funny in serious times to lighten things up!) Well, Saraiah didn't die then. We waited, and waited. Two weeks went by and she was improving even. The unknown was so difficult to deal with.
They decided to bring her to my parents and live there until she passed because the thought of bringing her home and dying there was too difficult. Weeks went by and still she kept fighting.
I cherish that time I spent with my sister during those weeks. Weeks of healing emotionally. Our relationship healing in little spots we didn't know existed. A baby did that. God showing me what was really important in life. Treasuring and thanking God for all the little things we take for granted. Every breath I breath, my sweet healthy girls, my beating heart.
It wasn't the first time I experienced loss or grief as we lost my husbands Mom and little sister in a car accident 13 years ago. The emotions of that day just flooded back instantly. But I was able to see through and know that God is and was faithful and will never forsake us. He can take anything and turn it into good, even when we can't see. He can do miracles and if He choose not to, then we still need to choose to trust Him and know that He is in control.
I have never seen an outcry of prayers from people like that time surrounding Saraiah's birth.
Spreading the plea for prayer on email and facebook. Asking for a miracle.
Spending time at the hospital as much as we could just holding Saraiah and crying with them.
Sometimes all you can do is cry with someone.
I have never learned so much about God then this year. The whirlwind of trials and situations this year has held I wouldn't trade for anything. He used that baby to touch me in a place I never knew needed healing. All walls and relationships that were damaged or bruised were instantly changed. The Lord did what the people that prayed for Saraiah asked for- He healed hearts. He didn't heal her heart really but all the hearts around her. He allowed her to live this whole year while the doctors shook their heads. No explanation. Her heart remains the same but she lives! Through times we thought that we would lose her and she was near death people would rise up and pray and she would pull through.
I also watched my sister's strength and voice speak out loudly of God's faithfulness and there were so many people that were changed as a result of seeing this. How can someone thank and praise God in a storm like this?! God uses everything. Nothing goes to waste. Not a tear, not a moment.
Saraiah continued to live and they eventually went home learning to live with the thought that they could lose her any time. Days and weeks passed. Some longer then others as Saraiah ( "Sa-cry-ah" as mom nicknamed her!) is in constant pain and suffering. Difficulty breathing and having to be held ALL day long took its toll. Sleepless nights for 1 year can really do something to a person but they are taking it day by day hour by hour.
It has been 1 year of living like that and giving her back to God constantly.
Releasing your children is the most difficult thing to do isn't it? They are not really ours to start with.
I daily have to give them back to their real Father...so difficult to let go.
I daily have to give them back to their real Father...so difficult to let go.
Saraiah is a living miracle and has been used by God to change so many! People that don't know her. People that received emails or pictures of her saying PRAY. All over the world people prayed!
I saw that God does answer prayers. We continue to pray that the Lord will keep Saraiah alive to fulfill His will for her life however long that is. It is hard to let her go on this earth but sometimes I can just imagine her running free and smiling (with little piggy-tails) doing all the things she can't do on this earth -hand in hand with Jesus.I love you Saraiah! Happy Birthday,
your Auntie Ang
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