Looking for a Miracle

The news has been a little overwhelming the past couple of weeks. A woman I know, with kids the same ages as mine, learned she had a brain tumor. She had surgery and now faces chemo and radiation. The next week I learned a former classmate of mine, healthy, mom of three young girls, had a heart attack while running a half marathon. From what I understand, she seems to be doing well now. She’s out of the hospital, has a defibrillator and is on the mend. I heard a similar story from a friend of mine – very fit, healthy woman who had a similar experience playing tennis. Turns out it was a spontaneous coronary artery dissection. A seemingly random occurrence that more often strikes women ages 30-50...women who might not have any of the usual risk factors.

All these women appear to have amazing stories of recovery and faith, but they aren’t my stories to tell. Hearing all of them made me a little stressed out about my own health and mortality. These are fit, healthy, young (I like to think of myself that way) women. Oh, and then I was thrown up on at work. Really minor in the scheme of things but it felt a little symbolic of all the news that was coming in.

The next morning I woke up feeling down about all this bad news. I sent up a little prayer. How about some good news? Two things happened that same day. My dear friend sent a picture of her new, beautiful baby. He is a miracle. My friend is actually a miracle in her own right. Many years ago, her heart went funky (technical term) and she had a defibrillator placed. We must have been in our twenties at the time. And here she is, sending me a picture of her second beautiful boy. 

And then the next thing? I remembered it was Easter week. Oh right. Here I am asking for some good news and our celebration of the resurrection is just around the corner. Some pretty major good news. Okay, message taken. I am going to try to take all the scary information and instead of being freaked out (who am I kidding – still a little freaked out), and turn it into something positive. In a couple of weeks I am going to take my ACLS (advanced cardiac life support class). I am going to try harder to not be quite so bummed about the virus that my youngest now has that will keep her from returning to school tomorrow and be grateful that it is just a cold. No big deal. I am going to thank God for loving me in spite of myself. And the next patient that throws up on me? Well, still gross but really, nothing some towels, zofran, and a good hot shower won’t fix.

Happy Belated Easter.