In the midst of a miracle

A few years ago, I had the privilege of sharing life with a very special family.

 

Their middle child, Katie was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer 2 weeks shy of her 5th birthday.

 

The day I met Katie, she was bald from the chemo treatments and weighed maybe 35 or 40 pounds. She wouldn’t eat anything except Cheetos, Cheese Sticks and Sour Cream and onion Pringles. She had a central line sewn into her heart and carried around a bag of TPN (nutrition fed to her through an I.V.)

 

Shortly after I started working with her family she went septic and they had to revive her several times. She endured 20 or more rounds of chemo, radiation treatments, a kidney being removed, too many blood transfusions for me to count and another surgery that removed parts of her intestines and created a ureter for her after one wasn’t working. (this is going on memory which can be shaky at times) She and her mother pretty much lived in the hospital for almost 18 months. In spite of all that she was going through, Katie never stopped laughing and could play with Barbies for hours on end. She loved music and we would dance around the living room to the Doodlebops. (google it – thank you Disney!) We played dress up and I cleaned up my fair share of puke from both her and her brother. 🙂

 

Fast forward to a few days ago. Katie is cancer free and living the normal life of a happy, thriving fourth grader.  She gets up for school with an alarm clock all on her own and helps her mther get her brother ready and downstairs for the bus.

 

I had the joy and pleasure of sharing her birthday with her a few days ago. This was an unexpected surprise for both of us. We had a birthday breakfast with her family, and after she left for school I sat weeping with joy, remembering birthday’s past and how far she and her family have come. Many of you prayed for Katie, her family and me during those very difficult years. Keep praying!

              during treatment – her 7th B-day          after treatment on her Make a Wish Cruise

 

Katie is a living miracle and proof that God is always at work. I don’t understand why she went through all that she did I gave up looking for answers years ago. What I do know is that during those years, my relationship with the Lord went to another level and she sparked hope in the lives of many others who don’t know her.

 

Katie – a few days ago on her 11th Birthday!

 

I don’t know what you are going through today but when you look at Katie’s picture, see the miracle that she is. Know that God answers prayer and He loves His children. Know that He cares for you and hears you when you cry. When you are going through pain, He is there. It doesn’t always feel like it but His arms are around you. When you think that they aren’t, know that is a lie that the enemy is feeding you. Reject the lies from the enemy and replace them with truth’s from God’s word. Spend time with the Lord so that you know what His word says and you have truth to stand on. God’s words have power against the enemy, our words don’t!

 

I will never know why Katie’s life was spared when others weren’t but I believe that the Lord has big plans for her and those around her. What I know for sure is that she is a living, breathing miracle and a sign for all of us that God is still in the miracle business.

 

I’m grateful that the Lord has allowed me to witness His greatness through this family and look forward witnessing more of Him!