Heaven's Hands

Dear Little Angel,

Reflecting back to the day we made the decision to move forward with Shriner's hospital, it reminds me how special that day was.  As mentioned in a previous letter, the day we discovered why you struggled to balance when attempting to run we where heart broken.  Immediately following the diagnoses from the xrays of your hips, driving home, I remember calling my mother to let her know what was occuring. Through tear filled eyes bearly able to speak the words:  "Mom,  It's the baby.....She has to have surgery." ....... "It's her hips"......"Her femur bones are not in their sockets"........"No, we have no other choice, the doctor said she is far older than most kids when they are diagnosed"....."Yes, both hips...she'll be in a cast for three months each time."......"Mom, I don't know what we are going to do"  Upon arrival home I began to study, to research, to discover everything I could about this new medical term, hip dysplasia.  I read for hours.  Medical journals that decribed in great detail each of the three procedures the doctor had penned on the yellow slip of paper. 

As time passed we began to accept your destination, resolving in our minds, if this surgery must be done then we must be sure we are confident in our choices as we move forward.  There can be no regrets.  To gain reassurance in our defined treatment plan a second opinion was scheduled with another doctor.   The xrays where gathered and with our appointment confirmed we loaded you into the backseat of our car and began the drive to Salt Lake City.


The wait at the doctors wasn't long.  As the doctor reviewed the xrays she confirmed the previous doctors diagnoses...surgery both hips as soon as possible.  We asked what the options were if we wanted to have the treatment plan performed at Shriner's.  The doctor checked the surgery schedule, reporting back that the soonest day, the first surgery cound be done was seven days after our already scheduled surgery with our previous doctor.  Your mother responded with concerns of a new born baby sister that would arrive while your were still in a cast.  How is a mother to care for a new born baby, and two year old in a cast and recover from a cesarean surgery herself?  Restrictions following your new born sister limits your mother to no more than ten pounds.  The doctor sent us away with a reservation for the OR and told us to talk it over and get back with her with our decision.  She reassured us that either her or the other doctor were very capable of performing the necessary surgeries to restore your hips.


We left the hospital, traveling to Temple Square to spent some time in discussion of your future.  We found ourselves in the top floor of the visitor building setting if front of the Christus Statue.  The sun was warm and inviting as it penitrated the surrounding glass. Setting in a comfy couch facing the statue with the warmth of the sun on our backs, we began an intense review of pros and cons of both potential pathways, comparing timelines with thoughts and feelings.  As we began to conclude with no clear decisions or direction we bowed our heads in prayer.  We asked for direction to aid us in making a decision for the future of our daughter. 


A short while after concluding our plea for guidance, the ring of my cell phone broke the silence.  On the phone was the aid for your doctor.  In a rare turn of events, the patient following our visit had to cancel their surgery.  An opening a week earlier than your current scheduled surgery had just opened up.  This new time slot put your cast removal right around the time of the new baby.  Timing was as close to perfect as we could get seeing this was Thursday and the opening was for Tuesday.


We returned to the hospital that afternoon and toured the facilty.  Another short meeting with your doctor after hours to resovle last minute concerns and your surgery was confirmed.


It is a wonderful experience in deed when you see heaven's hands reach in a take control.