Mother's Day in the PICU

Well, it is my second mother's day to spend with my son in the hospital... I wonder if I need to put in a reservation now for next year:-) Braden gave mommy his FIRST TOOTH!!! one on the bottom finally broke through, and we are pretty excited about it. He is now off the temp blanket, off the catheter, and they are trying to wean him off the ventilator later today or tomorrow morning. It will be a great Mother's Day gift to be able to hold him again. The chest tube they will try to take out once he proves he can breathe on his own, and his lungs hold up on their own too. Dr. Thomas says those trouble spots we were worried about have cleared up on their own, and his lungs are looking pretty good overall too... we are still waiting to figure out what exactly the "bug" is that is growing in his cultures.

I wish all mom's out there a happy mother's day... and if you know anyone with a special needs child, I invite you to share the following by Erma Bombeck:

HOW GOD SELECTS THE MOTHER FOR THE LESS-THAN-PERFECT CHILD
by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen? Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint Matthew."

"Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, Patron Saint Cecilia."

"Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly", smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I am going to give her has her own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in You."

God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she cannot separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with less than perfect."

"She does not realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a “step” ordinary. When her child says “Momma” for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

I will permit her to see clearly the things I see .... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice ... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as if she is here by my side."

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid air. God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Happy Mother's Day to all of you...
K, B, &B