Dear Prayer Warriors,
I got some daddy daughter time in on Monday as we headed up to
Denver for two appointments. Anna let me sing all the way up. It was a time of
devotion and worship. I was belting out all the old campfire songs full on
loving God. It’s a wonderfully unique thing to bring Anna into my quiet time
with God. My other kids want to do something else. But sweet Anna will listen
to Scripture without objection, agree in prayer and let me sing. There are
times when I sing that she joins me with her cooing and abstract vocal styling.
We established care with an orthopedic surgeon to discuss
Anna’s hip dysplasia. Her femur comes in too straight into the hip socket which
prevents a normal formation of the hip socket, ultimately leading to hip
dislocation. He explained that all this is caused by Anna’s cerebral palsy
(cp).
The big revelation he made was that Anna is not in the
spastic quadriplegic cp grouping (as diagnosed in paper) but rather the
dystonic quadriplegic cp. This means that she has periods when her muscle tone
relents naturally, whereas spastic is more of a constant flexing of those
muscles. The doctor informed us that 95% of non-ambulatory (cannot walk)
cerebral palsy kids develop hip subluxation (pre dislocation) requiring
surgery. The majority of cases (80%) occur by the time the child is 5. The
doctor said “Anna’s dystonic breaks in muscle tone is her saving grace.” I interrupted
him, “Anna’s saving grace is far greater than that. we have seen
miracles.” Perhaps the doctor was just using a figure of speech, he is right,
her cerebral palsy could be so much worse. A softer disability would be a mercy
from God rather than a saving grace.
When I think of God’s actual saving grace for Anna I think of
the parable of the Great Banquet where those invited chose not to come, “Then the
owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into
the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the
blind and the lame.’” Luke 14:21. And more directly, how God promises that “the
lame I will make my remnant.” Micah 4:7. Jesus extends salvation to Anna! Her
saving grace and my saving grace are from the same source the Word. No merit of our own, just God's grace. Even before
Anna and I left the appointment room I prayed for God to honor how provoked I
was. I asked God to show miraculous grace in this situation. To bring healing
to Anna’s hips noticeable in her next X-ray. And that she would be monitored
closely for years and never be a “good candidate” for hip subluxation surgery
and that the doctor would remember the greater saving grace that we brought to
his attention that day.
In faith I know that Jesus is the one taking care of Anna, He
will heal, He meets her needs. Even when I haven’t read the latest medical
journal on cerebral palsy and blindness I know Jesus has. Even though there is
no special needs trust set up for Anna I know Jesus will meet all her needs. Even
though there may be more surgeries I know Jesus will shepherd us. What a gift of
faith Anna has become in the life of my wife and I.
Please Pray for:
-Numotion to call us regarding a stander, gait trainer as we
are still waiting.
-my private insurance to accept my doctor and therapist forms
to see if they will pay for a platform lift, they have to be submitted through
a lift construction company that they approve. the company I talked to doesn’t submit
to insurance.
-full healing of Anna, including from an acute respiratory
illness she has been dealing with for about ten days.
-the right night nurse willing to work 4 nights a week. Right
now we just have 2 days covered.
God’s got us,
The Currats
(the Pic is of Anna's dedication)
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