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Unfolding Faith :: at (in)courage

in (In)Courage· Change· Faith· Faith in Action· Family· Parenting

“Our job is not to mold our kids but to unfold them.” Jon Courson

I lean against the window and stare into sapphire winter skies. Days have passed since the night I heard those life-changing words. Still, I can’t get the doctor’s point blank statement out of my head,

“If she’d landed just a bit harder, she’d be in a wheelchair or dead.”

Heavens, what can unfold in no time at all. This proved true the night a gymnastics accident left our girl’s head throbbing and her sobbing scared over being “numb and tingley.” The accident didn’t look scary; she didn’t fall awkwardly or in any way that made me suck in wind or jump out of my chair. But, we don’t mess around with numb and tingley. So after the ER trip, x-rays and CT scan, we discover the critical bone -the odontoid – that protects her spinal chord is malformed. This bone protrudes from the second vertebrae, and the malformation means part of her spine is not as protected as it should be. Without this extra protection, any jarring of the neck can cause numbness. Or worse.

This leaves us numb and jarred into a new reality.

Will you read the rest at (in)courage?

And may I ask for your prayers? This condition is known as os odontoideum, and the missing odontoid bone means a wrong movement causes our girl’s first vertebrae to slide right into her spinal cord. On Wednesday, she undergoes surgery to correct this. While we are on-our-knees grateful the malformation is treatable, questions remain regarding our daughter’s recovery and future abilities. Only time will give answers, so today – right now – we rest knowing He already has all those answers!

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Filed Under: (In)Courage, Change, Faith, Faith in Action, Family, Parenting

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Comments

  1. Sharon O says

    December 12, 2011 at 9:30 am

    wow… will certainly pray for this little one. Perhaps without the accident you would never have known about this so it might be a ‘prayer’ answer that you were forwarned of potential issues later. God does work in mysteriious ways. thank you for sharing this story.

    Reply
    • Kristen says

      December 14, 2011 at 12:15 am

      You are *exactly* right, Sharon. We praise Him for bringing hidden truth to light!

      Reply
  2. Becky K. says

    December 12, 2011 at 10:39 am

    PRAISE GOD they detected this condition, Kristen. My mommy’s heart aches for you today. You don’t know me (although we did ride the shuttle together at She Speaks!) but we are nonetheless connected through God’s sisterhood and the beautiful role of motherhood, his gift. I have two little girls. I’m praying for you.

    Reply
    • Kristen says

      December 14, 2011 at 12:15 am

      Becky, I do remember! And thank you for your prayers and for taking my hand in the sisterhood. You are a dear.

      Reply
  3. Sherry says

    December 12, 2011 at 11:20 am

    Thank you for sharing. My daughters both have varying levels of ADHD. One also has some OCD. It hasn’t been easy for her to make friends or even gain positive attention from adults. My other daughter is impulsive and has difficulty with self-control, especially with food. She’s quite overweight for her age. I’m having to let go of how I pictured they would be and what life would be like with them too. And to trust God’s working in them “to will and act according to His good purpose.” I’m finding it’s harder to let go of my own expectations than I could have known.

    Reply
    • Kristen says

      December 14, 2011 at 12:17 am

      Sherry, I’ve had seasons when knowing this letting go and accepting it are two different things. Praying for your family right now…

      Reply
  4. Anne Thies says

    December 12, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    May our God, who knows all the future has in store for each of us, give you and your family peace that surpasses all understanding. I am praying for you!

    Reply
    • Kristen says

      December 14, 2011 at 12:18 am

      So lovely, Anne. Thank *you*.

      Reply
  5. Keri Langert says

    December 14, 2011 at 7:10 am

    Sending lots of prayers and love to you guys today! I know God will keep the sweet girl safe!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Because Christmas Decorations Encourage says:
    December 19, 2011 at 11:22 am

    […] the latter is why I’m adding my Christmas Home Tour pictures late. With everything that’s been going on, posting these took the back seat of a twelve passanger van. Or a bus. The only reason I’m […]

    Reply
  2. Your New Christmas Miracle Waiting to Be Found says:
    December 20, 2011 at 9:43 am

    […] our 3 day stay in the hospital, we recount Faith’s story a dozen times. Yes, she’s most likely had this injury since age 2. Yes, she’s survived […]

    Reply
  3. How You Can Really Rest This New Year says:
    January 4, 2012 at 10:29 am

    […] deserve. Oh, it wasn’t perfect, but it was perfectly wonderful. It began on a hard note with our girl’s surgery to fuse her top two vertebrae together. While the days and hours leading up to surgery kept my stomach flip flopping, I can now say that […]

    Reply
  4. On Dancing, Fresh Starts, and Lady Antebellum :: at (in)courage says:
    March 31, 2014 at 11:26 am

    […] the fall of 2011, we discovered our daughter Faith had a broken neck. Before and after her precarious but successful corrective surgery, Faith endured strict […]

    Reply
  5. When It Feels Like Someone Hit the Pause Button on Your Life - Chasing Blue Skies says:
    December 17, 2015 at 10:42 am

    […] years ago this week, my daughter underwent surgery on her spine to repair a broken neck. When I re-visit memories from that time, I turn over many questions […]

    Reply

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