Anabelle's MRI

Today, we made the trek to University Medical Center, in Jackson, for Anabelle's scheduled and rescheduled MRI. I should title this blog, "One Mother's Journey." Journeys have to be taken to get from Point A to Point B. That is part of life, you know? Some journeys are joyous; some journeys are just tough (for lack of a better word). Today's journey was tough, to say the least. When they called "Hodges," it was very hard to hold my daughter and walk that LOOOONG hallway to the room for her MRI. I really just wanted to wrap my arms around AnaB and run. I mean, there are some days when I want to scream aloud, "My daughter has been through enough ...quit the poking and prodding!" Her life is just a testimony of God's grace, from the very beginning of her existence. She was smiling when I handed her over to the nurse, and she was smiling when she awoke .... THAT alone just makes me tear up ...she is so innocent and so forgiving and so happy. When we got there, I knew she would be sedated. What I didn't know is that they would have to intubate her, and I was not happy about that. She still has reflux, and with the possibility of her aspirating, intubation was necessary. Anabelle has a stenotic trachea (airway), so anytime she has to be intubated, it has to be done so with care, as she requires a smaller tube than other children her size. They allowed me to be in the room with her for a short while. She did start to cry when the nurse put the mask over her face, and she did cry for me ....MOMMY. I cried, too ...all the while praying for God's healing; praying for God's hands on the doctors and nurses that were attending my baby. After about 3 or 4 deep cries and deep breaths, she was asleep. I had to leave. I didn't want to leave, but I did as I was told. I knew she well taken care of, as they had a team in the room because she was so small. She would've been in better hands in MY hands, but mothers do things that they don't want to do ....they do things they HAVE to do and those things aren't always easy or a "piece of cake." So, I did. Then, after the MRI (which I thought took forever), I got to hold my baby all the way over to Pediatric Post-Op and Pediatric Recovery ... and I prayed and thanked God ...praising God that Anabelle was entrusted in my care, for the rest of her life. I praised God before the MRI; I praised God after the MRI. I praised God because I can!!!! Anabelle did fine. It was me and Papa that had a rough time with things, wasn't it, Pop? Meemaw was also on pins and needles back at home, waiting on us to let her know AnaB was ok. Anabelle sounds a little raspy now (sorta' like her Granny Meemaw :) because of the brief intubation, but she is the perfect, healthy, happy, precious bundle of life she was before she went into that MRI ....diagnosis or NOT!!!!! We won't get the results back for a few days, but that MRI cannot tell us a thing we don't already know ..and that is this: ANABELLE KATHERINE HODGES IS PROOF THAT GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES! And I can tell you this, if you think God doesn't perform miracles, stop by my house sometime - I have TWO !!!!!!

Continuing on the journey that was meant for me and only me,
Melanie, THE MOM AROUND HERE

PS: AnaB was feeling just well enough, in Ped. Post-Op to pull her very own IV out! And who knew they used "man-sized" needles on such little hands?! The bleeding subsided after pressure, of course ....and I don't know about you, but I'm thinking she may grow up to be a doctor! :)