Sigh, I only have tears in this moment…
I’m trying to find words. She is amazing, inspiring and full of God’s love… It pours out of her in abundance… She gave God all the glory in her situation! His light shines bright through her and her son! I believe so many people will be touched and moved through her words. I am so honored to have made this piece for her, I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means to me.
Praying for my faithful sister in Christ!
Missy’s story…
Tricia,
I cannot thank you enough! The necklace you made is so beautiful and means more to me than you realize!
Such simple words, ‘For this child I prayed…’
My husband and I, for years, prayed for a baby and God brought us Jake, not from our blood, not from our bones, but from our heart. Jake came home to us when he was 19 days old, beautiful, and healthy.
A few months after the adoption was finalized, at 15 months of age, Jake was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor on his optic nerve. Again, we prayed. I was so upset but I knew God had blessed us with this beautiful child, this beautiful gift, for a reason, although at the time I didn’t quite know what that reason was.
Jake went on treatment after the craniotomy for the biopsy. He was on treatment for over a year and the tumor reacted favorably and shrunk from about the size of a golf ball to just a couple of millimeters. PRAISE GOD! All was going great until at 4 years old, he stopped growing. We didn’t know if it was because of the tumor, the chemo, or what it could have been. He just stopped. His doctor, along with his oncologist, suggested growth hormone therapy (GHT), assuring us his tumor would not be affected. 3 months after starting GHT, while in kindergarten, Jake’s tumor grew and he had to go back on chemotherapy. THEN I was angry, I was angry at the doctor’s and I was upset that Jake had to go through chemo again because of a decision we made. I was convinced it was the GHT (only to find out later, it was not). So, again, we prayed.
It wasn’t until Jake was on his second bout of chemotherapy that I came to understand why God gives us challenges in our lives. Now of course I can’t speak for God nor do I begin to understand why He does what He does. I can only interpret in my heart what lessons, I believe, He is trying to teach. While Jake was on treatment, we met so many families, but there are two in particular that really opened my eyes.
One day while Jake was inpatient with a fever, a little girl that was Jake’s age came wandering into his room. She introduced herself with a big smile on her face and she and Jake were instant friends. We also became very close to her family. Her mom was single and not only had her but two other little girls. Times were very hard for her trying to keep her family together while taking care of a sick child. Christmas time came, and I found out that she had little money for bills, let alone gifts. So, we went into action and sent out emails and letters to everyone we knew. Right before Christmas, we were able to present her mom with plenty of money to pay her bills as well as some gifts for her girls. If it had not been for Jake’s relapse, we would have never been blessed to meet them.
We met another family, again, while Jake was inpatient due to a low fever and low blood counts. Not too sick, but sick enough to keep him admitted in the hospital. After our second day of being there, here came another beautiful little girl wandering into our room. This one was only 3 years old. Her mom came out of the room next to ours in a panic looking for her. I told her she was fine and playing games with Jake. Trying not to break down, her mom asked if her little one could stay in our room and play. She explained that her 3 year old was not the patient but that it was her 16 year old daughter, and she was not going to make it for very much longer. Her husband and son were on their way and would arrive the next day. In the meantime, it was hard for her to care for her little one while also caring for her older daughter. Jake, who was only 6 at the time, became like a little daddy taking care of her. He would have her stand on his IV pole and tote her around to the play areas of the hospital. It got to the point to where this little girl wouldn’t go into her sister’s room without Jake. He became her security. I was so proud of the strength he showed for that little girl. He was never afraid. The day after we met her and just minutes after her dad and brother arrived, God called her Home. A doctor came in with tears in his eyes after she had passed, hugged us, and thanked us for caring for the little one. He said, “God brought Jake here for her.” A flood of realization came over me and a light came on! It was at that moment that I understood why Jake was going through this again and that yes, God DOES have a plan for everything. Whether it was to lighten my heart, to strengthen us, or to help those families, there was a reason.
From then on, we have been active in supporting others. The Children’s Cancer Hospital (CCH) at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is where Jake has been a patient for over 11 years. The CCH has a Family Advisory Council, of which I have been honored to be a member, acting as a voice for the families of the CCH. Jake has also been involved and has sat on guest panels with me on occasion to give a patients perspective. He is only 12 now but I think he is starting to realize what a difference he can make on the behalf of patients and that his voice will be heard.
We have had many challenges along the way but have held our faith and have looked upon each one as a lesson in strength, love, courage, and patience. As for Jake, after 7 surgeries and 2 bouts of chemotherapy, his tumor remains stable. He has been such a good patient throughout it all, always happy and ready to take whatever came. He shows strength and courage beyond his years and his daddy and I couldn’t be prouder!
And it was all because, ‘For this child I prayed…’
Now you understand, Tricia, more of the meaning behind those words and why, when I saw what you had created, it filled me with a rush of memories, joy, tears, pride, and above all, thanks to God for all of our blessings.
Thank you and may God bless you each day!
Missy Ramirez
***Another patient and her family have made a huge difference by starting Keep Kids Connected (www.keepkidsconnected.org). Keep Kids Connected is non-profit organization which gives laptops to children in the hospital in order for them to stay in touch with friends and family who cannot be there with them. And for them, we pray.
Oh my! Check out these curls!
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