One of Those Days

Today was One of Those Days.  The days that remind me of the width and the breadth of Angie's influence on those who come into contact with her.  Today, Angie had an appointment at Randall Children's Hospital for Botox injections for her shoulder.  To be clear, medical-grade Botox treatments are nothing like those obtained by actresses and rich women to enhance their facial features.  The injections that Angie receives are for the sole purpose of increasing the mobility in her shoulder.  They are much more powerful than the injections that plump lips and enhance brow lines.  And incredibly more painful.

The nurse that was assigned to Angie this morning knew right away that she was different.  Angie didn't argue or complain when she was told about the procedure she would endure.  She offered herself for all of the preceding screenings and she waited patiently for her injections.  The nurse asked me if I wanted to decline the anxiety-reducing medications for Angie based on her calm demeanor.  At that point, I remembered, most children don't behave this way.  The screams coming from the other rooms on the unit confirmed this.  And yet.....Angie waited patiently for what she knew would be the outcome,

Angie's rehab doctor came in and she greeted him as the old friend that he has become.  They joked together as he prepared the injections and then he began the procedure.  The needles that are used to inject Botox into carefully-identified muscles are large.  The injection occurs over 30-45 seconds and is repeated three times.  It is excruciating.  And yet, Angie does not complain, but tries to distract herself from the procedure by turning her face away towards the wall and visiting with her nurse.  She amazes me and the tears are in my eyes, rather than hers, as the procedure is completed.

After the post-procedure waiting period, Angie was escorted out of the unit and into the elevator. A nurse in the elevator turned to me and said, "Is this......Angie?".  I nod.  "She was just a tiny thing when I last saw her", she states, gesturing with her hands.  At that point, I realized how I knew her,  She was one of Angie's ICU nurses over 6 years ago when Angie spent almost a month in the intensive care unit with a severe respiratory illness, followed by a blood infection.  At that time, it was a commonly-known fact that Angie was not expected to survive her illness. Miraculously, she did and it is rare for us to visit the hospital without encountering one of her caregivers from that time.  That this nurse remembered her today reminded me of the impact she has had on the lives of those she has touched.  It is incomprehensible, and not to be taken lightly.

Angie was placed on this Earth for a reason. She is a gift from God and she has impacted more individuals in her short life than we will ever know.  Sometimes I am sad about her challenges but days like today remind me of the greater good. She is a light in an increasingly dark world and that cannot be discounted.  What a privilege it is to have this child in our midst and to have her show us what life is all about.  So grateful tonight to the nurse in the elevator for reminding me.......