Guided - Resting in Our Father's Arms

As much as this is supposed to be a medical blog, it is also supposed to be a representation of the miraculous work that God has done in Rebecca's life. Yesterday, while talking to some ladies at church, I was reminded of an event that could only be chalked up to...well God. April is national CDH awareness month. I didn't know this until I was prompted to research it:

THE PROMPT

I don't know what it's like to lose a child. I especially don't know what it is like to lose 2 children. My dear friend Robyn Matthews has unfortunately walked that walk. I remember going to her son Ezra's celebration of life service. We had an opportunity to go up and hug the necks of the family that is grieving. I remember hugging that mama's neck and saying "you've inspired me to be a better advocate for my daughter's medical condition." I'm sure she doesn't remember this bc,well she had other things on her mind that day. But I went home and began to research "CDH awareness". That's how I discovered that awareness month is in June!. Now I'd love to say that I created an organization like "BEAT CDH" and 100s of babies are now alive because of my hard work, but that never happened.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED

Since I discovered June was CDH awareness month, I made it appoint to at least start to get Rebecca's story out in Facebook world. Posting about her every April. I received many likes and comments but I wanted to do more. One year the Holy Spirit just prompted me to google search CDH awareness events. Up popped a "survivors march" that was going to be held at Shand's  in Gainesville. So we packed up our family and Rebecca's friend Bethany and we drove to Gville. Turns out this march was being put together by Dr. Kay's staff. During the march we chatted with the staff and began to be intrigued by this doctor that is making huge advancements in the CDH world. I remember driving home and saying to Josh "She needs to be his patient". So that's exactly what happened. He took her on as a "consultant" to her medical care. Because Rebecca already had established doctors he wasn't really open to taking her on fully. So we traveled back and forth to Gainesville for appointments until Shands decided they would change their network of providers and Rebecca's insurance was no longer accepted.

THEN GOD SHOWED UP

We were devastated to find out we would now have to pay out of pocket for every testing and X-ray dr kays would do. He worked with us and allowed us to get some tests done here locally that would be covered and then just have results sent to him but there just didn't seem to be any progress. Then God showed up! We were at Rebecca's post-op appointment from her back surgery. We told Dr Neustadt that Rebecca had been seeing Dr Kays but we had run into some issues. That's when he told us "Oh Dr Kays is moving to All Children's in St Pete". Wait What?!?! That's right! God had answered a prayer we hadn't even been praying. We had been praying that Shands would change their providers again so Rebecca's insurance would be received there. But God did us one more! Now fast forward to today. If Dr. Kays hadn't taken Rebecca on fully last year she wouldn't have had the test done to determine her stomach deformity. If Dr Kays hadn't moved to All Children's in St. Pete he probably wouldn't have taken her on fully. If I hadn't listened to the Holy Spirit prompting to look for awareness events we wouldn't have met Dr Kays. If Kyle and Robyn didn't take their terrible circumstance and use it for good and to glorify God I wouldn't have been inspired to do the same. I could keep going and going. Like If I never went to the bible study at Paige Eavenson house I wouldn't have met Robyn and began a friendship.  If Paige hadn't been faithful in opening her home to have bible studies in this wouldn't have happened. If I had tried my hardest to form the best plan possible for Rebecca, I could never have orchestrated anything close to this. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, but in ALL your way acknowledge Him and He will direct your path!