I have never felt more helpless than I did this past September, when our son Gideon was placed on hospice care. Since Gideon was 7 months old, we have known that his life expectancy would be short. However, that did not seem to change the shock of it all when he suddenly fell so ill.
End of life planning for a child is something no parent should every have to do. During his time on hospice, I called a funeral home to begin preparations should that time arise. We spoke with our pastor, planned music, gathered photos, etc.. And then something amazing happened. Gideon pulled through it all. On November 7th, he was discharged from hospice care. And just like that, two of the worst months of my life were over. The weight on my heart was lifted and I could breath again.
Maybe that is why I’m feeling extra emotional this Christmas. You see the truth is, when he was originally diagnosed with PBD, we never thought we would get even one Christmas with him. But as I reflect on these past six (almost 7) years, I’m reminded of an obvious and important truth.
None of us are promised tomorrow.
Any one of my kids could be taken from this life in an instant, not just Gideon. My able bodied children could become disabled in the blink of an eye. There are no guarantees of health and prosperity in this world.
That’s why I love the Christmas story. God knew before the foundation of the world how it would all come to pass. Jesus’s birth, offering the hope of our salvation reminds me that even when things seem to be out of our control, they are not out of His control. God’s working all things for our good and His glory.
And I can rest in that truth.
After my last post, a friend reached out and suggested some other organizations, similar to Make-a-Wish. A Texas organization called A Wish with Wings, has been granting wishes for kids with life threatening medical conditions since 1982. And although they don’t grant swim spas, in two short months they were able to give our boy a hot tub!! And the best part is that they got it done 3 days before Christmas!!
We would like to thank A Wish with Wings, Aries Spas of Rockwall, and Gary Winkles with Electrical Specialists of America for making Gideon’s wish a reality. We are eternally grateful for the many memories we will make with him as a family in these waters.