Читать книгу Praying Through a Child's Illness - Wessel Bentley - Страница 6

Events during the first year of our firstborn son’s life inspired this book. What you are about to read is based on our experience and the experiences of others who have walked the road of caring for an ill child. You will see that there are no generic answers but simply thoughts and prayers that helped us through difficult times. Allow me to briefly share our story with you.

For two years Natalie and I had been trying to conceive without success. You can imagine our joy when the doctor phoned, saying, “You are going to have a baby!” We were ecstatic. Just when we thought that all hope was lost, it happened. We were going to have a baby! Not only would this child be our first, but he or she would be the first grandchild on both sides of the family. Grannies started knitting, grandpas talked about taking this child on fishing trips. This child was not only going to be our child but also would belong to the whole family.

Weeks and months passed and, with the doctor, we agreed that this little boy, who would be called Matthew, would be delivered via caesarean section on September 11, 2003. We chose to give Matthew an unofficial second name, Nkosinathi. “Matthew” means “gift from God,” and “Nkosinathi” means “God is with us.” We couldn’t have imagined how much these names would mean in the months and years that followed.

Matthew Nkosinathi Bentley was delivered on the morning of September 11, a Thursday morning. Everything appeared to go well with the procedure. Matthew emerged, a seemingly healthy little boy, screaming at the top of his lungs. I will never forget his face, all wrinkly, with his eyes barely open. The doctors and nursing staff quickly took him away to be weighed and to do the necessary checks. Then, without any comment, they charged with him to the neonatal intensive care unit. He was turning blue, a sign of lack of oxygen. Natalie was heavily sedated and did not know quite what was going on. I stood feeling helpless and all alone. What were minutes felt like hours.

The medical team first thought something was wrong with Matthew’s lungs; they inserted drainage pipes, but this did not help. A cardiologist arrived; after a prolonged ultrasound, she called me aside. Matthew had severe heart defects, she told me. His aorta and pulmonary arteries were switched around, a condition called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA). There were big holes in the septum, which separates the atria and the ventricles. The heart was twisted and was positioned on the opposite side of his chest. The chances for Matthew’s survival were slim.

That evening I went home, expecting a telephone call telling me that Matthew had passed away. When Natalie woke, she was wheeled to the ICU to see our little child, covered with pipes, drips, and probes. She had a chance to hold him, but not for very long because his body was frail.

The next morning came, but no telephone call. Matthew was still frail but seemed to be stabilizing. Days passed and he seemed to be getting slightly stronger. We started a conversation with the cardiologist, who indicated that it was possible for Matthew to undergo surgery. It would be risky because several interventions would be necessary. Matthew would in all likelihood not live a normal life, but we were informed that these interventions might offer him a fair quality of life, if he survived. Matthew was first discharged from hospital three weeks after his birth, but he had to return to hospital several times after that. At four months old, Matthew was admitted to the Sunninghill Hospital as a patient in the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre. Given his frailty, the doctors had decided to try to fix everything in one go. Our baby underwent an eight-hour operation on January 22, 2004.

Matthew was discharged a week later and has since been extremely healthy. Thus far he has not needed further surgery and is as active as all his peers, a gift we thank God for every day. Every time we remember the journey we have been on, we know God has been with us. There were times of great uncertainty, not only regarding Matthew’s health but also concerning finances, fear of the unknown, and anxiety about what the future might hold.

In the years since, we have traveled a similar road alongside several families. Being a minister, I see these situations arise frequently, and every time I glimpse back into our own history. I write this book still with raw wounds but with hope that these reflections and prayers will be a source of encouragement to you and your family. Every child’s story is different, every family’s journey unique. I do not offer concrete answers or pretend that I can fully understand your history. These meditations and prayers are for parents and families who seek encouragement. I simply pray that you experience God’s peace and comfort during this difficult time.