Like any good mother, when Karen
found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help
her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that
the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day, night after
night, Michael sang to his sister in mommy's tummy. He was building a bond
of love with his little sister before he even met her.
The pregnancy progressed normally
for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in
Morristown, Tennessee. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five
minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during
delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a C-section be
required?
Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she
was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the
ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St.
Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days inched by. The little girl
got worse.
Week two in intensive care looked as
if a funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept nagging about
singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen
decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didn't see his
sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an
oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. I looked like a walking
laundry basket. The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed,
"Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed." The mother rose up
strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right
into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until
he sings to his sister" she stated.
Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny
infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing. In
the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: "You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray."
Instantly the baby girl seemed to
respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady. "Keep on
singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know,
dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away." As Michael
sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth
as a kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart." "The other night,
dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms". Michael's little
sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.
"Keep on singing, Michael." Tears
had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed. "You are
my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away..." The
next, day...the very next day...the little girl was well enough to go home.
Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song. The medical
staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love.
NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.
LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.
Life is good. Have a Wonderful Day!
