Normal

“Gabe, you aren’t just cute, you’re SUPER cute.  And you don’t need a cardiologist until you’re 80,” said Dr. O at the end of our visit with him last week.  It was my favorite thing he said the entire appointment, though each thing he said was music to my ears. 

             

Things like, “Your EKGs are becoming increasingly boring.”

And, “If he were my son I’d consider him normal.”

Normal?  Hardly what I’d imagined Dr. O EVER saying 2 years ago when he was telling us how a defibrillator would be carefully installed beneath the ribs of our baby should his QT interval grow increasingly prolonged and we have episodes of fainting and cardiac arrest. 

Normal?  Not exactly what I expected to hear after 2 years of rocking the sleepless baby in the night who was wakened by stomach upset and night terrors as a result of the meds we had to administer around the clock. 

Normal?  Never occurred to me as a word someone would describe my son as because I had long since made it a habit to locate the AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) as soon as I entered a public building. 

Normal?  Not what I would have guessed any doctor might tell me as I experienced grief when I thought about all of the things Gabe would never get to do in his life because of his chronic heart condition that was characterized by fainting and sudden death.  He wouldn’t get to plunge into hotel pools with his brother on a dare, or play any competitive athletic sports.  We wouldn’t vacation in the mountains due to lower oxygen levels.  He wouldn't get to rough house in quite the same way his brothers did without the possibility of serious side effects.  

I’m not sure you have caught it yet and I can hardly resist waiting any longer to tell you what has happened: God has healed Gabe of his heart condition!

He no longer has Long QT.  His doctors consider him normal.  He does not need a cardiologist until he is 80.  The Giver of life, and health, and breath has done just that for our baby boy.  Praise Him!

Let me recount the specific events that led up to this last appointment.  I will include dates because it amazes me:

April 10^th, 2010-we welcomed our precious Gabey Baby into the world. 

April 11^th, 2010- he was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome

(You can read about all God accomplished in my heart through Gabe’s first year of life on previous blog posts.) 

February 11^th, 2012-we pursued genetic testing for Gabe’s condition.  There are 13 genes to test. 

April 10^th, 2012-Gabe celebrated his second birthday, we continued to marvel at God’s kindness to keep our son alive

April 11^th, 2012-Dr. O calls me on the phone and says, “All 13 tests came back negative for LQT.”  With cautious optimism, we continue to pray that God has healed Gabe.  The confirmation will come if he has some EKGs done that show that his QT interval is in the normal range. 

Finally, last week we went for our long awaited visit with Dr. O.  This doctor has been the most kind, most humble, most helpful, most wonderful doctor we have ever met.  He is also very cautious and careful.  Though we have appreciated his carefulness throughout our time doctoring with him, I was worried that this very characteristic might lead him to never give Gabe the all clear.  We prayed that God would lead Dr. O clearly and that we would be able to trust his leading without hesitation.

As Gabe sat motionless on the bed while the technician did an EKG, I excitedly hoped that this familiar sight would become a distant memory.  Though many times he screamed at the leads being placed all over his bare skin—feet, hands, and chest—this time he enjoyed playing “the sticker game” with the kind tech.  He sat so still that she only had to do it once.  And then I saw the number and my heart sank.  He had had 2 normal EKGs—but I knew what this number meant.  It was a number considered “borderline.”  As the tech left and we waited for the doctor, I lamented to Ben at how Dr. O would never consider him healed if his number was borderline.  Ben gently reminded me that my hope wasn’t in that number or in what Dr. O had to say AND that I had no idea what Dr. O would have to say anyway. 

Dr. O came in and quietly studied the printout the tech had put on Gabe’s chart.  He got out his little ruler and pen.  Oh, how could I have forgotten this deliberate task that routinely happened at each appointment—Dr. O didn’t like how the computer averaged numbers to figure out the QT interval.  He always refigured it himself.  After a few chicken scratches, some long division, and a recheck on his calculator—he scratched out the number that had sent me into panic and wrote “Normal.” 

“Normal.”  Confirmed what we longed to see God do since Gabe was diagnosed. 

“Normal.”  Confirmed what we had wonderfully suspected God had done for Gabe.  

“Normal.”  Confirmed what we cautiously hoped the doctor would say that day. 

We can’t begin to describe the emotions we feel as we consider the things God has done.  

Psalm 69:13 says, “But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.  At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.” 

I have prayed this prayer so many times for my precious Gabe since he was born.  But the amazing thing about God is that whether or not He had chosen to heal Gabe of LQT or not, He was still showing us an abundance of his steadfast love and saving faithfulness.  Each moment of each day that he upheld Gabe’s life he was showing it.  In the way he kindly helped me to trust him, in the lessons that he taught me Gabe’s first year, He was answering with saving faithfulness.  In the way that He provided strength to continue after sleepless nights, He was answering.  When Caleb and Elliott asked time after time, “How is it God’s good for Gabe to have a heart condition?”  and he gave Ben and I faith to respond that though we can’t always understand the ways of God, that God is always good and faithful and so somehow this was too—God was answering.  And oh how He has shown an abundance of steadfast love to our sweet Caleb who diligently prayed multiple times a day that “God would heal Gabey of his heart condition."  He would have been just as good and faithful had He chosen not to answer this prayer.  But out of the abundance of His steadfast love He has given Caleb the sweet gift of seeing how He answers prayers.  God didn’t have to, but He did. 

Our God still heals.

Our God still does miracles. 

Just look at this sweet boy and consider the works that He has done!

Oh how we look forward with hopeful anticipation that one day God will give our precious son a new heart spiritually as well--That out of the abundance of His steadfast love He will open Gabe’s eyes to the Gospel!  

This is the song I have sung for Gabe since the day he was born: 

VERSE 1

O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

VERSE 2
I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

VERSE 3
Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for more on what God is doing in Gabe's life!