Miracle Mason

Yesterday I learned great news. My young friend Mason, born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and severe pulmonary vein stenosis, is moving out of the pediatric intensive care unit at the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford into a regular hospital room almost tube free.

Truly, Mason's story has been a powerful example of faith on the part of all those involved, especially his mother Summer. From the first day she started a blog for Mason she referred to her son as Miracle Mason.

Everyone who has ever worked on his case fought to keep him around although most were unsure of his future.

The frustration of thinking there was no hope for this young man because of his extremely complicated heart and lung anatomy strengthened his parents resolve to explore all medical options with the hope a pediatric thoraic surgeon could perform a miracle on Mason.

The odds were stacked up against this young man, but his mother was determined to fight on, never looking back, and challenge every option, trying every last resort. To that end, we've witnessed a miracle because of a mother's love. The world needs more mothers like Masons.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Special Announcement: The Blog Lives On!

Now that I am home and enjoying my beautiful family I'm amazed at the amount of energy I am feeling. Wow! This is too good to be true. I feel so alive. I walk in the morning as the sun rises, come home, and I'm ready to go out again.

Because of this new found energy and by your gentle persuasion, I've decided to continue with my blog livingforeden.com

I will be posting once a week. I'm not sure which day but when it happens you'll know that's the day during each week to come see what I have to say.

Thanks for all of your ongoing prayers and support. Life is beautifully ironic and full of joy and sorrow. I'm in a season of pure joy.

Yet, there are still so many who need our faith and prayers. May I suggest praying for the family of Mason Andrew Strickland. I ran into Mason and his mother after my biopsy this past Monday at Primary Children's Medical Center.

Mason and his family need our help. They have a trust fund set up in his name. He has pulmonary vein stenosis and they are struggling to find a happy ending. It breaks my new heart apart. Here I am fresh from a victory over my own congenital heart disease and yet Mason is fighting his own battle.

Never, should we live in our own little worlds because other folks need our love, service, and care.

Dear Strickland family and sweet little Mason, "Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine.  Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love—for you." -Deiter F. Uchtdorf (October 3, 2009)

If you can contribute to the fund here is a link to Mason's blog: http://miraclemason.blogspot.com/

Finally, as we think about the Stricklands and other families who are struggling to find solutions, healing from grief, and answers to the challenges that lie ahead may we each stop to reflect on the great love God has for each one of us. We are His children. He knows our name. He loves us as though we are His only child. Eventually, we all grow old and go home. 

Some of us, the pure, the lovely, the innocent, go home young because obviously these souls are too good for this world.