Michael's Song
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 to 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. The pediatric specialist regretfully had to tell the
parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her
husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a
special room in their home for the new baby - but now they found themselves
having to plan for a funeral. Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let
him see his sister. "I want to sing to her," he kept saying. 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 made up her mind, though. She would 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. He
looked like a walking laundry basket. But 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!"
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 grey---" 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!
Stories and inspirations are sent to me regularly. Often they do not include an author, because the author is uknown. ComPortOne always credits its authors and contributors when they are known. Please, if you know the author of any of our contributions that currently carry an "author unknown" credit line, email ComPortOne, so we can give proper credit for a job well done. --- Connie Eccles, CEO of ComPortOne... More Inspirational Writings and Poems The Parables of Christ & Selected Holy Scriptures ComPortOne Religion Home Page ComPortOne Home Page
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