Write, Breathe, Live

On Blessings and Angels

I believe that angels do live among us, ordinary people whose kind hearts and beautiful souls may not always be evident to the naked eye. I am so fortunate to have such angels in my life.

My son James is set to have an operation sometime in April or May. He has cerebral palsy and has been tube-fed since 2002. We use the naso-gastric tube to feed him, a long slim hose that goes through his nose directly to his stomach. James can’t eat properly through the mouth. His chewing and swallowing reflexes are so poor he can’t get ample nutrition orally.

Last month, we were advised by the pediatric-gastroenterologist to have James undergo the PEG operation. It’s a surgical procedure wherein the feeding tube will be “installed” directly through a hole in the stomach leaving a kind of plug outside. That will prevent further erosion of the gastro-intestinal tract and lessen vomitting. Before going through the surgery, James needs to gain more weight and develop more fats in his body for faster healing. It was overwhelming to be told that we have to put him on a purely Pediasure diet.

Pediasure is one of the most expensive milk brands in my country, since it is not simply a growing-up milk but has the components of complete food, the most ideal for tube-feeding. My husband and I are not earning enough to fulfill all our special son’s needs so we entrusted our burdens to the Lord. This is where the angels came in.

Friends and family from here and abroad whom we’ve kept in contact with are helping us pray for God’s provisions. A family friend, on her own initiative, wrote a letter to her circle of friends for help. We were surprised and very much heartened to receive offers of assistance from different people, some of whom we haven’t seen in a long time, some we haven’t even met yet! Still another family friend and her sister in the US sent James a dozen cans of Pediasure through their brother who came home to the Philippines the other day. Such is the Lord’s outpouring of blessings. And such is our heartfelt gratitude to these wonderful angels who are unselfishly giving of their time, effort and love.

With all the unsavory things happening in the world today, isn’t it so inspiring that the goodness in peoples’ hearts always comes shining through to brighten and chase away the darkness? To the angels in my life (you know who you are), thank you for being with us in this time of trial. We are comforted by your presence and your immeasurable love. May the Lord richly bless you in return.