Selflessness

As I prepare for the upcoming arrival of Baby G, I can't help but be shocked at the selflessness of a friend of mine, Sarah. I met Scott and Sarah through church several years ago and they have struggled with the loss of a child through miscarriage and were a source of strength for me during my emotional recovery after ours. Since October, they have been struggling with the challenge of getting their second child well. Their baby girl, Emma, has a serious medical condition (you can read more about it on her blog (http://www.emmajanae.blogspot.com) and their journey is one of such faith... the kind that moves mountains.

On today's update, Sarah was explaining that Emma's doctors now have decided she needed put on the heart transplant list. I can't even imagine how hard this news must be for them. She also talks about in her blog how hard it is that Emma has gotten to the point where being held (she has only been held about five times since she was born, due to her heart condition) is annoying to Emma. I can't begin to understand how difficult that must be, to watch your child there in pain and crying, and not be able to pick her up and hold her because it just makes things worse. Emma is just not used to being held.

With all of that said, Sarah's post ended with this comment:

"Please keep us in your prayers as we take this next step. Emma is such a fighter, but it is hard to know how to pray because getting Emma on a transplant list means that our potential gain is someone else’s loss. Please keep the prayers coming."

Sarah is confused about how to pray because like she said, her gain means someone else's loss. This has to be one of the most selfless things I have ever heard. To think that she doesn't know if it would feel right to pray for a heart for her own daughter, because that means someone else would have to lose theirs. What a difficult situation.

Sarah calls out to her family and friends for strength and for her continued faith. In turn, I am calling out to mine... please pray for Sarah and Scott (and baby Emma, of course). Such a difficult situation and such a hard prayer to pray... All I can hope for is that I will be the kind of mother that Sarah has already become in the few short months of being one. Understanding that someone else would have to lose their child to potentially save another... THAT is selflessness.