Between 35 and 37 years old - The First Lesson - Part II

In the search for answers, we could hardly imagine what we would find. We were recommended to see a neurologist specializing in children, who was a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of my hometown. He was an excellent clinical physician. He requested exams and asked for speed. We were apprehensive and very worried. On the way back with the exams, a tsunami hit us in the face... the result was challenging and desperate... the little star had a spinal deficiency, which was compressing her spinal cord, which explained the lack of gait, the difficulty speech, among other things. The doctor was categorical in saying that we should urgently see a neurosurgeon, as my little star had to be operated on immediately, under the risk of dying at any time. The medulla was very compressed. He recommended wearing a vest and being very careful with the little star.

That was late November, early December of that year. It felt like we were going in a boat downstream without any control... it hit from here, hit from there and we held on as best we could. The doctor recommended us a neurosurgeon doctor. We went to him with her case, exams, documents... the doctor apologized and said he had no experience in operations with very young children (in this case, two years old). He indicated another... We went to him, who indicated another. We were desolate, it seemed that we were doomed... no doctor wanted to take the case, my daughter's life was hanging by a thread.

We didn't sleep well... I spent several nights looking on the internet, in doctors' catalogues, in short, everything. And time passed and it seemed like there was no solution... she asked God for his light, his strength and his mercy... It was then that my wife discovered a highly regarded neurosurgeon who might accept our case. We went to him... we showed him all the exams and documents, I expressed my despair saying that we were running out of hope... we had been rejected several times. I asked him, afraid of the answer: "Doctor, can you operate on my daughter? And he replied yes, but I need to talk to my team. At that moment, I almost pinched myself to see if I wasn't dreaming... that human being was giving me, my wife and my little star, hope, a light at the end of the tunnel... I wanted to hug him and say... Blessed be the Lord!! I can't thank you... there was light again for us.

So, he recommended several care for the starlet, the constant use of the vest for its protection and asked us to return in early January ... it was December 17th. Needless to say, Christmas that year was very sad and dark... however, my heart told me that there was hope and that the sun would rise again. My wife was very sad and fearful, but she also believed in the enlightenment of God's grace. Thus, we ended the year as a family waiting for a miracle. My little star was only 2 years and 4 months old.

In early January, we met with his doctor and team and the starlet's surgery was scheduled for early February. I was hopeful and scared at the same time... there was a doctor on the team who had done a similar operation in England and he helped with the planning.

And the day of the operation arrived... we entered the hospital at dawn. The day began with our farewell to our little star... we didn't know if we would see her smiling again... it was an extremely risky operation... we didn't even want to know the risk it had... It had to be done! The little star entered the operating room and we stayed in the lounge waiting for news... my wife and I were praying the whole time... I couldn't stay still there... I went down to the street, I walked, I walked... I went back to the hospital, times then I went to the cafeteria, one hour, two, three, four hours... no news... my heart was in shambles... my soul was immersed in thoughts of hope and sometimes of panic... I picked up the phone and tried with contact with the surgical block and the answer was that the operation was in progress... sometimes the cell phone rang and my body shook with fear... it would be bad news... six, seven, eight hours... then , the doctor came out in surgical clothes and said "the operation is over, everything went well...", you can see her in a little while... That was one of the most memorable moments of my entire life... I didn't I knew if I was crying or laughing... I wanted to see her... I wanted to look at her... so we entered the block... we saw her on the stretcher, when she looked at me and started to grumble and complain, gesturing... I looked at my wife and said "She's fine.. look at her complaining... she's fine" and hugged her tightly. At that moment, if it was a lighthouse, I would light up the whole world with so much happiness.

Of course, I knew that the road had just begun, other challenges would come during the post-op, but my little star was alive!!

That was my first life lesson about what a human being is and what he can be. I saw that life could be fragile and therefore it should be preserved. I owed my little star's life to unknown people, but who did for her what I couldn't... how much gratitude. I saw that I was a drop of water in the ocean and that my life, that of the little star, and that of all people are precious. I understood that I was nothing more than another walker in this world and that I was no better or worse than anyone else.. I should always be humble and grateful for everything.

From that day forward, a voice that had always been inside me stood out... I had to be someone of worth to deserve so much kindness... I had to try to do more for people, no matter what... charity...

All this I learned from the little star... she was alive and I was celebrating life and remembering the other souls in this world... thank you life, thank you God, thank you unknown or unknown.... what I received, I had to try to distribute it, because it was a lot... I had to try to be better every day.

I cannot fail to mention that our strategy for overcoming all the obstacles along the way was to live one day at a time... today was a good day, let's make tomorrow a very good day as well. Let's walk day by day and live the present only...