A New Year.....renewed HOPE!

Happy New Year! Just saying those words give me a feeling of renewed HOPE. It's a feeling that flows through me from my head to my toes. There seems to be something magical about starting New Year. I am not sure I even have to words in me to describe it. The only word that comes to mind is......HOPE!

Reflecting..... I find myself reflecting on the year and what we have experienced in the world of Spina Bifida with Madilyn. It was not the easiest year for her. Bowel surgery took a physical toll on her for about three months. But, she braved each obstacle with grace and strength. She developed an abundance of self confidence. She passed the swim test at the "Y" and she entered the first grade.

The year didn't end the way we planned. Madilyn has developed "Charcot Arthropathy" in her right foot. She has been a a cast for three months. Two of the broken bones in her foot have healed....the other two are being a little more difficult. This is very dangerous for Madilyn because she can not feel her right foot. It also frustrates Madilyn....because she is so tired of her cast. After spinal surgery on Jan 20th, Madilyn will have a bone scan and bone density test to determine the amount of damage her bones in her foot have taken. We are hoping she may regain some feeling in her foot once her spinal cord is de-tethered.....HOPE!

We as a family, choose to see HOPE....

It would be easy to get discouraged and maybe tomorrow I will have to go back and reread this post. I could cry right now thinking about insurance and new deductibles that will have to be met. I could cry that I could not get all the medical bills from last year paid off by the start of this year. I could cry because I don't have a crystal ball and I don't know how we will handle it all. I could....the list could go on and on......

On this first day of this NEW YEAR, I am going to just choose to HOPE! That is what this journey leads us to. We will all have moments of fear and doubt. But, when we feel like there is no more we can endure, we have each other....and that in its self is reason to have HOPE!

Best Wishes!
Jill