A Life Well-Lived

Imagine being Myah – a young, pregnant woman who suddenly finds herself praying that the diagnosis is “only” Down’s Syndrome. And God said, “No.” You finish out your pregnancy with perplexed, sometimes hostile medical personnel pressuring you to abort your baby girl. You finally have to get a lawyer to ensure she will be given ordinary comfort care, although she is only expected to live a few hours after birth. Your friends throw you a “prayer shower” instead of a traditional baby shower – because what else can they do to show love and support? When she miraculously lives in spite of being anencephalic and you take her home, they give you a bereavement package. And somehow, baby Faith just keeps on living and growing.  Well, faith has a tendency to do that, and this baby is well-named.

In Faith’s short – so far! – life she’s defied every medical prediction and shown the doctors that what they “KNOW” about anencephaly is at least partially wrong. She can hear and feel. What else might they be wrong about? Perhaps Faith has succeeded in opening their minds a bit.

There are 89 posts – most quite short, but some with video – documenting Faith’s life so far. You can start here and at the bottom of each post is a “Newer post” link that takes you to the next one. Faith’s story will build your faith, and certainly this family would benefit by all our prayers.

Medical technology is not being used to keep this baby alive “at all costs.” Just ordinary care like you’d give any baby.

Faith has confounded the medical community, helped her mother and other family members rely wholly on God, and she is the recipient of a very great love. And if those things are the extent of her success and achievement in her life, it will have been a life well-lived.

h/t The Anchoress, who has a lot more to say.