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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

All We Are

It’s not every morning but I often listen to Good Morning America while I’m fixing Carl’s lunch and getting breakfast for Connor in the mornings. Today was a story that brought me from the kitchen to the living room and planted my rear end down right in front of the TV. I listened and watched, speechless, as they showed the story of a young woman who has a rare disease that has caused her to have over 20 surgeries to remove tumors that grow along her nervous system. The latest tumor was pressing itself on her brain. Her choices? Remove the tumor and consequently lose her hearing or risk aneurism and death. She chose to become deaf. The surgery was set for 30 days later. Having never fully recovered from the emotionality I developed while I was pregnant, I wept as I watched her record on a small video camera every sound she loved. She recorded her family’s voices, her dog digging in the sand, and herself walking along the ocean. She rolled into surgery with her ipod in hand, listening to her favorite song, “All We Are” by Matt Nathanson, one last time. When the story was over, I couldn’t help but bow my head and thank Heavenly Father for the truly miraculous gift of sound. I can’t imagine not being able to hear the wind in the trees, my favorite songs, or my little boy’s laugh. Oh, how blessed I feel today!

This is the link to the story if you'd like to see it and risk crying too.

Woman's Choice: Hearing or Life?

And this is a video of Matt Nathanson performing his song from his living room. Good song!

4 comments:

Caralee (CJ) Waddell said...

What a truly touching story. To think that a mother would give up the sound of her child's voice just to ensure their right to a mother at all is tear jerking.
On a more humorous note, watch the music video of Matt Nathanson performing on mute. I can't help but laugh at his facial expressions while he play. Why do people close their eyes when they sing?

Kirsten said...

Thanks for sharing that story. I watched every bit of it...it is inspiring and like you said, All I can feel is grateful and blessed. That girl looked so sweet, and so positive and had such a good attitude about her situation. I wish I could face my days with more of those attributes. Wonderful story..thank you..

Audrey said...

Wow. I am in no condition to watch the clip, or the song for that matter, right now. Don't want to freak the kids out because mom's crying again. On second thought, maybe they won't think twice about it; perhaps they are used to mom crying in the middle of the day for seemingly no good reason! :)I'll be back; maybe tonight when I'm all alone to watch and cry. Thank you for sharing!

Tiffani Makely said...

Interesting, this week Faith has asked everyone if they had to chose to be blind, deaf or paralized, which one would we choose. I would have to choose deaf. I would miss running and playing with my children too much. Not being able to make eye contact with my newborn, looking into Faith's bright green eyes, seeing the beautiful pictures Hope draws for me, the mess Gideon and Ephraim make or looking at Malachi's sweet face Definately noticing how they all look like Richard would just be to much to miss. I guess I would have to just hope that hearing aids get advanced enough to enjoy their laughter, singing, and Faith's harp music.