Extraordinary Dreams
of an Ireland Traveler
WELCOMES BACK
Author Jon Magee
in
Extraordinary Memories
Across the seas COMES OUR FRIEND AUTHOR JON MAGEE with another story of memories written and shared just for you.
I ask him to share
his life with us once more as well. I know you will find the following truly
a life of inspiration and be so happy
you have met this giving and talented writer.
Thank you Jon
Author Jon Magee
A Journey with a difference (2)
Sometimes it is interesting
to be able to look through newspaper clippings of past headlines, and reflect.
There are two that my late mother kept, they were items that were important to
her, both of them dated in 1977.
The Daily Mail has the
headline "One day old baby saved in major heart operation",
with a sub heading declaring "It was a tremendous piece of
surgery. A few years ago she would have died".
The Belfast Telegraph in
Northern Ireland has the following head line.
BABY HEART "FIRST".
Operation on day - old girl!!
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In the 1970's the regular
news in Ireland was of death and violence as terrorism took its toll on
innocent life. But these headlines, dated in November 1977 took news in a
different direction. It was a message of hope in a world of hopelessness.
The story recounts how
Professor Philip Caves, aged 37, a native of Belfast, performed this operation
in Glasgow on a baby one day old. One can sense how delicate this operation was
as they described the heart being operated on was a mere 3 inches in size, and
it "was so tiny it was like mending a watch".
The baby was born in a small
hospital in the north of Scotland in Elgin, before taking the journey first to
Aberdeen, and then flying by helicopter to Glasgow. The 3rd daughter of an
Electronic Technician in the air force and his wife. Hope, in the midst of what seemed impossible!
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Those were the headlines, the
public face of what was happening in November 1977. However, what about the
private moments that were away from the glare of the media? Picture, for a
moment, a father and mother who would have been talking through those anxious
moments. A sea change of emotions
through those brief days. The elation of new life, the puzzlement at the added
interest the staff was taking in the maternity unit, the anxiety and concern,
realizing that life can be so fragile.
There were the moments of
tears, along with the times of encouragement as humanity showed its caring
face, encouraging and consoling in times of uncertainty. Always hoping against
hope, though knowing the worst thoughts can always be possible.
The operation was a success,
and Professor Caves did a wonderful job. Yet at 3 days of age the baby of hope
was to come to the end of her short life, not because the operation was a
failure, far from it, but because a further heart defect undiagnosed had
emerged.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faith Dawn Magee, as the baby was called, was OUR baby, our 3rd daughter. It is therefore, for us, more than a headline in the media. I remember hearing those words that no parent wishes to hear, and taking that long walk to the room where my wife was as a patient, wondering how I should share the news. A few days before the excitement of new life, then the frantic journey from Elgin to Aberdeen where, it was thought, resources would be better than the smaller hospital. Soon it was realized even Aberdeen could not help, other than to care for the mother as baby was flown by helicopter to Glasgow.
These are situations that
have no clear answers. Later we were to discover that this all resulted from
Diabetes that only appeared through pregnancy, but there will always be
questions that have no answers.
Yet there are some positive
things that we cling to. We know the operation was a success, and we are aware
of the amount of time and effort that was given to that wee life. We know we
are fortunate that we live in a country where the medical hope is not dependent
on how much money we have, or if we have sufficient insurance cover. We are
aware that much was learnt from those few days which have been the means of
giving life to other wee children. And though there are questions that are
never answered we know that we could not have moved on in our lives without the
confidence that we sensed that we were not alone, and in our faith we felt the
comfort of the God who gave to us life, albeit for a short time, in our own wee
baby, Faith.
He promised He would never
leave us, and for us that had to be more than a scriptural verse open to debate
between those of differing persuasions, it was our experience.Please be sure to stop by Jon Magee's site on Amazon for your copy of the incredible books he has to offer. The addresses are:
FACEBOOK
WHERE Jon Magee's Book can be Purchased:
Author of "From Barren Rocks to Living Stones"
& "Paradise Island, Heavenly Journey" lochgellybaptist@aol.com
Thank you once more for visiting my blog.
Rosemary "Mamie"
Adkins
Extraordinary Dreams
of an
Ireland Traveler
http//:www.ExtraordinaryIreland.com
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