Table for Seven: Just My Girl

7 years ago this month we were headed to the beach when the phone rang. When I noticed our agency's area code, I almost didn't answer it.

Literally 10 min from the sand, and only logged in for 2 weeks, THE CALL was the furthest thing from my mind. We were expecting to wait several months.....but the Lord had a little surprise for us that day...

By 5 pm that day we had signed, emailed, faxed and stamped our name on our girl. Her needs scared me to death. I wish I could tell you I had perfect peace...I did about HER, but her diagnoses made me shake a little. Spina Bifida: "she will probably never walk" "she will probably never be potty trained" were the words our doctor used. And then, Hep B+: "not an issue, focus on her legs" was his exact quote.

We had done all our research on blood disorders prior to her referral and were totally comfortable with bringing a child home with a number of them. Our pediatrician was a huge voice for us during those days, having served the Lord overseas for years in medical environments all over the world. We trusted him and we said yes.

When we came home with our girl we headed to Atlanta to see the myriad of specialists for her SB and her HepB. Her Dr. at the Liver clinic brought me to tears when he walked in, felt her tummy, and said, "take her home, live your lives and come see me in a year." For us, every year had been just like that.....she's great, she's healthy, go home and live life."

Now we don't pretend that the virus isn't in her.

We have taken all the steps recommended to us to keep her, and the rest of our family, healthy and protected. All of our children, and my husband and I are vaccinated against the virus. Before we brought her home, we had our children's "vaccine titers" run to make sure the immunization they had as infants and toddlers was strong. The vaccine is good for 20 years so all of us are protected.

However, this is just an added precaution. The virus cannot be transmitted through saliva, or any casual contact, so we do not live in fear in the least bit. As one mama told me once, "it can only be transmitted through IV drug use or sex....so we have two rules in our home...no drug use and no sex" And while that may sound harsh, it's true! We just live our lives and make sure we put band-aids on scrapes and cuts that inevitability happen to a clumsy 8 year old :)

We keep her active and watch her weight, and eat healthy, to keep her liver happy (that's where the pesky virus takes up residence) and check in with our superhero liver specialist every 12 months.

And guess what? Sometime around age 10 (ish) her body will finally wake up to the fact it doesn't belong there and her little immune system soldiers will attack it.....and possibly get her levels down to "undetectable" with a blood test!

And in the mean time, we swim. And paint. And serve on student council.