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KEEP ON SINGING
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that
another baby was on the way, she did what she could to
help her 3-year old son, Michael, prepare
for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby
is going to be a girl,
and day after day, night after night, Michael sings
to his sister in Mommy's tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an
active member of the
Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown,
Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes
.. every minute. But complications
arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a
C-section be required?
Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is
in serious condition.
With siren howling in the night, the ambulance
rushes the infant to the
neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital,
Knoxville, Tennessee.
The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The
pediatric specialist tells the parents, "There is very
little hope.
Be prepared for the worst."
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about
a burial plot.
They have fixed up a special room in their home for the
new baby - now they plan a funeral.
Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see
his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says.
Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral
will come before the week is over. Michael keeps
nagging about singing to his
sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive
Care. But Karen makes up
her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it
or not. If he doesn't
see his sister now, he may never see her alive.
She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and
marches him into ICU. He
looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head
nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, "Get
that kid out of here now! No children are
allowed.
The mother rises up strong in Karen, and the usually
mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head
nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He
is not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Karen
tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the
tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to
sing. In the pure hearted
voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me
happy when skies are gray --- "
Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate
becomes calm and steady.
Keep on singing, Michael.
"You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please
don't take my sunshine
away---"
The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as
a kitten's purr.
Keep on singing, Michael.
"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed
I held you in my arms..."
Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing
rest, seems to sweep over her.
Keep on singing, Michael.
Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse.
Karen glows.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please
don't, take my sunshine away."
Funeral plans are scrapped. The next, day-the very
next day-the little girl is well enough to go home!
Woman's Day magazine called it
"the miracle of a brother's song." The medical staff just
called it a miracle.
Karen called it a miracle of God's love!
NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
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