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RUN SPOT RUN
I sat holding the lifeless hand of my six year old son. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. He had been in a coma for three weeks from encephalitis and meningitis. I had felt like I was living in a nightmare. The doctor’s words pounded in my head, “Mrs. Williams, I’m very sorry - but Ross probably won’t live through the night.”
“God, please don’t take my baby. I’ll do anything You want me to do. Please don’t take my baby,” I begged. I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore. The pending doom was crushed by the miraculous squeeze from the tiny little hand that was clasped in mine. It wasn’t a spasm or convulsion! His eyes opened, he looked at me as if to say, “Where am I and who are you?”
I yelled for the doctor. They ushered me from the room to wait the longest 30 minutes of my life.
The doctor’s first words offered hope, “This is absolutely amazing! It looks like Ross is going to live.” He reached for my hand, “But, he will never be any older than he is today. He won’t recognize you. He has a rigid paralysis on the right side. His fever and convulsions definitely caused brain damage. You need to make plans to place him in an institution. Your family needs to get on with their lives.” I felt uncontrollable anger. I looked straight into his eyes, “No way! God doesn’t do a half way job. He will complete what He has started!”
The struggle between trying to get Ross to remember me and fighting the doctors demands to place him in an institution kept me in constant communication with God.
On the third day Ross managed a garbled sounding, “Mamma.” The look in his eyes guaranteed me God had granted him the recognition of who I was. Now I could take him home. By the end of the week the doctors were demanding he be sent to the state institution. There was nothing more they could do. Much to their horror I signed him out of the hospital AMA.
The journey to Ross’ complete healing was just beginning. I had to stay tuned into God’s directions and be His hands extended to my son.
Ross was half way through first grade when he contracted these two dreaded diseases. He suffered physically, mentally and emotionally. I was a nurse but I hadn’t been trained in all of the areas he needed help with to recover completely. Ross’ care plan was designed by the God of all Creation.
Ross loved reading. So, I acquired his favorite book, “Dick and Jane” from the school. Every time I read, “Run Spot run” he would get excited and attempt to pull the book close to his chest to hug it and give me a beautiful little half smile. This occurred multiple times when God prompted me to get a real Spot.
Ross’ first reaction to the puppy caused him for fall over but his effort to get to the puppy caused him to work muscles that were stiff and paralyzed. His little garbled, Ruu Spa Ruu” was music to my ears.
There were many grueling hours of therapies that were painful. Spot proved to be God’s hand picked therapist for Ross. The puppy led him through a mountain of challenges. Ross constantly struggled to override his pain to play with his beloved dog..
We spent hours reading “Dick and Jane.” Ross reached the stage he wanted to read the book to Spot. At first, only God, Ross and Spot clearly understood each word. By the end of the year his words were clear enough for the other children to understand.
The next fall I entered Ross in first grade, once again against everyone’s advice. The school demanded I sit in the back of the room the first semester. They were afraid the children would tease him and they couldn’t handle him. God prevailed. The children learned to love him.
By fourth grade no one would have ever dreamed he had traveled such a long journey in order to do what they did naturally.
Ross won the Oklahoma State High School Chess Championship Tournament and graduated with honors. There was no denying God had completed the job He had started, many years earlier.
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