Today's story is written by Emma Lael's mama, Andrea.
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Emma Lael Sisler... born July 2007 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia... found in a hospital corridor at 1-3 days old. I am now the proud mother of this wonderful, smart, healthy, adorable, energetic, talkative, chatty -- Did I mention she is talkative? -- vibrant, sweet, loving, caring, compassionate 4-year-old little girl.
Emma Lael was born with tetrology of fallot (TOF), which is 4 separate heart defects. All four of her defects were major defects... on a scale of 1-10, all four of her heart defects were 8-10. She had her first open heart surgery in August 2007 and her 2nd open heart surgery in November 2008. Without the kindness and generosity of everyday people like you and me, she would NOT be our daughter today..
When I think of the people who donated to the New Day medical fund to help the children at New Day, my heart sing with JOY. I couldn't help her at that time; I didn't even know she was my daughter! God knew this all the time. I've had the privilege of being a neonatal open heart transplant nurse for over 28 year now; the percentage of survival without surgery for a TOF baby is ZERO!!! TOF is not compatable with life. With that said, Emma Lael needed to have surgery to survive; she didn't only survive, but she has been home now for 11 months and is off all of her cardiac medications!
She has been seen 3 times by a cardiologist and will have her next appointment September 20th, the 1 year anniversary of our adoption of her. The doctors in China who performed her surgery did a great job; knowing how costly an open heart surgery is the donation you give truly is a LIFE SAVER
Go ahead, be a LIFE CHANGER and help a child at New Day today. Emma Lael is a normal 4 year old who runs, jumps, swims, and plays like any other 4 year old does. Knowing she would never have survived without the 2 life saving surgeries she was given at New Day hurts my heart when I look at her today, but knowing total strangers wrote a check to New Day to save a little girls life that they didn't even know and most likely will never know... that is PRICELESS!!!
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Andrea blogs at God's Gracious Gift.
3 comments:
OK, serious tissues required. That one hit me hard (maybe because Cooper also had ToF). What an amazing story- and what a JOY to see Emma Lael doing so well- and to know that without the surgeries provided by New Day and their amazing donors, she would not be here! What the world would be missing. God has BIG plans for that girl!! How blessed you are to be part of the amazing story God is writing with her life!! :)
Oh Andrea ~ you already know how much I LOVE your precious, healthy, spunky, adorable, energetic, happy, *chatty* little princess... but hearing her story reminds me again just what a miracle her little life is, and how the generousity of complete strangers (in most cases!) made her LIFE-SAVING surgeries, possible.
I pray that reading about this compells people to pray about it and make a generous donation to the New Day surgery fund... and what better time then now, when their gift will not only be doubled, but TRIPLED! It's like making a contribution to save 3 lives instead of just one! Oh for such a time as THIS!!! <><
Love that sweet Emma Lael... and I love her fabulous mama, too!!
OXO,
Tanya
Oh I love this story! I did not know Emma was TOF and had two surgeries! What a testimony of how every penny given to this surgery fund REALLY DOES HELP SAVE LIVES!!!!!
Emma that is so wonderful that you are off all heart medications. No, it's MORE than wonderful! It's MIRACULOUS!!!!!! Praise God! And thank you God for New Day giving Emma this opportunity to grow and be so very healthy!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this! God used your story in a very timely manner in my life right now!
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