A parent’s worst nightmare is learning something is seriously wrong with their child. It is traumatic at any age in that child’s life, but far worse in the case of an infant.

Being told your 2 month old son has a huge hole in his heart, an enlarged heart from it working overtime to compensate for that hole, as well as having fluid in his lungs which is affecting his heart function even more, is devastating.

Ashley B and Coleman are fighting for their son Cash. Their family, extended family, and friends have rallied to their side, and we are all supporting them as much as possible as they begin this long and unbelievably frightening journey.

Even after having his surgery to repair the hole, Cash will still have to remain in the hospital for several weeks while being closely monitored by a group of extremely dedicated and highly professional doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughter’s (CHKD) in Norfolk.

Now, imagine you, as a parent of a two month old baby, suddenly being thrust into a world of IV’s, beeping heart and breathing monitors, hospital cribs, and words like ventricular septal defect, which you’d never heard of until a few days ago. Imagine knowing your baby will soon be on a table in an operating room while a team of highly skilled surgeons literally take his little heart in their big hands and repair a hole in it in order to save his life.

That’s a lot to comprehend in less than a week. It will have been eight days from the initial diagnosis until the day of surgery.

Even though you know it’s unfortunately done every day in this country, it’s not done every day to your baby. And it’s scary. Your whole world has changed in the course of a few minutes.

But also imagine being on that floor in the hospital where your baby will be living for the next several weeks and hearing the cries of so many other babies and children who are going through similar, and even far worse, medical emergencies.

And suddenly you find yourself thankful, because your baby is in so much better physical shape than many of these others. You wonder how their parents feel, how the little patients feel, and you are suddenly overwhelmed more than you were. Listen to the heart of a mother, who is hurting not only for herself and her child, but for all of the others…

“L’il man is finally getting some sleep. Thank you all so much for all the prayers. I have one favor to ask. I am not only asking for prayers for Cash, but there are a lot of very sick and hurting babies in here. Please, please keep them in your hearts as well and in your prayers. I wish I could help them all, or go hold their little hands, or read to them, or give their parents a hug.

Our little guy is so blessed to have a mommy and daddy and such a strong, caring, kind group of amazing family and friends that care so much for him. I am in complete awe of each and every one of your kind words, giving hearts, and just pure love.”

Ashley B
October 7, 2016

Having a child with a life-threatening illness, or one who has experienced a life-threatening accident is one of the most difficult things parents can go through. We have had another good friend whose child was at CHKD for several months because of a life-changing accident. We cannot say enough good things about the work of the medical professionals who have devoted their lives to saving the lives of children.

Please continue to pray not only for Cash and his family, but for all of the other children who need their own healing miracles.

Previous posts in this series can be found in the “Healing a Tiny Heart” Category on this blog.