Ordinary Miracle

I know it's blurry. But I love this picture. Jonathan took it almost two years ago (that's Nicole on my lap).  We were at the doctor's office, waiting for the doctor to come in and do the kids' yearly check-ups. The camera provided entertainment. Anything is entertaining in the doctor's office.  

So we waited. And took silly pictures. And then the doctor came in and WHAM hit me with the news. 

(Keep in mind that this is not the worst news I've ever heard from a doctor...  But it was a knock-out punch to the gut.)

"It seems that Jonathan is blind in his left eye." 

What? Did you say he has an eyelash in his eye?  Because I'm pretty sure that any decent parent would know if their child was blind in one eye. Come on, doctor.

Jonathan was 5 at the time, and part of the kindergarten screening is to look at the "red reflex" of the child's eyes. You know how our eyes sometimes appear red in a photo? His red reflex didn't look right to the doctor.  One side was more silvery.  

On to the ophthalmologist.  I sat there in the chair and listened as Jonathan said, "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know."   Doctor: "It's okay if you're not sure. Can you guess what it is a picture of?"

Jonathan:  "No. All I see is black."  Matter-of-fact.  

He knew.  He has never seen out of that eye. He just never thought to tell us. Our perfect little boy.

So on we went to Primary Children's in Salt Lake, to see a specialist.

(Time out. I know this is about Jonathan. But there is a bit of emotional baggage here for me. I almost hyperventilated while we were looking for a parking spot. I'm not sure how I even made it into the building that day.) 

Sure enough, Dr. Dries confirmed that Jonathan had practically no vision in his left eye.  But there was still hope because he was young.  The solution?  Glasses. An eye patch for two hours a day (easier said than done).  And a lot of prayers.  Emphasis on the prayers. 

We went back four months later and there was improvement.  There was improvement! 

Now every few months we go back to check his progress. The kids LOVE to go.  There's cool fish by the elevator (I remember those fish...) and a huge Spiderman. Then they added Mario. Drawings and statues all over the place.  It's really pretty cheerful.  It is a place of healing, not just heartache. I'm never quite sure what I feel while I'm there. But I do know this:

I believe in miracles! 

Yesterday was Jonathan's latest checkup.  Even more improvement. His vision is now 20/50.  

TWENTY / FIFTY

He went from almost blind to 20/50 in two years. Sure there was medical help.  We did the work with the eye patches and the glasses.  It can be explained away as a medical accomplishment.

But really?  It's a miracle. 

I believe in miracles.  In every shape and size.  They really do happen and our prayers really do make the difference. I feel like I can say this with all honesty, because I have also been in the position where the miracle we wanted didn't come.  Or didn't SEEM to come. We don't always know what will happen.  Or why. But we can trust that God will give us what we need. He knows better than we do. He sees the whole picture.  

I am positive that there have been miracles in all of our lives.  Do we see them?  Jonathan KNOWS that his Heavenly Father changed his vision from black to 20/50. 

I wish we could all see that clearly.