Even after telling myself that all things work for good, I was depressed for a few weeks. My child was diagnosed with bilateral clubfoot (one of several pediatric foot deformities) and referred to a tertiary institution where she was falsely diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Was I depressed because the doctor said she had CP when she wasn’t in my view exhibiting the signs I was familiar with? Was I depressed because she had clubfoot? I don’t know which depressed me more. However the thought of my child having POP’s on her legs for a while filled me with dread. How would I carry her without people noticing and wondering what was wrong with her? I thought it might be a good idea to leave the country for treatment so as not to have to face the difficult questions and funny suggestions of where to go. But there was this nagging thought, maybe a guilt trip, of how parents with special needs children cope in this country.
I prayed hard for a miracle; why would God watch me have a child with clubfoot? Maybe He would manifest His glory by aligning her feet without me having to go to the hospital anymore. I prayed hard for God to let the cup pass over me, but He wouldn’t listen. He heard me alright, but His answer to me was quite different from what I wanted to hear. He told me that there was a reason for everything; I kept getting the same message at different turns in different ways from sermons, dreams or stuff that I read. So I stopped asking for a miracle on my terms and instead asked what He would have me do. He opened my eyes to see.
In the end, my child’s case was only orthopedic, and we have since been able to resolve that. However, in the course of going for treatment God showed me the miracle He wants me to be. He let me see the plight of parents of children who have orthopedic challenges. Some come a bit late for treatment, thus making correction more difficult. Before coming for treatment, some may have gone to different places for spiritual help or native healers to massage the limbs. Some parents don’t do anything, believing that the deformed limbs will correct themselves as the children grow. So out of ignorance and/or fear, people do not access treatment and yet still some for lack of funds. Like so many things in Nigeria that needs attention, the available care is overloaded and not terrifically adequate or child friendly. The staff are overworked, to say the least, but they are doing their best given the resources available, and I do raise my hat to them; they are some of Nigeria’s unsung heroes for the work they do every day.
Anyway with all this in mind, there is a stirring up within me to do something about the situation. As you can imagine I already feel overwhelmed with the task ahead, but can I say no to my Father? I am taking things a step at a time first of all by raising awareness through this avenue.
So, dear reader, if you are a parent or guardian of a child with an orthopedic challenge, please, as a matter of urgency take the child for the necessary treatment. Please think of the child in question; if that child grows up through all sort of taunting and bullying only to find out that their case was correctable, it would not augur well for you as a parent or guardian.
As for me, should the opportunity arise again, I will keep you posted on what I am getting up to. Please pray for me for guidance and the staying power.