Support & Alignment

A few weeks ago when Chloe and I met with her neurologist, he expressed some serious concerns about the positioning of her legs and feet and suggested we get her in some DAFOs. That stands for Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthotics. He said they would help support and align her and get her prepared for the next milestones.

This probably seems horrible, but I had a really hard time with the idea of these braces, because I thought they would just bring more awareness to people that something is wrong with Chloe. The idea of this visual reminder that Chloe has physical disabilities and handicaps just about broke my heart. I never argued or fought the idea out loud, just within my subconcious. I prayed with more fervency and conviction that Chloe would be healed. "Please heal her," I would beg and beg.

One night after one of my desperate pleas to Heavenly Father, I was pondering in the quiet of the darkness with beautiful Chloe in my arms, and I remembered something sacred that happened when all of Chloe's health concerns were initially brought to our attention. When we got her first dose of seizure medication, before I gave it to her, I was reading the warnings that came with the prescription. The warnings were 2 pages long - in small font - it scared me to death.

I emotionally went to Oby and told him I wouldn't give her the medicine because there were too many risks. Oby and I take turns being emotional and/or logical. This night he recognized it was his turn to be logical, and he helped me understand that Chloe needed this medicine and we had to trust her doctor's decision to prescribe this to her. To help calm me, he asked his dad if we could come over to get a priesthood blessing.

I can't even explain the power that filled our lives that night. Oby's two best friends Tatum and Dallas also joined in the circle. All four of the men involved in the blessing are absolute physical and spiritual giants. I was given a blessing of comfort, Oby was given a blessing of encouragement, and sweet little Chloe was given a beautiful blessing. Chloe was told that she chose her infirmities before she came to earth to help strengthen her family, and that through faith and hard work she would be made whole. The spirit confirmed to me that this was true.

When I recalled that beautiful blessing the other night after begging for Chloe to be healed, I realized - I am the one who needs to be healed. Chloe has such an immense and wise spirit. She knew that her dad and I needed something to help us become humble, to rely on the atonement and on each other in a very real way. She gave up SO much so that she could help us! I am so incredibly blessed to be her mother.

Today we had an appointment to get her fitted for her own little custom DAFO's. The clinic was a pediatric rehab clinic, so in the waiting room I was surrounded by children with severe deformities and handicaps. It was a pleasure to be in their midst and to realize that I was blessed with one of those special spirits! They created casts that will be used to make DAFO's custom fit for her! Her very own DAFO's should be here in 2-3 weeks! Here's a picture of her cute little casts....

When I was driving home, I was thinking how grateful I now am for the DAFO's. I'm excited for them to come. I am glad that the spirit humbled me to go from resenting the idea of these braces to being very grateful for them. They are going to support and align Chloe and assist all of us on that road toward her becoming whole. I looked in the back seat to see Chloe sleeping. She was so peaceful and, I've said it before, she smiles and giggles in her sleep - it is the cutest thing ever!

I realized that Chloe is kind of like a DAFO for me. She supports me. By choosing the life she chose, she reminds me to be humble, to believe in miracles, to have hope and faith, to rely on prayer, and many other wonderful things. She aligns my thinking to have an eternal perspective, to realize that some things just don't matter, and to be kind and charitable to everyone. She offers the support and alignment so I can be better prepared for the future. I am so grateful to have little Chloe in my life. She is a true joy to me!

"And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
~John 9:2–3