The Princess

To say that I was thrilled when we found out we were going to have a granddaughter would be such an understatement. Ours had always been a home filled with trucks and balls and baseball caps. To think that I would now have a reason to go down the doll aisle at the toy store almost made me giddy with delight.
The arrival of our little princess (because that is what she quickly became) brought such joy. She was everything we had hoped for - small and pink and perfect. She had little tufts of strawberry colored hair and a smile that melt your heart. She also carried on the longstanding tradition of the deep blue eyes of most of our family. We all oohed and ahhed over her and it did not take too long for the Princess to have the menfolk of the family wrapped around her chubby little finger.
One might call me a tad biased but I think I can say with some authority (okay, the other authorities are her other grandma and her mama) that a more perfect baby girl had never been born. Her sweet but determined disposition, her winning smile, and her twinkling eyes make her natural born charmer.
We were all taken aback when the pediatrician said that she had a sacral dimple and would need an MRI at 6 months. A sacral dimple? What in the world was that and why would a dimple require a test like that? We all went immediately to the web and started researching. There was not a lot that someone without a great deal of medical knowledge could find but as we talked to our friends and family we found how not uncommon it was. This was good. There is strength in numbers.
The MRI was done. She was a trooper. She woke up from the anesthesia with no help and smiled. I told you, she's perfect! Then the waiting began for the doctors to contact the Princess' parents and tell them (we were all sure) that no further action was needed. It seemed that it took those doctors years to read the results. Actually, it was only days but the answer was not what we hoped for.
And so this week our little darling will go in for surgery. You can read an explanation here: Tethered Spinal Cord Treatment .There is no doubt in my mind that she will have all of the hospital staff eating out of her little hand the minute they come in contact with her and that she will be fine when they are done.

I am so grateful to live in a day and age when medicine has come so far. How fortunate that we are blessed with things like MRIs and medical lasers. But I am even more grateful for the testimony I have of prayer. I know that Heavenly Father will be listening to the prayers of our family and friends (there are lots of us. Strength in numbers, remember?) as we ask for His blessings on our Princess, her parents and the medical staff. That knowledge brings me peace and an assurance that it will be fine.
And I think she will deserve a new doll when this is all over ... and maybe a tiara!