Meet My Brother Ricky…
Born with Muscular Dystrophy, Scoliosis, and Restrictive Lung Disease. People tend to look at him and think “poor kid” because all they can see is the “struggles” they think we have. See, part of my testimony is Ricky and we will start from the beginning.
B.C
I was four years old when Ricky was born and five when we first found out he wasn’t going to walk at all… infact I believe the doctors used the word NEVER. Pretty harsh words to hear as a mother and as a family. I never saw him differently, to me he was perfect just the way he was. At the age of 1 Ricky suffered his first pneumonia and our lives where never the same. At one point doctors told my parents that his life expectancy was only 7 years of age, but this was only a guess given that my brother was One of a kind according to the doctors. See, there are many different kinds of MD, but not many were discovered just yet and it so happened his wasn’t just yet. Anyways, back to the story… From then on I can only remember times of doctors appointments, specialist, and hospital stays. I remember one time as a little girl telling God, Why not me? Simply make me that way so that he could feel what it was like to walk, I know my older brother also wished for the same thing. I know because it was written in his schools journal his teacher would read. Ricky continued to celebrate birthday’s and grow, he passed the life expectancy and doubled it. Doctors were kind of asking themselves HOW? GOD!! CAN I GET AN AMEN?!
But here came another struggle as time passed the scoliosis only got worse, it stopped him from being able to sit up on his own, his pulmonologist at the time said he needed surgery for his back because it was limiting the air into his left lung. So, we made an appointment July 19, 2004 a day before my birthday my parents came home with tears in their eyes and grabbed my older brother from school and he too was also crying. I remember my heart sinking and imagining the worst case scenario. I remember my dad saying they had to tell me something and sat me down the next words where like pouring alcohol in an open wound. I can still remember clearly word by word “The doctors said they cannot do surgery on Ricky, they say it is too late and his back is 99.5% bent, So they told us there was nothing they could do. I asked what did that mean doctors responded… Give him all your love, make him the happiest you can, because the next time he gets sick it may be his last time…’ Word by word, each one tore my heart to pieces. A couple months later we were face in a situation where we all thought we were gonna loose him. He was in ICU, he wouldn’t talk, wouldn’t eat, he would only sleep. My mom sleeping on a regular chair while we spent the night at my aunts and dad would work. One day, my mom thought tonight is the night that I may lose a child. She described this night as a nightmare, Ricky would whisper “I cold, mom. Rub my feet please. I am really cold.” My mom touched his feet and she said they were cold as Ice. She stood next to him, rubbing his feet. We all thought this was our last moment with him. The next day my mom said it was a miracle, Ricky was talking, he was more awake. But, what he told my mom was more chilling and out of this world.
He described a dream that goes into the spiritual realm “mom, I had a dream with God’s angel Gabriel. He was at my foot rest and he had a sword, and then I saw demons and they were trying to attack me . But the angel was fighting them off for me.” My mom began to cry and we soon realized God was and always had looked over him.
At the same time this was happening my aunt was being diagnosed with cancer and had fallen into a coma due to an allergic reaction to some kind of liquid they had injected her straight into her blood system. Fast Forward….
A.C
After this experience we began to go to church, we found God and our past, present, and future struggles don’t seem too scary anymore. Now, I can see how God had been working in our lives. My brother is now 20 and will be turning 21 a month before I leave for the race. Sometimes what may seem like a painful past is only the backbone of our faith in Christ. Never feel like your past pains are of no use.
Nothing is impossible for God, doctors said he wouldn’t live past the age of seven and yet he doubled it. Doctors said he wouldn’t survive another pneumonia, yet he has had over 30 pneumonias. Doctors may say we don’t have a bright future, but God says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
God is always in Control, though we may still go through struggles these are just stepping stones to the future God has in store for us.
As I finish this, I pray you have an overflow of Gods presence in your life. I pray his arms wrap you up and may his overwhelming peace come over you.
Thank You for reading this. I hope this inspires you. I wish you well and all the love.
