Living with Chiari Malformation,(CM) pronounced ‘key-r-ee’ which is a serious neurological disorder where the bottom part of the brain, the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord, putting pressure on both the brain and spine, and disrupting the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). There is currently no cure and it affects 1 in 1,000 people. There are up to 6 different diagnosis of Chiari. In most cases surgery is the best option to relieve pressure on the brain and allow cerebral spinal fluid to flow.
There were many days and months of bed stricken pain. Then came a day of desperation for me, seeing my child being raised without the full capacity of his mom made me change my mindset. I had to fight hard to regain my strength and endure more pain so my son can see the model of a fighter and not just hear it. He was attending rehab with me and it dawned on me, Your child is here watching his mom learn how to walk, use her hands, stand with braces and all with pain. In these moments God revealed to me, life will bring in trails and tribulations, Dawn, how are you going to handle this? With fear and failure or with Faith and Fight? Here was when I realized I had to model my decision, to Stand on my Faith & Fight; be the model Christ and my parents were for us. I had to model to my son how you fight through rough times. Don’t give up, endure the storm. Embrace the Process, for the word says in Ecclesiates 9:11 NKJV
“The race is not to the swift
Nor the battle to the strong
nor bread to the wise
nor riches to men of understanding
nor favor to men of skill
but time and chance happen to them all” (the one who endures).
So despite how my body felt I needed to fight to get better and had to learn how to do it all with a smile. Now I don’t even speak of my pain I just smile. Sometimes in life we have to stop listening to the noise of the world and see the models God have given us to learn from.
Be the model that God called you to be. Share your Smile!