On June 10, 1988, our third child was born. A pediatrician was present at her birth. I have witnessed the birth of our two sons and knew immediately that something was different with this birth. Bethany JoAnn Bell was born with a bluish color and, unlike her two brothers, did not cry when she was born. She was limp and listless, and was immediately removed to a special crib where she was suctioned and examined. The pediatrician just repeated over and over, ‘This is a very sick baby’ as they worked.
After examination, the doctors told us that Bethany’s lungs were not working properly and that she needed advanced care. Preparations were made to transfer Bethany to the North Carolina Memorial Hospital at UNC-Chapel Hill. She was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit there. Rena was recovering from the Cesarean section surgery and was unable to travel. I stayed by Bethany’s side throughout the day and stayed at the Ronald McDonald house at night (thank you, McDonalds!). I stayed by her side as she lay in the NICU. I talked to her and touched her.
Early on the morning of June 12th, I received a call at the Ronald McDonald house. The nurses there told me that Bethany was not doing well and that I needed to come to the hospital immediately. Doctors there told me that Bethany’s condition was deteriorating rapidly and that she now had less than a 5% chance of surviving the next 24 hours. They wanted to do a fairly new procedure call ECMO on her. ECMO would insert a heart/lung machine into her carotid artery and jugular vein to bypass her lungs. This procedure would allow the lungs to rest and continue developing. After her lungs were rested, the ECMO machine would be removed.
The doctors awaited my decision. The nearest place that the ECMO procedure could be performed was in Charlotte, NC, approximately 150 miles away. I spoke with Rena by phone and we agreed that we needed to do what we could to save Bethany. I signed the papers and Bethany was prepared for transport. Bethany would be transported by helicopter to Charlotte.
A turning point in my life occurred next. As I waited for Bethany to be prepared for transport, I walked the halls in the hospital. I finally came to the hospital’s chapel. It was before 8:00 on a Sunday morning, so the chapel was empty. I knelt by the front row in the chapel and began to pray. The prayer was something I wouldn’t wish on anyone’s worst enemy. I prayed simply that God would spare my daughter’s life. After a few minutes of praying, I was exhausted and just stayed kneeling. After a few minutes, God spoke clearly to my heart. I am not someone who hears from God directly, but I’m sure that He did that morning. His message; ‘You will be ok’.
These four words changed my life forever. I immediately understood that God had not told me whether Bethany would live or not; he said that I would be ok. I knew then that I had received a promise from the God of Israel and the creator of our universe that, no matter what I faced in my life, He would be with me. I had an assurance that God would be with me and that nothing I would ever face would be too great with God’s presence in my life.
By now, Rena had informed her doctors that she was leaving the hospital to go see her daughter. After only briefing considering advising her not to go, her doctors gave instructions for changing her bandages and sent her on her way. The nurses at the hospital in Chapel Hill waited as long as they could before putting Bethany on the helicopter, but finally she had to leave. Rena arrived as she was on the way out to the helicopter and was able to see Bethany just briefly before she left.
We traveled quickly to Charlotte by car and arrived after Bethany. We were warned that Bethany would have a large team of doctors and nurses with her so that we would not be unduly concerned when we saw them. When we did arrive at Bethany’s bedside, we were surprised to see just one nurse sitting beside her. On the helicopter trip to Charlotte, Bethany’s lungs finally opened and allowed her breathing to improve. From that point forward, her condition improved slowly but steadily. She went from Charlotte back to Chapel Hill, then back to the Rocky Mount hospital where she was born. After a few weeks, she finally went home.
Although she faced some complications from her ordeal, such as pneumonia a few times, she recovered and is a healthy young woman today. I thank God for touching her and for His impact on my life by four simple words.
I also thank God that this message is for you as a reader of this story as well. I encourage you to be sensitive to God’s plan for your life. Reach out to God and trust Him as I do. Your life, like mine, will never be the same! No matter where you go or what you do, God still has a plan for you!