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Walking through "the Fire", when life gets HARD!
Does anyone know what I am talking about? Walking through the "fire", the "valleys" in life?" When everything seems to be against you. Well, I have been there, personally!
When they tell you to "abort the pregnancy", your child, your daughter will be born paralyzed. When the "evidence", (in this case the ultrasound and repeated blood tests), are compelling and its ALL BAD NEWS! Here I was, in training to become a rehab physician and they are telling me what "they" think we should do. Well, THANK GOD I didn't listen. Good doctors, well intentioned, but just plain WRONG!
She's fifteen today and NOT paralyzed. NOT even close! Her name is Angelina. Not only that, but her passion since she was five years old has been to have a riding (horse) academy to teach special needs children how to walk. They now call that "hippo therapy". She told me that when she was five years old! And has never stopped talking about it since!
Well that was ONE of the hardest struggles, i.e. "fires", "valleys" that I have been through…. There were others! I mean, believing in faith that she would be ok and trusting that if she wasn't we would be able to cope and care for her. Wow!
I was raised Catholic and "knew or believed" there WAS (a) God. But to be honest, beyond that I did not really know much about miracles and sure didn't expect that I would deserve or get one. Well, over the next several months (until her delivery date) and in the years to follow, things were about to change…. For the better mostly.
Years and years later, Angelina and I got to have dinner with Ginny Owens (one VERY special young lady) before her concert in
You can find the lyrics and listen by clicking on or pasting the link at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000JKPN/104-2969847-9575119?v=glance
Go to song #5.
Years later, when I faced many more struggles, valleys in my life, and those around me… this song gave me comfort and hope. When faced with caring for a "special" child, life can get overwhelming in a hurry and often. We all know what that means, (special). It can be hard! It can be difficult! It can be painful!
For me, lyrics like… "The pathway is broken, and the signs are unclear, And I don't know the reason why you brought me here, So if all of these trials bring me closer to you, Then I will go through the fire, If you want me to.
It may not be the way I would have chosen, When you lead me through a world that's not my home, But you never said it would be easy, You only said I'd never go alone".
So I ask you again… Have you ever been "through the fire", or in a valley? Are you there now? Ever wondered why? Why this path, this time, why me?
As a rehab physician, I have had the opportunity, the pain, the (gift) of walking thru valleys with countless people since 1986. If I have learned anything in my 45 years of life, it is this; If you want to be foolish, tell me what IS going to happen tomorrow. The truth is, WE don't know, and sometimes doctors don't know either!
So if you have been told, "your baby will NEVER……. (fill in the blank)", you DON'T have to believe it!
If I had taken my doctors advice, my child would have never been born! They meant well, they just didn't know.
I want to encourage you. I want you to know that "valleys" were meant to be walked through. I want you to know there is help out there. I have also learned that faith (I am not talking about religion), FAITH mixed with ACTION yields results. Don't give up! Don't stop believing for more for your child! Seek answers and you WILL FIND THEM!
Even after I had practiced for many years, and was highly sought after in my profession, and had attained "worldly" success…. I still didn't know anything about the things that can help special needs children. In 2004 I learned (for the first time) about INTENSIVE PEDIATRIC THERAPY and related therapies. I thought it was a miracle! One by one, kids were excelling and achieving what they were told "they would never do"! Because of what I have seen, I now have the honor and the blessing of being able to dedicate my time to a group of people and a foundation making a difference.
Write or call me anytime. I would be delighted to share my experiences with you. If you are interested, I will tell you about this amazing journey that continues to amaze me!
With love, with compassion, with encouragement….
S. Steven BiFulco, M.D.
tel (813) 417.7447
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