(Ch. 22 of my story of how I became deaf…)

Photo by: Anita Gould

As the morning dawned, Mama got up from the vinyl couch at the end of the hospital corridor and walked down to the waiting room that was once again filling with my relatives and friends. Most of them were weeping, having heard that I was near death and fearing that I may have died through the night. That’s the information most people had been given by those who were there last - that it was hopeless and that the doctor had given up.

Photo by: Chris Pawluk

But Mama came back to tell everyone that it was okay. What she meant was that she knew whichever way my illness went, it was God’s will and not an evil thing. She had experienced a grace during the night and she knew without reservation that God’s hand was on me. My Grandma Ransom, Mama’s mother, was coming out of the elevator saying the same thing to everyone. That’s how strong Grandma’s faith was. Grandma believed that Mama’s story of the veil was indeed a sign from God. Grandma believed in things like this. Her Portuguese, Catholic roots were deep, and her faith in the miraculous was unwavering.

Grandma Ransom confessed privately to my mother, “I was praying last night that God would take me instead of her. She is so young with so much life still to live. I am old. My time is coming one day soon.” But, she had expirienced a revelation during this prayer. She added, “How can I have been so selfish to want to go in her place? How could I have thought such a thing? The thing of it is, my prayer, my own desires might have been preventing LaRonda from going with Our Lord.” She said she felt ashamed. Being with God was the one thing Grandma loved to look forward to more than anything in the world. But she had realized that she did not want to deny me such grace if that was God’s plan.“He clearly has plans for her,” Grandma concluded.

Mama said that Grandma Ransom knew all along that God was with me and that my illness was not an evil thing, but rather, for some greater glory, and that miracles would come.

Photo by: “Gustavo”

At about eleven o’clock that morning, my miracle came. Dr. Keller and his wife Sharon came into the waiting room and pulled Mama aside. First, Sharon touched Mama’s shoulder, reassuring her that her husband had been doing everything he possibly could. “He has rarely slept and he has been pouring his mind, body, heart and soul into your daughter’s healing.”

Photo by: Steve Ford Elliott

Mama responded that she knew Dr. Keller, and everyone there, were doing the best they could. She reassured them both that she was harboring no ill feelings. And then, Dr. Keller surprised Mama and announced that he had reason to hope.

“I’m going to try one more thing, something different to get her kidneys to turn around.” Mama braced herself. “I’m going to try a Kidney Dialysis,” Dr. Keller exaulted. As a nurse, Mama understood. A dialysis was a procedure for cleansing the blood of waste elements. It was also used to rid the body of excess fluid as a result of damaged or absent kidneys. She too, began to feel hope that this might be the breakthrough to turn things around.

Photo by: “Emily”

Meanwhile, my Grandpa Ransom had entered the waiting room and found many people crying. He thought by the look of it, that it had been announced that I had died. No one was talking. There were just tears and heads hung low. He stood there in silence among them. Suddenly, Mama returned to the room saying, “There’s still hope! The doctor is going to try something new!” At this, my Grandfather was taken back. “You mean she’s not gone?” He was appalled! “Well, what are you all crying like this for? She’s still alive! Here I thought she was gone by the way you were all carrying on!” But, that’s what everyone had believed. They were told it was hopeless, and that the doctor had given up. But, Mama’s message from the doctor gave them clarity and renewed hope. And once again, my family drew together in prayer.

After the first dialysis, my condition showed some slight improvement. It was Dr. Keller’s birthday that day, and he came with tears in his eyes to tell Mama the dialysis might be working. It was not great, but a little better, a step in the right direction. Dr. Keller told Mama that my slight improvement was the best birthday gift he had ever had.

Photo by:Pandiyan V.

He was so relieved with my small turn around that he decided to do a second dialysis. After the second dialysis, and a little more progress, he decided to do a third. After each dialysis, my condition seemed to slowly improve, and the fluid in my body began to reduce. It would take a total of 6 dialysis treatments to finally turn my kidneys around.

(Footnote: Don’t give up on the story yet. It has been important for me to share what life was like before I became deaf so that people understand the significant transition that occurred when I became deaf — a transformation I not only understand and accept, but also celebrate! Keep on reading! You have just completed the middle chapters entitled: Deaf or Death, which tell the dramatic story of the illness that took my hearing. Next, you will enter the final chapters entitled: My Journey Into Deafhood, which tell of my transitions and waking up to a world of silence. Keep reading! More coming soon…)

Posted by LaRonda on Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 at 6:00 am.