As a general rule, we spend a lot of time here at the Conservative Firing Line either hammering the hateful left, excoriating Silicon Valley tech tyrants for their censorship, exposing those who wish to strip us of our Constitutional rights or holding errant “Republicans'” feet to the fire. But every once in a while, we like to take a break from all of that to remind ourselves what’s really important.
And since this is Christmas Eve, we thought we’d bring you a story of life, love and the power of prayer, courtesy of Twitchy. Be warned, however. This is a touching story and we can pretty much guarantee that you’ll probably need to break out the tissues…
We’ll present the thread as posted on Twitter by Ralph Amsden with no commentary:
I sent this tweet three years ago tonight, and I’ve been thinking all day about the events that led up to sending it, the night of, and the days/months/years afterward. If it’s alright, I’d like to share the story with you. https://t.co/1mcIT1XvGP
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
When I sent this tweet, a team of doctors had just come into a dark waiting room where my wife and I were sitting with both sets of parents, our pastor, and another friend, and told us that our two-week old daughter, Myles, was dying in the next room.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
Earlier in the evening, Myles was with my wife at a Christmas ornament decorating party when she started to seem lethargic. My wife and her friends rushed Myles to Cardon Children’s hospital, and by the time they arrived, Myles had stopped breathing.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
While a team of doctors and nurses worked dillegently to restore breath to my newborn daughter, I drove to the hospital alone, completely unaware of the severity of the situation. I remember being concerned that she had to be taken to the E.R., but not overly worried.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
When I arrived at the hospital, I was ushered into a hallway where I saw my wife and a friend of hers both collapsed onto the floor with a social worker standing over them. I don’t know why it stands out, but I remember the social worker had her nose pierced.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
So we sat in a dark room, waiting for news. Her parents arrived- then mine. Then my pastor, with another good friend. They prayed with us. Cried with us. They tried to distract us with small talk. Minutes felt like weeks. A woman came in and out gathering insurance information.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
I can confidently say that was the worst moment of my life (And my goodness, there have been some moments). Nothing, however, compared to attempting to comprehend having the strength to say goodbye to a beautiful baby that had, hours earlier, been peacefully napping on my chest.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
There was little hope the surgery would work. She was so small, and in such bad shape. But we could try. If it did work, the machine would potentially give her heart the rest it needed to begin to heal, and give doctors time to discover and treat the cause of her sudden demise.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
I remember in that moment asking my wife to step out into the harsh flourescence of the hospital hallway with me. We walked to the next room and saw our baby, swollen and struggling, surrounded by nurses. Her skin was a color I’d never seen before, nor since.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
As we stood in that hallway together, I remembered her strength.
I remembered sitting in an obstetrician’s office with her just one year before, and hearing a doctor tell us that we’d miscarried.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
There’s a psalm that reads “better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere,” and I don’t think I understood it until I watched my wife grieve. Those awful, excruciating days, reminded me of how blessed we for everything and everyone we had- especially each other.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
Our daughter might have felt like God’s gift to us, but she was still God’s gift to give.
We’d agree to the surgery, and her fight would be her fight. Our fight would be for each other. In that hallway, we recited vows that I only wish we could have understood at our wedding.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
And she did it. She replaced a two-week-old baby’s heartbeat with a machine by connecting a tube into her carotid artery. There were a dozen improbable things that saved my daughter that night, but this one I was able to put a name to.
Wherever you’re at, Dr. Cox, well done.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
You celebrated with us as she mounted a miraculous mental and physical recovery over the ensuing months and years, and you continue to do so. There are so many people invested in her that sometimes I feel like I’m raising a publicly owned child. ???
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
This week I sat with my aunt and uncle, who are my two best friends in this world, and we talked about the frailty of things. She’s getting her ass handed to her in a battle with cancer. He’s barely holding it together, and was hospitalized today because of giant kidneys stones.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
I bring them up to say this- they know they don’t have forever. They have today. And when possible, they spend each ‘today’ passing the baton to others and cheering them through whatever race they’re running.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
All I’ve ever wanted was to be like them- to run my race, and pass the baton to my kids, or whoever else has a race to run and needs the encouragement to do so.
I feel like because of the work and compassion of many others, yourselves included, I get to do that for my daughter.
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
So thank you. And thank God for you. Whether you were there for us, or for the next person who needs it, because there’s always a next person. We’re a broken people in a broken place, after all.
But for today, this kid is whole, and she has a race to run. pic.twitter.com/hHCdx4gIe8
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 23, 2018
“Goodnight and Merry Christmas,” he said in conclusion.
Reaction to this story was pretty much what you’d expect:
wow ?
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 23, 2018
Amazing, Ralph. We went through a very similar experience w/Connor. He wasn’t supposed to make it - but when he did, he was going to be impaired for life, have vision problems, heart problems, etc. None of that happened. God works miracles everyday. Merry Christmas, brother.
— Bill Butt (@billbutt32) December 23, 2018
She's beautiful. God bless you all.
— The Turquoise Temptress (@heartsabustin) December 23, 2018
A beautifully touching story. With so much negativity around us these days, for you to share your experience, strength and hope for us all to receive is a wonderful gesture on your part. Thank you for brightening up the darkness. Now my youngest son and I will decorate our tree.
— Ron Rehmann (@RonRehmann) December 24, 2018
I was reading this to my wife as she drove. On our way South to be with our collection of blessings: our kids and grandkids.
— Ventana (@EeeBeeEll) December 23, 2018
When I got to this photo I burst into tears.
Merry Christmas.
We agree with all of the above and have to admit that photo at the end had us breaking out the Kleenex.
Thank you for sharing this, Ralph.
And on that note, we’d like to wish all of you a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Related:
- Video: Sad little boy tells drill instructor what he really needs
- Univ. of Minnesota: Santa, Christmas trees and nativity scenes not appropriate for Christmas
- Merry Christmas!
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