-----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> To: Sharon Starr STARR <[log in to unmask]> Cc: pat sherman <[log in to unmask]>; Martha J Smith Scott & Janie <[log in to unmask]> Date: Saturday, October 17, 1998 11:36 PM Subject: The Sweetest Song I Ever Heard... >Subject: The Sweetest Song I Ever Heard... > > > >KEEP ON SINGING >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> > >Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby >was on the >way, >she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, >prepare for a >new >sibling. > >They found out that the new baby was going to be a girl, and >day after day, >night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommy's >tummy. He was >building a bond of love with his little sister before he >even met her. > >The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active >member of the >Panther >Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. > >In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five >minutes ...every >three.... every minute. > >But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen >found herself in >hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? > >Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was >born. But she >was >in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the >night, the ambulance >rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. >Mary's >Hospital, >Knoxville, TN. > >The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatric >specialist >regretfully had to tell the parents, "There is very little >hope. Be >prepared >for the worst." Karen and her husband contacted a local >cemetery about a >burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their home >for the new >baby - >but now they found themsleves having to plan for a funeral. > >Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see >his sister. "I >want >to sing to her," he kept saying. Week two in intensive care >looked as if a >funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept >nagging about >singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in >Intensive Care. >Karen >made up her mind, though. > >She would take Michael whether they liked it or not! If he >didn't see his >sister >right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in >an oversized >scrub >suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking >laundry basket. But >the head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, "Get >that kid out of >here now! No children are allowed. > >The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the >usuallymild-mannered lady >glared >steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm >line. "He is >not >leaving until he sings to his sister!" > >Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the >tiny infant >losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to >sing. In the >purehearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: > >"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...You make me happy >when skies are >grey..." > >Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate >began to calm >down >and become steady. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged >Karen with tears >in >her eyes. > >"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don't >take my >sunshine >away" > >As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained >breathing became >as >smooth as a kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart!!!" > >"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held >you in my >arms..." > >Michael's little sister began to relax as rest, healing >rest, seemed to >sweep >over her. "Keep on singing, Michael." Tears had now >conquered the face of >the >bossy head nurse. Karen glowed. > >"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take >my sunshine >away..." > >The next, day...the very next day...the little girl was well >enough >to go home! Woman's Day Magazine called it "The Miracle of a >Brother's Song." The medical staff just called it a >miracle. Karen called >it a miracle of God's love! > >NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE. LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY >POWERFUL. > >Please send this to all the people that have touched your >life in some way. > > > > >---------- >