You are My Sunshine, My only Sunshine'….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 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. 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? Would the mother survive? Would the baby live? The entire family and medical staff were on pins and needles. Finally, after a long and exhausting struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition.
The hospital did not have the facility to address the condition. An ambulance was called to rush Karen to a special hospital. The siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit.
The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. “Be prepared for the worst,” he said. The words weighed heavy on the family.
Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby, but now they found themselves 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.
Michael’s baby sister was getting worse. 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 decided to 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.
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 usually mild-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' she barked back. Her emotions pouring out in the heartache she was feeling.
Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. Michael, oblivious to all the tubes, dials, and pumps tied to his baby sister began to sing. His excitement to see his baby sister was unquestionable.
In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:
”You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.” Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. Her pulse rate began to calm down and become steady.
”Keep on singing, Michael,” encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.
”You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away.” As Michael sang to his sister, his baby sister’s ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr.
Even Michael noticed the change. He paused as if he did something wrong and innocently turned to his mom as if he made some sort of mistake.
“Keep on singing, sweetheart,” Michaels mother nudged, reassuring him it was okay.
”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,” Karens cracked voice whispered. Tears were pouring down her face and quietly the bossy head nurse stood in the doorway wiping tears from her eyes as well.
Michael glowed as he sung to his baby sister. “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.
The innocence of one child pierced the heart of the most hardened and skeptical people in that hospital. Michael’s love for his baby sister affirms to us all that we should never give up on the people we love.
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