When the call came in from Patti this morning I could not believe what I was hearing.
“Tell me that again,” I said.
“The doctor just called. She told me she had no idea what had happened but there were no signs of the tumors or the calcium build up around Erika’s liver. She told me she was not sure who I had talked to but the scans she was looking at were fine.”
“What do you mean she had no idea who you talked to? Don’t they know what they are doing? One day they say there are tumors and today they are saying there are none. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”
“All I can tell you is what she told me. I thought you said you believed in miracles. Can’t we call this a miracle?” Patti asked.
“You don’t think we should double check on this whole thing?”
“ Can’t we just trust this change and believe?”
My eyes teared up once again, but this time with joy. “All right. I will call this a ‘favor’ placed on Erika by God.”
I hung up the phone and called Erika into the room. “Listen, our prayers have been answered. God has shown favoritism to you once more. But what that means is that we must now get back to the business at hand. We must try even harder to do our part.”
Erika had a smile unlike any other I had ever seen.
Since Erika had done so wonderful through these past three weeks I knew when I took her home she would continue to live her changed life. Attacking the clutter in her room was going to be a huge task but she was ready for it. Now twelve pounds lighter, she looked so much better: her teeth whiter, hair shiner and smiling almost all the time. That was a nice thing to see. We were not entirely out of the woods but we had made many steps in the right direction. I knew it would still be tough but Patti was ready to have her daughter home again. I trusted that she and Erika could begin again under different circumstances.
Once again, Erika and I stood face to face, but this time in a more calm and relaxed situation.
“I am so proud of you,” I said. “Now that you’re going home I don’t want you to forget what you have learned thus far. Even if you think you can slide by for one moment and get away with eating something or doing something that is harmful to you, remember that just because I am not there to see you, or your mom is not there to see you, that God is standing right next to you at all times. So, above all else Erika, try your best to never disappoint Him. And keep praying. God is listening to you and He wants to help you live a beautiful life.”
I felt great about the things Erika and I had accomplished together. I knew that what we had done was a good thing and that feeling was confirmed when Erika took it upon herself to let me read the last entry in her journal the day before I took her home.
July 7th, 2011, Aunt Debbie and I had a long talk today and she told me I was going home in two days. We talked a lot about praying. I have learned so much about foods and the things I can eat and the things I can’t. Being overweight is very hard to lose. It took me almost three weeks to lose 12 lbs. but I am going to stick with it. My mom has promised to help me. I am going home this weekend, and I can’t wait. I have learned to talk to God. The doctor thought I had tumors and I prayed and talked to God which turned out, I don’t have them now. I am very thankful to be alive and I am going to keep changing my life. I pray for my mom and everybody in my family and I even prayed for Casey Anthony though I don’t know her I pray that she gets her life together. I am praying God forgives her of her sins.
(For those reading this article and have no idea who Casey Anthony is, here is a summary: Casey Marie Anthony, was tried for the first degree murder of Caylee but was acquitted.)
On July 9th, I took Erika home to her mom. Patti could not believe her eyes when she saw how good Erika looked. They hugged and cried in each other’s arms.
“Deb, I promise I will do all I can to help her continue on this path. Thank you. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” I said. “Thank God.”
As I headed home, I realized that my immediate role in helping Erika was over, but I knew her story would not end here. More was yet to come, but I simply did not know what might be around the next corner for any of us. All I knew is that I was going to shift gears and prepare for my upcoming photography adventure.
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