Left in the maternity ward, little Emily was soon the centre of attention, with three different families eager to welcome her home. Yet, one day, Emily suddenly became unwell. Doctors began a series of examinationsand, just as quickly as they had appeared, those families seemed to vanish into thin air. Not a single one wished to take Emily home anymore. The staff wept when they learned that paperwork was already being preparedfor this tiny girl had been abandoned right there in the hospital.
Emilys mother, herself scarcely more than a girl, made her decision immediately upon birth. She wanted nothing to do with the baby; she walked away, leaving Emily in the care of the nurses. We all thought, given how beautiful she was, with wide blue eyes and thick, dark lashes, and so lively and healthy, that Emily would not remain with us for long. There always seemed to be couples waiting to adopt babies like her.
Indeed, this time three families asked to take Emily in as their own. But when she fell ill, doctors investigated and discovered she carried a serious inherited condition. The child would require lifelong medical attention: regular treatments, medicine, and constant supervision. The families, hearing of this diagnosis, disappeared one by one. None were willing to face the challenges of raising a poorly child.
We were resigned to Emily staying at the childrens home. Imagine our surprise, then, when we learned that papers for her adoption were once more being prepared. Our astonishment only grew when we discovered who her new mother would be: it was the very same midwife who had helped bring Emily into the world. The diagnosis did not dismay her in the least. When she began taking Emily to various specialists, it even turned out that the initial diagnosis had been mistaken. Of course, Emily would still need treatment, but nothing so dire as living a life bound by illness.
Looking back now, I remember those bittersweet dayshow hope was lost, returned, and finally, truly fulfilled.
