Day 941 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends,

While I was showering Grayson this evening I couldn't help but notice all of the scars on his body.

A scar over his eye from where he fell as a toddler.

A scar on the back of his head where he had staples as a child.

A scar at his throat from a tracheostomy in 2009.

A long scar down the center of his chest from his open heart surgery in 1986 and numerous scars from the drain lines during surgery.

A wide scar on his upper left chest from multiple ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) implants (in 2004 & 2009).

A scar on his stomach from a gastrostomy tube in 2009.

A scar on his upper leg from cardiac catheterization as an infant.

A scar on his toe from having a physical therapist sit a chair on his foot while trying to help him sit up following his second cardiac arrest.

Each scar reminds me of the traumas he endured and the battlefield that has been his body for nearly 27 years. Every scar left behind serves as a symbol of the battles -- hard fought and won. Grayson was never ashamed of his scars and neither were we. Less visible are the mental scars and the damage to the deep brain functions. We choose not to be deterred by those wounds either. There is still healing going on there.

A friend posted on her Facebook page today the following unattributed quote about scars and it touched close to home for me.

"Never be ashamed of the scars that life has left you with. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed, you endured the pain and God has healed you."

There are all sorts of scars we bear in this life. We are in good company.

"…Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord." [John 20:19-20]

Peace be with you,

Regina