A little girl not even ten years old suffered from a genetic autosomal chronic gastrointestinal condition—pseudo-obstruction, a rare and fatal disorder that results in the recipient not being able to absorb the necessary nutrients to live a healthy life due to intestinal blocking. Belonging to a devout Christian family, Anna’s parents hoped that she would be healed by a miracle from God. When Anna remained unhealed and was living out her final days in constant pain, her mother, Christy Beam, was on the brink of losing faith. Not only is this little girl’s story an incredible journey, but her mother’s fight to find a solution for her daughter reminds the world that miracles indeed happen. When Annabel Beam was five years old, her parents became concerned when she threw up constantly. Upon taking their daughter to the hospital, they discovered that Annabel has two rare conditions: pseudo-obstruction motility disorder and antral hypomotility disorder. These intestinal conditions resulted in Annabel’s intestine muscles failing to contract, which ultimately caused the muscles to believe that there was a blockage in her intestines. For the first years of her diagnosis, Annabel and her family prayed and hoped for a miracle. However, Annabel’s conditions continued to worsen. …show more content…
One of the side effects of Annabel’s condition caused her to be in constant chronic pain. At one point in her journey, Annabel’s pain was so severe that she told her mother that she wished to die to go and live with Jesus. Regardless of Annabel’s faith that God was real, her family began to lose their faith that their loved one would be healed. Additionally, her family suffered financial issues due to the hospital bills that results from her treatment. The fight quickly became internal as well as external as Annabel battled with herself about whether or not she wanted to
Around 11:30 PM that night she began to experience the pain. Contraction after contraction, the only thing she knew to do was call on Jesus. Her mom was by her side, while her dad waits in the waiting room, and Jesus sitting high, looking low soothing all the pain. Finally she 's in the room and her doctor was not on duty.
What conceit. I was his instrument, his animal.” (Kingsolver 89) She realizes that after all this time that her husband never really truly cared for her. His mission was to spread his word of God and to “help” people in his own way.
She really wants to help Kate because she wants her to live, but Anna wants her own life back. She comments that she is always sick but never sick enough for her parents. Both girls over came these dilemmas and did what they knew was
Alison Smith’s memoir- Name All the Animals details the aftermath of the tragic death of her brother, Roy. The memoir highlights Smith’s struggle to define herself in the midst of dealing with her own sense of loss, the pressures of adolescence, and her dysfunctional family. In attempts to define herself, Smith questions several fundamental elements in her life, such as her faith and her own sexual identity.. Realizing that her answers differed from those around her, Smith had to make a decision to no longer play Kremlin.
A combination of injuries that would leave anyone wishing for an end, except her. Instead of ending her life, she pushed forward and didn’t give up on herself and the doctors helping her. Though stuck in a hospital bed paralyzed, she still managed to fight the pain and pray for her own survival, “She had prayed that she would live through the fight” (80), “‘I never gave up faith I would be rescued, she said”’(114). She did not give up and try to take her own
This delineates the theme because she chose to seek help to heal her
Annabel’s new friend, Owen encourages her to always be completely honest. In several situations in the book she had to think if she should lie or tell the truth. She would think about what Owen told her, and most of the time she was honest. Also, facing conflicts rather than avoiding them was important in the story. Annabel learned that appearances were a lot different than
When I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a common colon disease, I had no idea what it was. It wasn’t until several tests and explanations from multiple doctors that my parents and I started to understand the extent of the problem. Although it didn’t seem like it would be a big deal, it quickly took over my entire life. Dealing with the condition meant chronic pain, medication, and many more doctors’ visits. Fortunately, my case wasn’t too severe.
Even being under so many troubles, Anna managed to get back on her feet and started a new family. During the accident, Anna showed "grace under pressure" by being able to save her own life in a split second. During the act, when her husband 's hands and her 's didn 't touch, Anna "tore her blindfold away" (Erdich, 11). Seeing that her
Her expectations, were set quite too high, leading Anna to feel dispirited and depressed because she wasn't able to fulfill the task set right in front of
Illness in women has always been a great mystery. When illness is studied, it is studied in men. With male symptoms, male bodies, and male drugs to fix the problem. The medical field has done very little to explore the ways that various illnesses both mental and physical effect women. They often do not know how to treat these illnesses when they do show up in women.
That is, how a family can be torn apart when things get hard. If it weren’t for Kate’s illness, this would be described as the ‘perfect’ family. Anna and her mother exchange many aggressive emotions throughout the novel, such as when they scream at each other and get into arguments about donating Anna’s kidney for Kate, just as a normal mother and daughter would act in the same situation in reality. Throughout the entire movie though, Anna and Kate show love and support for each other despite the fact that Anna is the only one keeping Kate alive, and she will be responsible for her death. After Kate passes away, Anna says “ Once upon a time I thought I was put on earth to save my sister.
It is by His intense prayer to the Father that the LORD Jesus overcomes His tempter in the struggle of His agony. Being true Man and true God, I see that the LORD Jesus has the power and the means to escape defeat and death at the hands of His enemies. Yet, He chooses the way of the cross for my sake and for my salvation. And I consider the ways in which I should face opposition, failure, trials and rejection. I must look to the LORD Jesus for strength to overcome adversity with faith, trial with hope, and rejection with love.