Miracles do Happen
I know it’s sometimes hard to believe in miracles. Especially when God doesn't always deliver based on our timing or expectations. It's easy to forget that He knows what we need and when we need it compared to what we think we need and when we want it. Personally, I don't believe in coincidences. I don't believe in fate. And I don't believe in predestination. However, I do believe Heavenly Father knows us personally and loves us individually. I know that He knows the desires of my heart and where I can find joy.
Recently I experienced a small miracle in my life. My current wheelchair, though only ten years old, has been plagued with maintenance issues that are no longer repairable due to outdated software and lack of part availability. Thus, the beginning of the war of the worlds. My world—a quadriplegic needing the reliability of a dependable power wheelchair. The insurance world—do we really want to pay for this expensive piece of equipment? After several visits to my PCP, the OT, and the wheelchair provider, a case was made and sent to the insurance company requesting a replacement chair. Seemed like a no-brainer to me. Every item ordered on the replacement chair was identical to the chair I've been using for the past ten years. The same insurance company covered the costs of maintaining the chair over that ten-year period. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the response from the insurance company and read that my request had been denied as the chair was not considered medically necessary.
I won't go into the details of why it wasn't considered medically necessary. Needless to say, none of them made sense. Like I said to my husband, it's a love-hate relationship with insurance companies. You love them when they pay for your medical expenses. You hate them when they don't make sense. This was one of those less-loving moments.
For the past 26 years, I've experienced a number of unpleasant encounters with insurance companies. I’m quite familiar with the process of pointing out their mistakes. I quickly went to work writing a lengthy appeal letter, and enlisted the aid of my PCP, OT, and wheelchair provider, to write equally persuasive appeal letters. The wheelchair provider sent out the appeal request a week before Christmas not expecting a response before the end of the year. Three days later I was sent a text from the wheelchair provider saying, “Hi Miss Sue, your wheelchair denial has been overturned and everything has been covered including the lift (which insurance rarely covers).” She later added that she’d never seen a denial overturned so quickly. It was a Christmas miracle!
This may seem like a very small miracle compared to some, but it was a miracle, nonetheless. Ironically, as I was writing this post, I received news of a much bigger miracle. One with a greater impact on the lives it has blessed.
Last week, my husband and I were informed by someone close to us that her recent mammogram indicated a substantial mass had formed close to her lymph nodes. The doctor immediately placed an order for an ultrasound of the area. Many heartfelt prayers were said, and positive thoughts conveyed on her behalf as we waited for the results. We received the message a few minutes ago. “The tests all came back normal. They don’t understand, but said they want to follow up in a year.”
We understand. Miracles happen every day. Every minute of every day. Both big and small. We just need to open our eyes and recognize God’s hand in everything around us—good or bad. He knows us and He knows what we need for our growth and eternal consequences. The behind-the-scenes reasons for miracles are mysterious and unpredictable. As for one of the miracle’s I’ve experienced as a result of contracting Transverse Myelitis, Zach Anner said it best: “….the struggles I face as a result of having Cerebral Palsy (TM) have given me a fair bit of empathy and isn’t that kind of cool that the things that can make us feel the most isolated and alone are also the things that can connect us with the most people…?”
