Grateful For My Daughter's Health And A Special Moment

In April, we had a scare with my 8 month old daughter. On Easter Sunday, I noticed a large lump growing on the side of her neck. My husband took her to the pediatrician. He was told to bring her back in two weeks.

After Imelda finished her antibiotic, we took her to the follow-up appointment. The lump was bigger, and the doctor was extremely concerned. She was acting like herself, though. She was eating and sleeping well, and she did not have a fever. He ordered us to take her to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock to have some tests done.

We packed our bags, and dropped off the older girls with my mom. Nothing mattered to us at this moment as time stood still. We asked all our family and friends to pray for our baby.

As we were heading out of town, we stopped at our Church. One of our deacons told my dad that a priest should bless Imelda. So, we decided to do that.

Father was waiting for us when we arrived. Immediately, he scooped her in his arms and spoke to her so sweetly. We told him what was happening. Then, he asked her, "Can you hold Jesus for me?"

She held a small pouch that contained the Blessed Sacrament. It was a beautiful moment that deeply touched me. Father prayed over her. Then, we left for Little Rock.

We spent three days at the hospital, running tests and waiting for results. It was discovered that the lump was just an infected lymph node. She needed a stronger dose of her antibiotic to treat it. She did not need a biopsy.

Now, the lump is hardly there, and we are so grateful to our family and friends for their prayers and support throughout the ordeal. I felt an inner peace the entire time. It was difficult seeing my daughter go through the testing. I am also grateful to our priest for that special blessing. I do not know if the lump was worse, but I do know it certainly helped us. It was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.