"If I had to pick the one thing that I like best about my profession, I would have to say it is hearing the testimonies of my clients. I know everyone has heard the cliché ‘every portrait tells a story’ but I don't think many of us realize how true that is. I love having the opportunity to get to know so many of my clients and hearing the testimonies of their lives. To me, each person is like a novel just waiting to be read. Few things are more amazing than being inspired by their lives." -kim collins
One of my favorite examples of a story unfolding during a session was with Brittany. This past summer we were in the middle of her senior portrait session when I had her flip her hair upside down to fluff it for her next portrait. When she did, I noticed a very large scar at the base of her hairline going up. In my shock, I blurted out questions about the nature of her scar. She casually replied, "they just removed part of my brain." As you can imagine, I was speechless...what do you say to something like that? Later I began talking to her mom and curiously asked about Brittany's surgery—that is when the story unfolded. It was such an inspiring testimony. I asked her mom if she would write it out so I could share it with you. Below is Brittany's story in the words of her mother.
A routine visit to the doctor for what we thought was just a sinus infection turned into a long three-month ordeal. Along with the sinus infection, Brittany was experiencing migraine intensity headaches. We assumed they were because of the infection but after being on the antibiotics for some time, the sinus infection cleared while the headaches continued. Our family doctor ordered an MRI, which showed that Brittany had a Chiari malformation and he referred us to a pediatric neurology surgeon at St. Louis Children's Hospital. “Chiari malformations (CMs) are structural defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. When the indented bony space at the lower rear of the skull is smaller than normal, the cerebellum and brainstem can be pushed downward. The resulting pressure on the cerebellum can block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (the liquid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord) and can cause a range of symptoms including dizziness, muscle weakness, numbness, vision problems, headache, and problems with balance and coordination.” (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/chiari.htm) He explained that she was probably born with it and that some people have it and are never bothered by it while others require surgery. In Brittany's case, the surgeon was not convinced the chiari was the cause of her headaches because she was not demonstrating other symptoms normally associated with a chiari. Therefore, he sent us to another colleague who tried to break the headaches with medication. They tried at least eight different kinds of medication and even hospitalized her trying to break the headaches. After several weeks of dealing with migraines 24/7, the surgeon said we had exhausted all possibilities, leaving surgery as the only option. He gave us less than a 50% chance of success and informed us of the risks involved with this type of surgery. After much prayer, we decided to proceed with the surgery. On March 20, 2006, Brittany had the surgery. After weeks of recovery, the headaches were gone! He later told us the odds that she would be headache free were actually less than 30% and that her case was definitely one for the medical journals. We knew of course that people all over the country were praying for Brittany and knew that our Lord guided the surgeon's hand giving us the miracle they didn't think was possible. Today, Brittany is still headache free and back to her very active life, which includes cheerleading. I remember the day in the surgeon's office when he told her that she would probably not be able to cheer for a very long time. That was the one and only time Brittany cried. She loves to cheer and competitions were just around the corner. She is also the captain of the squad and this was her senior year. The surgeon promised her that someday he would have her back to where she was and told her to be patient. He told her when she could walk on her hands and do a back handspring he would release her. He didn't realize how determined and strong-willed she is! On her very first post surgery office visit, she told him she was ready; she jumped from the table and walked on her hands all the way down the hallway and then did a tumbling pass. He was amazed and gave her a complete release to return to all activities months earlier than expected. Her squad took first place at the regional cheer competition.
I know with all my heart that our prayers were answered and that our Lord is still in control. Our situation proved to us once again to have faith in God and to put your trust in him to carry you through all of life's storms. All we have to do is ask!
