All Right With God

All Right with God

Joan May

            My great niece Katrina Alexandra Hall was born in 1992 with a congenital heart defect.  What a big name for a tinier than usual baby!  Shortly after she was born, the surgeon performed heart surgery.  He told my sister Ann (Katie’s grandmother who was an RN), “Mrs. Hall, this baby is a miracle! While doing the surgery, I had to go to a place I’ve never gone before – near her lungs.”

            Since I live in Florida, I only see this family when I go on trips back to Illinois where they live.  The first time I saw Katie was when she was just an infant. While there, I was asked to babysit Katie for a short period while Ann took Katie’s mother, Lisa, to an appointment.  I was almost afraid to hold this fragile little baby. It was such a joy!  During the following years, I regretted not being able to visit them more often. 

Katie required other heart surgeries during her early years.  Although Katie’s condition kept her from doing physical activities, she did survive and grow. My sister Ann looked out for Katie and sent her to summer camps for children with disabilities.  Katie developed into a sweet-natured pre-teen, well-liked by other kids.

When she was 14 years old, she was scheduled for her eighth heart operation. As Ann tucked Katie into bed the night before her surgery, she asked her how she was feeling.  Katie replied, “I talked to God, Grandma, and He said I was going to be all right.”  The following day right after the surgery, the sorrowful surgeon told the family the heart surgery went fine, but her lungs gave out. 

When Ann told me the details of Katie’s passing and the conversation they had the night before, we both rejoiced that she was now truly… all right with God.