Assalamu alaikum,
This is an Islamic magazine Based on Gratitude. it has short stories, lessons, health tips, and much more.
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NOTE: none of the stories are made nor are they mine!
It was the ultimate dream come true. I was three months pregnant when I had gone for umrah and held the baitullah kaba shareef and begged Allah to grant me twins. After arriving home a a month later, I went for my first ultra- sound and I could not believe what I was hearing. "Congratulations Mrs. Patel! You are going to have twins! " I started squealing and jumping out of extreme joy and delight as my dua has been accepted.
My nine months of pregnancy went extremely well. Devoid of any sickness or complications. The doctor would constantly assure me throughout the period I was expecting that my babies were growing very healthy and there was to be no complication upon their arrival.
The day had finally come for my beautiful babies to enter this big, wide world. Months of anticipation, expectations and excessive excitement and when the initial moment came, it was as though someone had dropped a ton of bricks on me or had punched me and left me gasping for air. My whole world came crashing down on me and a dark hole of darkness had formed within me.
I had given birth to twin girls, one in very good physical and mental shape and completely healthy and normal and the other A CHILD OF PARADISE (A special needs child).
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My sick daughter was born with a midlline clef and micro-cephaly and she had no septum (bone in her nose ) the first gaze I set on my daughter triggered such a shock and sorrow in me that I was numbed. Due to this lack of feeling and sensation I lost my sense of taste for six months whereby I could not taste the food I would consume.
As Zambia does not have adequate medical facilities and resources that would cater for the needs of my daughter, in the period of three days we rushed to South Africa to begin the extensive series of medical treatments.
My little baby underwent various tests from brain scans to genetic tests and several more until she was diagnosed with an extremely rare syndrome known as HOLOPROSEN CEPHALY SEMI LABOR.
This syndrome occurs when there is a brain deformity whereby the right and left side of the brain does not separate. We were told there were only two known cases of children with her syndrome in South Africa and that we should prepare for the worst and refrain from being too expectant.
They explained further that due to her brain abnormality, she would remain a sickly child and that they there was very little they could do.
At only three months my daughter had to to undergo an operation to tie her sphincter in her stomach because she suffered intolerably from ACID REFLUX.
It was extremely excruciating that she would screech in pain day and night to the extant that if an outsider saw what was happening to her, tears would feel their eyes immediately and they'd leave our house in utter shock and sadness.
The first year after the birth of my twins was so rigid that words themselves could not describe how I felt and what emotional turmoil I was going through.
If I were to write down every minutest detail of my experience, then I would need an entire magazine of my own.
I was of 26 years old when I was put through this indescribable test. The 2 years 2 months of our life was exhausted visiting one doctor to another and from one specialist to another.
After 4 months of incessant medical treatment, we returned to Lusaka attempting to get back to a " normal life". My khala (mothers sister) who had no children of her own or husband requested that we leave this special child with her to be nursed and cared for as I already had my hands full with the 3 other children.
We named this special child " Shifaa" which means cure. The motive behind naming her Shifaa was because whoever Was going to see her or look after her was going to cure all their sicknesses in their hearts. Most of all the ingratitude to Allah in our life.
Shifaa could not walk, talk, sit, focus, eat properly, sleep properly and was epileptic as well, where she would have a seizure every five minutes the entire day.
My beautiful child taught me coontless lessons in life, but I think the greatest lesson she taught me was SHUKAR ( being grateful ) to Allah. As mothers we tend to take a normal, fit child for granted.
We continually criticize them and do not appreciate the abilities and capabilities Allah has put within them. We ungratefully overlook the small and big bounties of Allah.
she passed away at the age of two in South Africa at my mother's house. In sum, Shifaa has touched me in an unexplainable way.
I resolutely believe that Allah puts us through tests and trails in life not to punish us but only to make us better people and bring us closer to him. The happiest people in life are those undeniably who have been tasted.
I wake so much shukar to Allah profusely for the most amazing support group I had right though the times of difficulty, my husband, parents, in laws, khalas and friends. I make shukar to Allah for the 3 healthy children he has bestowed upon me and I make shukar to Allah for the child of paradise he granted me. I believe this child to be an asset for me in the hereafter.
I must mention that I had also undergone counselling with an apa of mine in South Africa, and this helped me tremendously especially at turbulent times when I just needed to pour my heart and feeling to someone.
My final message: Express your gratitude to our magnificent Creator, nourisher and sustainer Allah and take time out in a daily basis to enumarate his bounties.
Shifaa has trained me to appreciate and fully accept everyone and everything In life and know this fact that:
LA IN SHAKARTUM LA AZEEDAN NAKUM
if you're grateful, Allah will increase you in bounties. To my loving husband, parents, in-laws, khalas, counselor and friends. I say a big Jazakallah for all your time and support through my most trying times and to my creator Allah, " I live you and I have given my heart to you along."
