Rainbows and Mini-Miracles

Today has been a day of rainbows and mini-miracles.


This morning, I sent an e-mail requesting that Lynk's PCM re-fax the request for an urgent appointment to Emory. This afternoon, my phone rang. The number was from Atlanta. I answered it, hoping it was Emory. It was. Kimberly, Dr. Jain's receptionist, asked me how soon I could get Lynk to Emory, and I told her I'd get him there whenever they asked me to. So tomorrow, we are going to Atlanta! Yes, tomorrow. They are going to squeeze him in around noon. This next-day appointment, while absolutely amazing, wasn't even the best part of today.

After the phone call with Emory, I went to the hospital in order to fill out a medical release form so that the previous doctors Lynk has seen could fax medical records to Lynk's Primary Care Manager, who would then send them on to Emory. I walked down the hall to the pediatrician's area, and while I was walking, I noticed something odd on the floors. The sunlight was streaming through windows up high, and was creating bars of rainbows all over the hospital floor. It was beautiful. I thought it was a sign, a re-affirmation that good things are happening, because we got our appointment at Emory so soon.

But when I got to the pediatrician's area, I noticed something. I asked the receptionist there to please google the fax number for Children's Eye Physicians, as I had misplaced the number. I wrote down the office's name and location for her to Google, and she took the notepad and put it on a pad. That's when I realized the receptionist was using a CCTV magnifier.

As it turns out, the receptionist, Ms. Conley, and her daughter both have Stargardt's Disease.  I spent the next 45 minutes at the hospital talking to this wonderful woman. She's legally blind. But she is able to hold down a full time receptionist job. She can drive during the day using biopic lenses mounted on special glasses. She is chock full of all kinds of information about how friends and family can help and support Lynk. She said that we can stop by anytime to see her. After Lynk sees the Low Vision doctor at Emory, she said she will help me get in touch with a consultant/advocate who will work on Lynk's behalf to get Tricare to cover any visual aids Lynk will need.

Those rainbows I saw on the hospital floor were a sign of mini-miracles happening. Not only did we get an appointment sooner than we had any right to think we'd get, but I actually met someone who has Stargardt's, and has been living with it for several years. My heart is so full right now, and I cannot believe how blessed today has been.