When I came out of the operating room, I told the mother the whole truth: Your child's pupils are fixed and dilated. Her brain is herniating. She is essentially brain-dead. The mother was begging me, "Is there one-tenth of one percent of a chance that she will make it?" All I could do was tell her to pray real hard. A few days later, some of the other doctors wanted my permission to turn off the life-support machines. I said I'd do it the next morning. And when we got to the room that morning, the girl's finger moved. After a long rehabilitation, she walked out of the hospital.
That was four years ago. Her name was Cynthia Clayton. I still can't explain what happened. This was a very unusual case. You can understand why I'm a believer. I have seen miracles.
Chuck Salter csalter@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us is a freelance writer based in Baltimore.
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