No parent dreams of their child being born with a medical condition. Unfortunately, for many, this is a reality.
When Jennifer Siran, a mother of three living in Manitoba, gave birth to her second child, she had no idea what was in store for her.
"We were just a little family of three when our second child came along. Life seemed pretty perfect and wonderful, except that there was a little murmur that was noticed when he was born," Jennifer explained. "It wasn't something I had been concerned about as my oldest had a murmur as well, so it didn't strike me as super concerning."
About nine days later, when Jennifer took her son to an appointment to get checked out, her life was flipped upside down.
"He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, and within 48 hours, we had had his first surgery already done in a different province."
Jennifer says her world started spinning out of control.
"It's like you're getting ready to fly to a country. You have all the plans, and you've done all the research, so you know where you're going. All of a sudden, you land, and you're in a different country, and there is that feeling of this is not where I expected it to be. This is not where I expected it to go."
Instead of letting the chaos take over her world, Jennifer chose to see the positives in this new journey.
"It's very challenging to navigate where you're going, but there are also beautiful things that are a part of that journey."
She says faith played a huge role in keeping her head above water.
"I've always loved Isaiah 61. It is kind of the cornerstone of my faith," Jennifer explained. "I used to work in the inner city with underprivileged youth and in places where advocacy is needed and many aspects of my life and the hope and the trust that God is a redemptive God, that at the end of the day, no matter what happens in this world, that there is a God who restores. There is a God who brings joy instead of mourning. And brings crowns instead of ashes. That is the God I am happy to serve and to cling to with my faith."
Jennifer has chosen to write about her experience in the book When Your World Stops: Finding Hope in your Child's Medical Journey in hopes of helping other families navigate this new world.
Today on Connections, she shares why she wrote this book and how her faith has helped guide her through this unexpected journey.