Christina’s Birth

Early in the pregnancy of our first child, we were given the dreadful news that the baby we were expecting had developed severe hydrocephalus. A blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid resulting in very limited brain growth. We were told that if our baby survived birth she wouldn’t live more than a few days or if she did live she would not be able to do basic things on her own such as eat, walk, run, or speak.  

All hope gone, we had no choice but to leave it in God’s hands.  Her family and many, many others prayed.

God heard our prayers and gave us a miracle.

Christina Marie Granado was born on March 21, 2004, the first day of spring. She was 3 months premature, weighed only 2 lbs 14 oz and spent 77 days in the neo-natal ICU. When she was only 4 days old, she had a device called a shunt surgically inserted into her head to relieve the pressure and drain the fluid for her. This would give her brain a chance to grow but it would never be normal.  We had many good days and many bad days in that time but in the end our precious little girl flourished and got well enough to come home.  

Christina’s Life

The miracle continues….Christina did all the things they said she would never do and more. Doctors were amazed at how well she did and all through her life they marveled at how she defied their prognosis and did everything they said she shouldn’t be able to do.  

Her head was considerably larger than it should have been because of the blockage that developed so soon in gestation.  But despite this disadvantage, she learned to walk at age 2.  Her balance was not perfect and she had many falls, some resulting in hospital stays and surgery for a shunt revision but her spirit to live life to the fullest never faded.

As you can see in the pictures, she was a beautiful little girl who loved to smile and laugh.  She could count in English, Spanish and German. She loved to sing and dance and talk on the phone.  She enjoyed school and played just like other little girls her age, with dolls and Barbies.  She loved purses, going to the mall and eating pizza and ice cream.  And she loved to play with her brother.

Christina’s Journey to Heaven

The night of Monday April 14th was a normal night much like the rest.  Christina played and laughed and danced as she did many times before.  We were even blessed to have this night taped on video. But early Tuesday, April 15th her story takes a horrible turn.  She became ill and at the hospital they determined that her shunt was malfunctioning and the pressure was building.  She needed to be transferred to another hospital but before they could transport her, she had another seizure and stopped breathing.  They put her on life support and transported her but it was too late, she never woke up. They pronounced her dead, Thursday, April 17th.  

The miracle continues even after death…..We made the decision to donate her organs so Christina was able to give the gift of life to an older man in his sixties with her kidneys and the gift of sight to a 14 year old boy and a 28 year old man with her eyes.

By the grace of God Christina lived 4 beautiful years and they were 4 of the most incredible years of our lives. In that time she touched and inspired so many people. They would see her smile and feel special but wouldn’t know why. It was God’s love they saw through her.

We miss her dearly but know she is in heaven smiling, laughing and dancing as she did here on earth.