Many say seven (7) in anything has what is called the '7 year itch'. A challenge phase or test phase in any relationship. It can be any relationship: boyfriend & girlfriend, husband & wife, or a friendship that gets to experience the greatest challenge upon reaching the 7th year. Some passed the challenge and became stronger together. But in most cases many failed.

   I was so thankful that with prayers and love for each other, we somehow passed the 7th year of our marriage with flying colors. Despite experiencing the loss of our first baby on our first year of marriage, we never stop hoping and believing that God will soon be granting us our angel here on earth to be with us. And He never failed us. Year 2004 our precious Francesca was born. Though she was born premature at 6 1/2 months only, all the fears and sacrifices we had in conceiving were exchanged with pure joy and blessings when she came into our lives.

   Fast forward to March 2011, our only daughter Francesca celebrated her 7th birthday. I still can't believe that the baby I gave birth to at 3.10 lbs has turned 7 yo. All of those 7 years went by so quick. And in those 7 years was the support and love of my husband Brandon. We were so happy and excited that our precious is now 7 yo.

   The celebration was almost perfect, but right after Brandon gave his thank you speech to all who came and celebrated with us, my fear of the unknown started. While Brandon was saying his thank you, some of our closest relatives immediately called my attention. How come his voice is different? Is he battling a bad cold? How long is his cold going on? The way he talks is almost unclear because whatever he says came out garbled. Just some of the questions that were raised to me in whispers.

   After hearing several close friends and relatives asking same questions of concern about Brandon's voice, I felt like my heart skipped beating several times. My mind started wandering backwards. I felt the need to recall when exactly did he start having colds, or in his own words his sinus problem, again.
Was it February, January or maybe December of 2010?

   I remembered him saying that his sinus is acting up again. But then, taking regular over the counter sinus/cold medicines seemed to have not worked. And all those different reactions after  he gave the thank you speech was my wake up call. All the comments and reactions about his voice kept playing on my mind as if I was listening to a long playing album of different singers singing the same song.

   We let the day passed without talking about it because we still have other things to focus on. And as usual he said it's just sinus. I did not bother digging deep on his sinus issue since we rarely get sick and we are both young, 41yo husband and 35yo wife.

   Two months had passed, one morning Brandon told me that he is having a hard time breathing normally and he needs to keep his mouth open to breathe better. The moment he said that my I felt like my heart stopped. I felt like my whole body started to chill. It's like I had goosebumps all over my body.

   Is this our 7 year itch? It can't be. I told him in my calm and usual voice that we just need to schedule an appointment to see a doctor. That everything will be fine after he gets the proper medication.
I posed my positive and cheerful face as I asked him to set a day off from his work for us to see a doctor. I tried to go over the day as usual. But in my mind is the never ending "what ifs" and in my heart the greatest fear of the unknown.
***
God gave me the strength to be calm despite all the "what ifs" that I had in my mind then. Calmness made me decide and insist that we need to see a doctor.

He blessed me with positivity even when I start fearing the unknown. I was always quick in saying that everything is going to be fine.
                                            ~•~