A story that illuminates a little match girl. When Christmas comes, it is common for our memory to recall unforgettable stories. Stories that, although they may seem unique, can be repeated with new forms of hope. One of them, undoubtedly special, is “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen.
In this work, the Danish author tells how, on a cold Christmas Eve, a little match girl, exhausted and alone, fades away little by little, until she is received in the warm arms of those who await her in Heaven. And when I think of this story, of the sweetness with which the little girl says goodbye, I cannot help but remember Elisa. Allow me to tell you her story.
The beginning of a miracle
Elisa was the third baby that Patricia and Antón were eagerly awaiting. Her two older sisters were ready to welcome her with love and tenderness. However, at the third ultrasound, their dreams began to falter: the doctors detected an anomaly in the nuchal translucency, which pointed to a possible heart disease or a chromosomal variation. After several tests, the diagnosis was devastating: Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18).
This condition, according to statistics, is not “compatible with life.” But Patricia and Antón decided to trust in the time that Heaven would grant them with their daughter.
The resistance to hope
At the hospital, the family’s decision to continue with the pregnancy was not understood. For many, the “logical” thing was to avoid inevitable suffering. But Elisa had a purpose, just like the little match girl: to show that, even in short time, life can be meaningful.
Between ogres and fairy godmothers
The ogres and fairies in this story wore white coats. Some doctors said that they were not prepared to receive her and that they would do nothing for her if she was born. However, in the midst of this adversity, there were those who became Elisa’s fairy godmothers.
Thanks to a complex heart condition, tetralogy of Fallot, Elisa’s case reached the hands of a cardiologist who offered them a small ray of hope. Thus, the family arrived at the Maternal-Child Hospital of La Coruña, where they found a team willing to treat Elisa as what she was: a unique child, with a story to tell.
A treatment full of humanity
Patricia remembers with gratitude the words of the head of neonatology:
“From the first moment, he made it clear to me that my daughter was not a diagnosis, she was not a trisomy, she was Elisa, one more baby, and that they would give her the best during the time she was with us.”
These words, full of humanity, contrasted with the coldness of those who previously offered nothing but discouraging statistics.
Elisa defies the odds
Elisa was born on March 20, becoming the first baby with trisomy 18 to be born in that hospital in this century. Against all odds, she not only survived the birth, but was able to go home with her family. She was small, fragile, but beautiful.
A sweet and loving farewell
At home, the palliative care team provided constant support. When the time came, Patricia had the opportunity to make the most difficult but loving decision: to accompany Elisa in her final moments.
“I wanted to be the one who, from arms to arms, passed her to her Mother in Heaven,” Patricia remembers. And so, on June 22, Elisa gently passed away, leaving an indelible lesson in all who knew her.
A legacy of hope
Elisa not only changed the life of her family, but also that of a doctor who, until then, recommended the termination of pregnancy in cases like hers. Today, this professional recognizes that there is another path, one full of love, respect and trust in what we cannot always control.
Elisa’s story, like that of the little match girl, reminds us that even in its brevity, life can illuminate the hearts of those who are willing to receive it.
