Faith Makes Me Strong – Millie's Story

I was born Millicent Lesley Collins to an Italian-Irish-Polish couple in Providence, Rhode Island.  Even at best this young couple did not get along very well.  Soon after my birth it was discovered that I had a birth defect.  I could not swallow.  The top part of the esophagus was missing.  The esophagus is the tube that carries the food from the throat to the stomach.  And so I was flown to Boston Children's Hospital where I became a resident of the hospital for the first four years of my life.  During those four years an artificial esophagus was created and perfected.  This esophagus was made from my own skin through skin grafting.  The skin-tube was placed on the outside of my chest (see photo on page 8).  At the end of the four years it was decided that I should be exposed to a home-like atmosphere, but I could not return to Rhode Island.  The home-like atmosphere had to be within a ten mile radius of the hospital, in case I needed the hospital in a hurry.  So, I was placed in a foster home in Newton, Massachusetts.  But this wasn't just any foster home.  This home was special.  This home had a warm and loving Christian mother and a kind, tenderhearted father of Armenian descent.  For the next four years I had to make many trips to the Children's Hospital to have my esophagus dilated, to have it stretched so the food would go down.  The gastric juices from the stomach would come up the tube blocking the food, keeping the food from going down smoothly; hence a dilation was necessary.

At age eight, three important events took place that would change my life:

• It was decided that I should undergo one more major surgery.  This surgery, a stomach bypass, if successful, and it was, would eliminate any further trips to the hospital.  Now you know why I am so thin.
• By this time my natural parents were divorced.  A warm and loving relationship had developed between my foster parents and myself.  And so adoption proceedings began that would take five years before completion.  Neither natural parent could agree on the terms of the adoption.  But the main drawback to the adoption was the fact that I was a Catholic child being adopted by Protestant parents.  In those days, that was a "no-no." Finally, the adoption went through...just in time, as I was entering the junior high era: a new school and a new name...Millicent Ladd Konian.  I was very proud of my new name, especially the middle name.  The name "Ladd" was after the doctor, William E. Ladd, who performed the surgery that saved my life.  Dr. Ladd was the head surgeon of pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital.
• But the most important event that took place at age eight was that I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.  My foster parents attended a Baptist Church.  Every Sunday after attending the Catholic church, I would then go to the Baptist Church with my foster parents.  The Billy Graham Crusade came to Boston the year I was eight, and all the youth of the church were invited to attend the crusade at Tremont Temple, Boston.  Billy Graham spoke to the young people as only Billy Graham can, and the Lord spoke to me through Billy Graham.  When the invitation was given, the next thing I knew, I found myself winding my way down the stairs and onto the main floor, going forward to accept Christ as my Savior.  After the service was over, there were counselors available to talk to all the young people on an individual basis.  I was given a booklet to read that contained many Bible verses.  And although I cannot remember all the verses contained in the booklet, one of the first verses I learned was John 3:16.  But my favorite verse, the one that means the most to me is Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Throughout my life the Lord has directed my paths.  Through a birth defect the Lord saw to it that I was placed in a loving Christian foster home that later became my permanent loving Christian home.  My life growing up was not always a happy time.  I needed much discipline to make me able to live with and a joy to have around.  This discipline took much time, love, and patience on the part of my parents.  For this I will always be grateful and appreciative.  The most important path that I ever took under the Lord's direction was that long walk forward to accept Christ as my personal Savior and friend at the Billy Graham Crusade.

In the summer of 1985, my faith was put to the test.  I was experiencing steady pain within the esophagus.  It was soon learned that I had developed polyps within the skin tube.  The polyps had to be removed but not at our local hospital.  It was strongly recommended that I go to a Children's hospital for the surgery.  And so at age 45, I returned to Boston Children's hospital for a hopefully short surgical procedure.  The five day stay turned out to be a five week stay at the hospital!  The polyps were removed, but upon further study the esophagus showed signs of wearing out.  It was recommended the old esophagus be removed and a new one put in.  This time the colon was used.  The medical team also decided to connect the stomach, which had been bypassed since age eight.  Needless to say, the surgery was successful.  However, upon further study, the old skin tube showed signs of cancer cells developing.  Therefore, it became necessary to undergo radiation treatments as a preventative.  Although I had been assured that by removing the old esophagus completely, the cancer had been removed also, it was suggested that I undergo radiation treatments as a preventative.

By placing my faith in the Lord and in the medical team under the direction of Dr. Samuel Schuster, my life has been extended again.  Hopefully, as a member of a support team, I can help someone with a similar medical history.  I have never considered myself famous.  Just an average person, married with two grown boys.  One son is married and lives near us.  The second son is a Captain in the U.S. Army.  I am employed part time at two retail stores.  My husband owns and operates a lawn care business. Just an average family living an average life.  Throughout life, it is important to live one day at a time.  Be thankful for the blessings of that day.  And ask the Lord for guidance daily.  Only He can direct my path one day at a time.