Last night was an eventful trip to the ER for us. Both girls have been running low grade fevers with cough and runny nose for days now, but trying to be a calm mother and not overeact, I thought with the weather this is typical and will run it's course. Well, last night I gave the girls some medicine hoping it would help them sleep more comfortably and would you believe Lily's system most definitely revolted. Around midnight I found my normal 3 year old struggling to breathe, shaking uncontrollably and later vomiting a ridiculous amount. So needless to say it frightened Scott and myself and off Lily and I went.
For those who have visited the emergency room late at night by yourself with a small child you can vouch for me in saying it is an adventure to rival no other! I think they must have wheeled in no less than 5 men handcuffed to their hospital bed escorted by police. Each one in a different state of upheaval, some passed out from some unknown effect and others giving the waiting room a colorful array of words!
Immediately upon seeing Lily they sent us to triage and she was checked for all necessary vital stats. (Side note: Lily hates the doctor, anything to do with doctors, so she screamed and kicked and fought to just take her temperature! Tons of fun for mommy!) But after seeing that her vitals were ok and oxygen saturation was in the high 90's they sent us back out to "wait!". I say wait because three and a half hours later we still sat there! Over these three hours the words emergency room become some what of a joke in my mind! As Lily sat there shaking and visibly upset because she didn't know what was happening we waited! But that's another story for another time!
The thing that hit me actually happened in triage at the beginning of our visit. Lily and I were the only ones back there and I think the nurse and registration attendant must have forgotten we were there because they began talking about the morning ER happenings. Apparently a young woman had brought her baby in to the ER frantic and upset and upon sight the RN saw the child was a SIDS baby. Can I just pause here and say I have never been directly related to any family member or friend who has had this. The pain, grief and questions must be beyond comprehension as there is no answer to your babies death and my mind cannot fathom the loss of a child. All I could think after hearing this is somewhere in the city I live in there is a mother so overcome with grief that she probably cannot function. Somewhere in Odessa, TX there is a family whose whole life has been forever changed! And I found myself grieving for them, praying for peace and thanking God that my girls were healthy!
The Bible tells us that we are not promised tomorrow, that our life is here today and gone tomorrow. Which makes me think...what will I do to make it worth something? What will my life say when I am gone? What will my children and husband say about how I chose to live my life? And this is what I have come up with...LOVE! Love big, love loud, love outrageously! I have come to realize that when others criticize my parenting style saying I spoil my kids...guess what? I call it LOVE! I say when my 3 year old laying next to me sound asleep rolls over and says,"I wub you mama!" that's confirmation that even she gets it! LOVE! I know this is what my savior did while he walked the earth. And as He continues to act out of love He pleads my case daily before the Father!
So I encourage you! LOVE! LOVE so much that people cannot mistake your intentions, choices and actions! Live life outrageously with LOVE!
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