Last week was the 3rd time we had to take our baby to the ER since January 1st. Never have we been to the ER so many times with one child. Poor little Charlie, he has had a very sick winter with RSV, stomach bug, respiratory infection and whatever else a baby can catch this time of year.
Last week, he dislocated his elbow. HOW? I have no clue, but he did. Actually I did it, but don’t know how. So, needless to say I am learning some new things thanks to all of these trips to the ER.
- Always take a shower before bed, never think you can take it the next morning. Every time I decided to shower the next morning we ended up taking a sick baby to the ER before I could shower. Thank goodness for pony tail holders, baseball caps & perfume.
- Keep snacks & a water bottle in the diaper bag. 2 of the 3 times we went to the ER during a meal time. Thank goodness I had some trail mix stuck away in the bag because Scott & I were hungry & there were no vending machines in sight. Plus who wants to pay $3.00 for a tiny bag of pretzels?
- Keep a journal at home. On our first ER trip Charlie had RSV. When my baby was gasping for air and the nurse was asking me when I last took his temperature, how high his fever was and when he last had Ibuprophen I couldn’t remember a thing. If I had written it down and brought it with me it would have made things much easier. I write stuff down now just in case I have to tell it to the Pediatrician or ER doctor. Plus it really makes me look like I’m on top of things.
- Be patient. It is so easy to want to demand quick treatment when your baby has been sick. You are tired from staying up all night and all you want is for your child to be ok. ER trip #2 we sat in a waiting room for 3 hours on Martin Luther King Jr birthday with hundreds of other sick people, tempers were flaring. It was a long wait, especially when you have a sick child. The staff was working as fast and as efficiently as they could. We knew that & waited, even though I really wanted to stomp my feet & yell, “Hey do you even care my baby is sick?”. When we were finally taken to a room, we waited some more. It was getting old, but getting upset about it would not help our sick baby any at all.
- Be prepared to shine for Jesus. Even when you are the patient (or your child is) we can shine for Jesus by the way we respond to others or speak to them. Every time we have been in the ER the Lord gave us opportunities to talk about Him with others. Scripture says to always be prepared.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. “ 1 Peter 3:15
When Christ rules your heart and mind others notice even if they don’t really know what they are noticing.
Do others see something different in you? Do they see a hope and joy they rarely see?
Our family has been through a lot in the past 2 years and is still going through it. I will never forget when someone asked my oldest daughter how she could be so upbeat and joyful when our family was experiencing such a difficult time. Without missing a beat she responded with, “It has to be the Lord carrying me through this because this is the hardest thing we have even been through and yet I know he has our backs.” I love that! My 20 yr old daughter, in the midst of difficult days, was living out the joy of the Lord & her hope was grounded in Him and others noticed.
Are you prepared?
Do others notice a hope in you they don’t have?
Do you know someone who has that hope that you want?
Sweet Mom, Jesus is the author of the faith that makes that hope & joy possible. I pray you know him as personal friend and Savior and learn to choose His hope and joy. It is there for the taking.
I write a new blog focusing on living in His joy and how that can happen. I invite you to visit and subscribe to my posts. www.joymoms.com
In His Joy!
Dana Bailey
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