Thought and Poem – February 17, 2015
As parents, we do love our children. We try to protect them and give them what they need but sometimes this is not enough. There are times they will get sick or hurt and we might need to seek immediate medical attention at an Emergency Room at a hospital nearby.
Still no matter how old our children get, when they are sick and hurting really bad, they become like little children again. And when they do, they want their mommies and/or daddies. In these trying times, parents become a security blanket for their children and they might feel that we will protect them and that all will be okay.
Sometimes when having to be there during these difficult times, being there and doing what we can helps us to maintain control ourselves and by engaging by walking/talking them through their treatment is what keeps all of us from falling apart.
We might try to ease their fears by assuring them that with proper medical attention they are going to feel better, or possibly at least get some sort of treatment while at the hospital or medicine to take home that might put them on the road to recovery. And during this time, we try to be strong for their sake and for our sake even when we have fears of our own.
I had another opportunity to show my support to my “adult” child when her emergency popped up around nine o’clock the other night. Somehow emergencies always happen after dark, later during the night, in inclement weather and when we are just ready to put our own heads on our pillows for the night. NOT!
I love my daughter and will do almost anything for her including being there during the times where she may need me most. Today was another one of those days where she needed me and this is what we did…
I drove fast to the ER….walked her through the ER doors, answered a zillion questions in the Triage Section, stayed with her when she had her blood pressure, temp and oxygen level noted and then sat with her for hours in the Waiting Room to wait her turn to be examined by a doctor. After-which, we were directed to a little cubicle and with the curtain closed the nurse assesses the medical need and asked a zillion more questions.
During these moments, I try to explain to my not-believing daughter, that she will get through this moment, that there will be a treatment that will make her feel better and do so over a hundred of times during the time we wait after the nurse leaves the room. A good two hours later, we do see a doctor and he orders test and labs and he too leaves the room.
Hours later while waiting for results, I keep a watch on my daughter, administering to her needs in the absence of the doctor and nurse. I continue to try and reason with her that she will be okay and that I love her.
To make a long story short, we did leave the hospital seven hours later and she did get some treatment, even though we did not get all the answers we needed but she did get referred to a specialist that will redo this drill at our appointment when we get it.
The bottom line is, things can change in just seconds. We need to show our children that we love them at all times so that when emergencies come up they will know that we will support them and that we have their best interest in mind. We may not be able to make them all-better, but they will know we will be there for them and will not leave them alone. My daughter knows this and I am glad that I am her mother.
Emergencies…
Emergencies come up
They shake us up
They make us wonder what will happen next
We need to act fast so that medical personnel can do the rest.
Still we want to stay with them
From the beginning to the end
Explaining treatments and medical terms
Reducing their fears and while hiding our own concerns.
There will be blood pressures…
Temperatures…
Heart Monitors…
Lab tests and procedures...
Emergencies are not especially things we want to go through
And it might take some time to heal any boo-boo’s
But what will be remembered is that as parents we were there
And by their child we stayed near.
Jeanne Claire Probst
