Day off in the ER

What. A. Day.

This morning started out like most of our Mondays with an attempt to sleep in for a bit. Joy-filled Ella showed up in our bedroom around 6:45AM making that nearly impossible – but we eventually coaxed her to “rest” with us for a little bit before Ezra’s cry for attention made it even less possible for us to relax.

I had a web-meeting scheduled for 9AM this morning and as I was finishing making my coffee, Ella began acting a bit clingy – not wanting me to leave her sight and not letting go of my pants-leg. Jess eventually managed to get Ella to go to the couch and rest from what Ella was claiming as a ‘tummy ache’.

Moments after I was in my web-meeting I heard the unmistakable sounds of a 4-year-old being sick. As I ran back upstairs just after 10 I knew that Ella’s level of sick this time was at a heightened level than ‘usual’ (this was her fourth episode of being sick in the last 3.5-weeks). I tried to help Jess manage the situation by finishing feeding Ezra his oatmeal while Jess continued to care for the vomit-prone Ella. I called the doctor in between feeding Ezra bites and the nurse on-call told us to take Ella to the Emergency Room based on Ella’s symptoms and heightened level of sick this time.

Within minutes I was putting Ella in her car seat and heading to the hospital.

As I drove from New Stanton to Greensburg all I could do was pray for my little girl. (I prayed with my eyes open – I hope that still counts)

The ER doctor quickly made a decision to draw blood and get an IV started to re-hyrdrate our poor little girl. She also quickly called for x-rays to be taken to help rule out other possibilities.

Ella handled every aspect of the ER like a trooper. She did NOT want a “shot” (IV), but eventually gave in to the fact that it was going to happen and settled enough for the nurse to give it to her and then didn’t even cry when the actual needle was put in her hand! What a girl!

The only thing we learned from any of the tests today was that her white blood cell count was high – meaning her body is fighting something.

We have an appointment with her pediatrician tomorrow and then are scheduling an appointment with a G/I Specialist at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital as soon as possible.

Ella perked up in the afternoon and into the evening – she was ready to come home and kiss her Mommy and Baby Ezra. She even gave hugs to the nurses as we left the ER – special moments to behold.

Tonight after she had her bath, ate some crackers and snuggled with me on the couch, she fell asleep on my chest. When I knew she was finally ‘out’, my emotions took over as my mind replayed all of the days’ events while I held my precious daughter.

I’m reminded as a father who loves his daughter more than I could ever describe in a blog-post that I, too, have a Heavenly Father who loves ME more than I can imagine.

I hated realizing my powerlessness to make today’s situation better. I trusted a doctor and nurses to do things that I couldn’t do – to ascertain things I couldn’t help with. I put on a face of ‘strength’ even though I didn’t feel very strong on the inside. God knew this weakness in me long before it began to peek through! I got a message from a friend of mine who lives in Las Vegas and he told me that he was awakened from sleep last night prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for strength for me today – this was mere hours before today’s ordeal began! So thankful for God’s presence all day today!

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

That verse was one of the verses we discussed just last evening at our church’s Family Bible Study. I find comfort in knowing that God’s power is made perfect in my weakness. I struggle EVERY DAY with giving complete-control to my Heavenly Father of EVERY area of my life – including the health and safety of my children.

May each of us as Christ-followers find comfort in knowing that God’s power is made perfect even in our weaknesses!