Reflections On A Recent Stay In The Hospital With My Baby

Guest post by Kim Nielsen

Thursday afternoon I took my baby girl, Mya, into the clinic when she was excessively sleepy and difficult to arouse. She started to have periods of extreme colic followed by sleepiness so we were sent to the peds ER for workup of possible intussusception (a portion of the bowel telescoping into another portion). After many tests and even more waiting, she was diagnosed and treated. We just returned home this afternoon after 48 hrs in the ER/hospital. She did great and is catching up on sleep after her hard last couple of days. Here are 12 things I was reminded of from this experience:

1. These things inevitably happen when Zach is out of town.
2. Mother's intuition is a gift from God. We need to follow it and be an advocate for our children even when people think we are a little crazy.
3. Compassion and thoughtfulness, even in little ways, make a huge difference, especially when facing the unknown.
4. Listening and carefully worded questions are essential skills in the medical profession!
   
5. Pediatric ER nurses are amazing at starting IV's with very little veins.
6. ER's are not very comfortable and it innately takes forever to get things done. Time goes by much slower as a patient than as a medical professional.
7. I am so thankful for modern medicine and people who dedicate their lives to being the best at what they do.
8. Hospitals are not great places to actually sleep.
9. Intussusception is a hard word to spell.
10. Mya draws people to herself even when she is sick; her sweet, interactive personality can trick people into thinking she is not as sick as she really is.
11. God provides in amazing ways through His people. They are family and provide support, encouragement, help, and prayer.
12. It is extremely difficult to watch your child suffer or be in pain. God provides strength when there is none.

What stands out more than all of these is the fact that God is faithful. He answers prayer in His timing and according to His will. Trusting in His sovereignty and goodness offers strength, encouragement, and comfort. He is MOST WORTHY of praise!