Saturday, June 30, 2012

Giving Joy



Right now, I’m sitting in the ED at Primary’s.  Thursday night, Aaron started coughing up blood.  Yeah, blood as in bright red, fresh, frank blood.  Not a lot, mind you, but enough to make this mama take notice.  It seemed to resolve over the night, but was replaced by some thick yellow junk.  Then this morning (Saturday) about 5 a.m. his nurse came to get me.  He was having it again.  So we made the decision that he needed to be checked out.

The good news is that he wasn’t in trouble.  He was using a little more oxygen, and his heart rate and breathing were a little higher than normal, but nothing we couldn’t support.  So I got up and finished the work files that absolutely had to be done and got ready to bring him up here.

Now, mid-day at Primary’s, we’re kinda looking at him like, “and why is it that we came?”  I mean, you’ve never seen someone happier and smiley-er than he is right now.  And I don’t know what it was about the x-ray machine, but something sure was funny!  He was not just smiling and giggling.  He was outright laughing, so hard that he was setting off his alarms.  The two techs and I kept chuckling at him, because it was just impossible to keep a straight face.  I wish I’d had my camera in my hand to get a picture. 

When we came back to the room, the lab tech came in.  She’s probably most kids’ least favorite person.  She’s the pokey person.  IV’s, finger sticks, owies.  But when she poked his finger, he just grinned at her.  When she’d pause to wipe his hand and get a better hold on it, he flirted more. 

The attending said it has been a rough week in the ED as far as patient morale and satisfaction goes.  But Aaron seems to be helping everyone around just smile some more.  He’s not fully himself.  He’s still using a bit more oxygen than he’s supposed to,(but he is still within our “at home” limitations”).  But so far, his x-ray looks good and his demeanor is great.  And it may be telling that the smiles and cheerfulness started in earnest as we walked back into the ED where all these individuals who see hurt and sick and scared children work. 

So maybe, today’s task is to help Aaron give back just a little bit to some of those who have given him so much.  I hope he makes their day a little brighter.

I am filled with acomfort, I am exceeding bjoyful in all our ctribulation.


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