You know the
kind of day I am talking about. All is
normal and then nothing is! Every now
and then, you are just going about your business and then the ground drops out
from under you. Today was one of those.
Well to be
honest, it was not just today. Over the
past few days we have been deeply concerned over a family problem. As this was consuming our thoughts and
prayers, along with the uncertainty that accompanies such stressful situations –
knowing that you are very limited in affecting any outcome apart from prayer –
we were proceeding with a new day.
I arrived
back home to have a message to return a call to my son-in-law in Idaho. All I knew was that it was an emergency
situation that apparently was okay, now; involving my daughter and
granddaughter. At that point, nothing
else had priority.
Mark
answered the phone from the emergency room.
He proceeded to describe the prior hour’s events. Anne took the boys to swimming lessons. She and Natalie were watching from the side
and she decided to go sit on the top step.
As she stepped down onto the step, her foot slipped out from under her
and she fell hard onto her butt. Still
holding the 14 month old baby and feeling somewhat disoriented from the jolt,
she stood up, just to pass out. They
both fell forward into the pool.
According to
others present, it only took about ten seconds to grab both and get them out of
the water. The baby was fine and
responding but Anne was still unconscious and had taken in water. The swim instructor began CPR and chest
compressions which caused water to exit the lungs. By then the ambulance and paramedics were on
the way and they resumed CPR. Anne
gained consciousness and was able to call Mark from the ambulance on the way to
the hospital.Within minutes, all was well, again… except for Mark’s and my emotions.
I don’t like those calls or close calls, but I will take them every day as opposed to the real gut-punches that take you down and you are not back up for a considerable time, if ever.
