Tuesday, July 16, 2013

GUT PUNCHES AND NEAR MISSES


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. 

Praise God!