We Just Got Back From The ER With Charisse!!! January 29, 2008

I am sitting in my study at home trying to gather my thoughts AND get my stomach out of the knot it is currently in.  Lucretia and I had to take Charisse to the ER tonight and I experienced just about every emotion that a human being can go through!
Tonight was going pretty well–I got home and went for a walk with the girls…then we came back to the house and ‘Cretia began getting supper ready while I changed clothes.  We sometimes put Charisse in a “bumpo” seat on the counter while we cook in the kitchen so she can be in there with us.

‘Cretia was literally two steps away from her placing something in the garbage can when our little girl decided to see what it would be like to try and jump out of her chair.  ‘Cretia saw her out of the corner of her eye flying out of her seat but could not get to her and she literally fell three and a half feet onto our hardwood floors – I actually heard the thud on the other end of the house.

(’Cretia is still freaked out by the fact that she saw her completely parallel to the ground and then hit it hard!)

We picked her up and she let out a blood curling scream.  We checked her all over to see if anything was broken or dislocated (remember that ‘Cretia is a doctor) and everything seemed to be ok…but ‘Cretia said that we needed to get a CT scan because of the way her head hit the ground.  (AND also because of the knot that was developing on her head.)

We went to the ER and finally made it back to a room…at this point Charisse was becoming a little more irritable–and we were not sure if it was because she was tired or because she might be in pain.

They finally got her back for a CT scan…and she freaked out.  They placed her on a little stretcher like thing and asked me to leave the room…so I stood outside and listened to my daughter scream…which was the first point during the entire night I struggled to not cry.  I felt completely helpless…and the reality is–I WAS!  I had to pray out loud, “OK God, I say You are Sovereign, now I’ve got to live like I believe it!”

They finally opened the doors and brought her out and we took her back to her room.  There I held her and she decided it was time to cuddle with her daddy…which just about made me cry again.  We sat there and waited for the CT results–which didn’t take very long at all.

The doctor (who was wonderful by the way) came in and said, “She has a little skull fracture, BUT, it is nothing to be concerned about, no swelling on her brain–and the fracture will heal itself.”

Now…just being honest, I am not completely sure the first words out of his mouth should have been something related to “skull fracture” because that FREAKED me out!  BUT…when ‘Cretia didn’t melt down I figured I shouldn’t either.

After the doctor left Charisse decided it was time to play…and she began to laugh and be her normal self, which made me feel so much better.  Tonight when we put her to bed I hugged her a little tighter, gave her a few extra kisses…and slowed down the singing of “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Loves The Little Children.”  (Her two FAVORITE songs!)

I don’t really know what to say.  I am SO thankful that God watched out for her.  I am SO thankful that she didn’t fall directly onto her head.  I am SO thankful for the friends that I shot a text message/e-mail to that began praying for her.  I am SO thankful for God’s goodness to us.

I would ask that you please continue to pray for her–that her little head would heal up nicely.  And please pray for ‘Cretia as well as she can still see the image in her mind of her falling to the ground–NOT a memory a mother wants to hold onto!

I know this isn’t the only trip we will ever take to the ER!  AND…I know this isn’t the only time that something bad will happen to my little girl that is totally beyond my control.  I have to continue to rely on the fact that before she was my daughter she belonged to HIM…and she isn’t actually “my” daughter, she’s just on loan from the ULTIMATE FATHER…and HE’S GOT HER IN THE PALM OF HIS HANDS!

Whew…that’s about it, I hope we sleep tonight.  The doctor told us to wake her up around 2:00 to make sure she is doing alright…I will keep you posted on how she is doing.