Please Don’t Let My Baby Die
Experiences as a new father can be terrifying when you realize you are not in charge.
I was talking with a good friend I have never met. Good man, noble father, and an inspiring example of faith and life. We were talking about Mexico, where he lives, the wildlife there and the fun it would be to come down there for some R&R.
We got to talking, and he sent me a link to his site, where I read a heart-warming story about his experience with his infant daughter Amanda. She had a life-threatening challenge with a diseased heart. It reminded me of when my oldest was just an infant herself.
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The Story
We had moved to a new city and Ditto was just three months old. She had health struggles from the moment she was born until just over a year old, especially with fevers. It was always a challenge to get her temperature down, even with the medicine the doctors gave us.
One day, I came home from work, and my wife was in a state of panic. Ditto’s temperature simply would not drop. We did everything the physicians and even our own parents had taught us.
Nothing worked.
As new parents, we did what all inexperienced new parents would do: We put the baby in the car and sped off to the closest hospital.
It was zoo day.
The lines were so long just to get your admission paperwork done, they zig- zagged through the lobby and out the front doors of the Hospital itself!
They had a guard in the lobby making everyone wait their turn, the old women behind the desks shouting out numbers. I didn’t see a single child in line. It was weird.
Within three minutes, Ditto’s breathing had become so shallow, I couldn’t tell if she was breathing at all. Her skin had become so hot it was uncomfortable to hold her. Her body went completely limp.
I remember looking at Kathi and saying, “Follow me, and no matter what, don’t stop.” The new father in me was determined to make someone listen.
Holding my infant daughter tight against my chest, I turned my shoulder into the crowd and pushed.
People cursed and complained, while a few pointed at our baby.
I remember coming up to the guard who blocked my way, people snapping and cussing at me as I cut in front of them.
He wasn’t a gigantic man. In fact, I remember he had a very kind face — but his job was to keep order. I’d seen him get rough with others trying to push ahead. I was also eagerly looking for a fight at this point.
But something in me softened. I’m not sure, but I think I felt Ditto shiver in my arms…and I panicked.
Looking at the guard, I opened my arms to reveal my lifeless looking baby and choked, “Please”.
He looked at my baby, then at us…and nodded. He held his arms out and cleared the way for Kathi and me, allowing us into the main lobby.
Striding up to the counter, I stepped in front of the man sitting in the administration chair. Leaning over the counter, I placed my daughter directly in the arms of the grumpy old woman who shouted at me to get back in line.
She stiffened as Ditto’s hot flesh touched hers. The change in her expression was instant. She looked back at me, my tears now flowing into uncontrolled sobs.
“Please,” I pleaded, “Please don’t let my baby die.”
Her wrinkled little hand whipped out and hit a button on the wall.
An alarm went off, and I can’t for the life of me remember, but within moments there were 2 doctors, 3 nurses, and a cart…just there.
In under 10 minutes, they had our baby’s fever down.
When I sat with the woman and did the paperwork, I apologized for my actions. The woman reached over and grabbed my hand.
“My dear, there are days when I forget why I’m here. You did the right thing, in the right way.”
Between you and me, something happened in that experience.
I had pushed past the guard at the prompting of the spirit in my heart. “Open your mouth, I will fill it,” was what I heard in my mind. Yet when I reached that grouchy woman and opened my mouth, I had never felt so helpless in my life. My whole heart reached out to her in that instant.
...and regardless of what she experienced that day, love met need, and it saved my daughter.
That’s my belief, anyway.
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BONUS: 25 outdoor game activity ideas for families!
Here’s 25 MORE ideas for your summer fun! If you’d like the full list — including both low to no cost options and variations for special needs children, consider supporting kidCLANS by purchasing “Summer Survival Guide: 975 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy.” It’s only $5…and you’ll save 50 times that using our ideas over the summer =)
1. Capture the Flag: Divide into teams and hide flags in designated areas. The objective is to find and capture the opposing team's flag while protecting your own.
2. Kickball: Similar to baseball, but with a larger ball that players kick to run the bases. It's a fun and active game for all ages.
3. Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items or clues for players to find in a specific outdoor area. The first team or individual to find all the items wins.
4. Tag: Classic game where one person is "it" and tries to tag other players. Once tagged, players become "it" as well. The last person tagged becomes the new "it."
5. Obstacle Course: Set up a challenging course with various obstacles like cones, hula hoops, and jump ropes. Players race against the clock to complete the course.
6. Tug of War: Divide into two teams and try to pull the opposing team across a designated line. The team with the most strength and strategy wins.
7. Four Square: Draw a large square divided into four smaller squares. Each player stands in one square and hits a ball to another player's square. The goal is to keep the ball in play and avoid getting out.
8. Water Balloon Toss: Pair up and stand facing each other. Toss a water balloon back and forth, taking a step back after each successful catch. The team that avoids breaking the balloon wins.
9. Simon Says: A leader gives commands starting with "Simon says," and players must follow the instructions. If the leader gives a command without saying "Simon says," players must not do the action. Those who make a mistake are out.
10. Horseshoes: Players take turns throwing horseshoes at stakes planted in the ground. Points are awarded based on how close the horseshoe lands to the stake.
11. Red Light, Green Light: One person acts as the traffic light and calls out "red light" or "green light." Players must stop or go according to the traffic light's instructions. The first player to reach the traffic light wins.
12. Lawn Bowling: Set up a bowling lane outdoors using soft balls or plastic pins. Take turns rolling a ball toward the pins, aiming to knock down as many as possible.
13. Duck, Duck, Goose: Players sit in a circle, and one person walks around tapping others on the head, saying "duck." They eventually tap someone and say "goose." The goose must chase the tapper and try to tag them before they sit in the goose's spot.
14. Sack Race: Participants stand inside a sack or pillowcase and hop to the finish line. The first person to cross the line wins the race.
15. Frisbee Golf: Create a course with designated targets (such as trees or buckets) and players try to throw a frisbee into the targets using the fewest throws possible.
16. Balloon Volleyball: Set up a net or rope and use balloons as the volleyball. Players hit the balloon back and forth, trying to keep it from touching the ground.
17. Water Relay: Divide into teams and set up a relay race using water-filled cups or sponges. Players pass the water from one container to another, trying to fill it to a specific level.
18. Kick the Can: Similar to hide-and-seek, but with a can as the focal point. Players hide while one person tries to find them. If caught, players go to a designated spot. Other players can try to kick the can to free captured teammates.
19. Bocce Ball: Players take turns throwing balls to get as close as possible to a target ball called the "jack." The player or team with the closest ball scores points.
20. Hula Hoop Contest: See who can keep a hula hoop spinning the longest. Participants can showcase their skills and try different tricks with the hula hoop.
21. Toss and Catch: Play catch with various objects like bean bags, water balloons, or foam balls. Increase the challenge by tossing from different distances or using only one hand.
22. Giant Jenga: Create a large Jenga tower using wooden blocks. Players take turns removing a block from the tower and balancing it on top. The goal is to keep the tower standing as long as possible.
23. Limbo: Set up a pole or rope at different heights and see how low players can go without touching the ground. Lower the bar after each round. The last person to go under without touching the bar wins.
24. Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch grid on the ground and take turns tossing a small object into the squares. Players hop through the squares, avoiding the square with the object.
25. Musical Chairs: Arrange chairs in a circle, one less than the number of players. When the music stops, players must find a chair to sit on. The player left without a chair is out, and one chair is removed. Repeat until only one player remains.
So beautiful. Every parent's nightmare. I once had a similar situation but I was very lucky. Married to an EMT, he was on shift when my son had a terrible asthma attack. The kid was blue. I called my husband and he said the closest ER had closed because it was full. He couldn't get in with an ambulance, but I might. There was no one there except the nurse telling everyone where the nearest open ER was. But she saw the blue child in my arms and we were rushed into the back where he was helped. I don't know if I could have fought a crowd at that moment. Maybe.