Often people wonder if there are any good people left in the world.
It was the Christmas season of 2008. My husband was out of work. I was working as a Nanny for a family. I was able to bring my children to work. This saved on childcare.
My son at, 2 1/2, had caught a cold. Like every other cold he developed, it immediately caused an Asthma flare up. It was a long night. I sporadically slept with him in my arms as he struggled to breathe. Giving him breathing treatments at least every 4 hours.
Exhausted I dragged myself and my children to work along with the nebulizer. I should have called in sick. But with my husband out of work, I really needed to work. And he’d gotten an odd job for the day.
Around noon I realized my son was struggling to breathe despite the treatments. I left work and rushed him to the E.R. calling my husband on the way.
Once examined, they immediately admitted him. We started him on oxygen, multiple nebulizer treatments, and steroids, as his oxygen saturation levels were low. As it was prime season for RSV, they tested for that.
The nature of RSV is that it is a virus that anyone can get but in children age 0-2 it’s particularly dangerous. His test results came back positive. To prevent the spread of the virus to other children he was moved to an isolation room. He was 2 1/2 years old. It wasn’t supposed to be dangerous anymore for him, but it was.
Oxygen levels had to continually be monitored, so he had a pulse ox on his big toe, along with oxygen being given through his nose, and nebulizer treatments round the clock at a minimum of every 4 hours with a mask. If you have never held up a mask for your child to breathe into for half an hour at a time, you don’t know what hell it is. They don’t want that mask anywhere near their faces, let alone the oxygen in their nose. Lots of screaming ensues.
Then there are the normal blood pressure checks and heart monitors. Lots of chords were hooked up to this little boy who didn’t understand why he couldn’t get up and play, and couldn’t breathe. All night long and day after day this was where he and I stayed, cuddled together on a hospital bed watching Disney movies and trying to catch some sleep between treatments, blood pressure checks, and other interruptions.
Two nights before Christmas the hospital and other caring people put on a holiday party for the parents who were stuck in the hospital with our children. Nurses and other staff members stayed with our children to give us a chance to leave our child’s room. We were served Outback Steakhouse for dinner instead of hospital food (which after being there for a week was like manna from heaven). Then, we were led into a room where we could go Christmas shopping for our kids, 2 gifts per child. Not just the child who was in the hospital, but also for any other children you might have as well. All free of charge. Generous people had donated these gifts, knowing that our families likely were not going to be able to get out of the hospital to go Christmas shopping and money might be tight due to medical bills.
The next day, Christmas Eve, our son was finally released from the hospital, although still sick, his oxygen levels were staying high enough that they felt they could let him go home. We were so happy just to be home for Christmas in our own beds, with no more hospital food. This would have been Christmas enough for us.
Christmas gifts didn’t end there. Kind friends, knowing that we had been in the hospital and had not had time to buy or make a Christmas dinner, dropped it by that night for the next day. Yet more friends knowing my husband was out of work and money was tight, brought us Christmas gifts. Yet another kind stranger knowing that we needed new tires for our car, left an anonymous donation to cover the cost.
Tears of gratitude filled our souls as we prepared for Christmas that night. The next morning we were overwhelmed as we opened the gifts that were given with such generosity to us.
Some people think there are no good people left in this world.
I write this, wanting my children to know-
This wonderful post is a FAMILY feature on the January You’re the STAR blog hop: https://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/2019/01/youre-star-week3-family-january-2019.html
Thanks
Angie
Thank you! Adding you to my section at the bottom of my blog of places I have been featured.
Beautiful story thank you for sharing it. Happy New Year, Kippi #kippiathome
Thank you.
This is so heartwarming. It reflects a mothers perspective so well. We have written a similar account on Christmas too but from a teen’s perspective. It explores a teen’s emotions as she writes an open letter to her favourite Santa Clause. Check it out here.
https://mymillennialjournal.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/letters-to-the-santa-part-1/
Thank you.
That’s wonderful that they came together in this really tough time worrying about the health of your child. Every now and then people do surprise you 🙂 #MixitUp
It was. Thank you for reading.
How absolutely wonderful that so many people came together to make sure your Christmas was special during such a hard time! There are indeed many good people in this world. #GlobalBlogging
Thank you. Merry Christmas.
I think , on the whole, the world is full of good people.
I hope your son has grown out of his Asthma
Merry Christmas.
#blogcrush
Merry Christmas to you too. His asthma is much better now.
Such an inspirational story. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from my family to yours. #BlogCrush
Thank you.
Yes, there are many people willing to be used by the Lord to bless others. My family discovered this when my husband became disabled. I’ve never forgotten those who reached out to bless us.
It is such an amazing blessing that I love to reflect on. So glad you experienced this as well.
Goodness me. What an awful time but I’m so glad it ended with love and suppprt being shown from so many people and your son able to get home for Christmas #mixitup
Thank you. And thank you for stopping in and reading my words.
Oh I got goosebumps reading this – what a beautiful story! I’m glad your son was well enough to be at home for Christmas – it makes you appreciate it even more, doesn’t it. #blogcrush
Thank you. It really did make me appreciate it more.
A wonderful story, just right for this festive season #happynow@_karendnis
Thank you.
Scary stuff. Glad everything turned out OK and thanks for the reminder about people – it can be an easy thing to forget sometimes #thatfridaylinky
Thanks for stopping by and reading.
These are the best life lessons. We are all in this together and a little kindness goes a long way! Gald he is ok. #mixitup
Thank you.
Oh what a precious story of the blessings you received that Christmas!! Thank you for allowing us to see into a personal story of your life. It is always great to hear about the kindness in others!!
Thanks for stopping by and reading it. I’ll be sharing another Christmas story next week so stop back by!
This is so beautiful. I think of that song Mama’s Christmas Shoes…”I knew that God has sent that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about.” Sometimes God makes sure we know He is in the building…I want to thank you as a separate note for sharing my decluttering post on the Blog Crush linky. I have had several comments and visits as a result, and for that, I cannot repay you. May God bless your holiday season!
It was my pleasure! Thanks for stopping in and reading this week’s post.
How lovely to hear that in a time when you were struggling people were kind enough to help out, that’s what Christmas is all about! #ThatFridayLinky
Thanks for stopping in and reading.
I think that is a wonderful story Calleen, not your struggle but that you found good people to help you. God does send ministering spirits, and they influence people. Let’s remember all families with children in the hospital.
Last Christmas I donated some blankets to the local children’s hospital that I had made. It brought back all the memories, and that is actually when I wrote this.
Wow. My baby brother suffered from severe asthma that affected him as a young boy. Even as an adult he has guard himself in the colder months. Thank you for visiting my site today. It is a pleasure to meet you and read this inspiring story. What a beautiful reminder of what God can do. May God bless you and yours this Christmas
Thank you.
Oh, so nice to read about the good deeds performed by kind people. My grandson suffers from asthma, too. I am hoping your son is better now. Sometimes children do outgrow the severe symptoms. My grandson is 4 1/2.
My son is now 12 and does SO much better. We have to keep him on a maintenance medication but as long as we do that we almost never have issues now.