These past few weeks have been spent giving medication, going to doctors’ appointments and filling out paperwork for school. My son had another reaction that set off his asthma. So, we have been waiting for the medicines to take effect and get him over this hump. After multiple tries with different medications, we finally got into a doctor that has never seen David before. This appointment was in the hopes that perhaps a fresh set of eyes would be able to see something that the doctors who had been seeing David might have missed.
We arrived at the doctor’s office in what became a three-hour tour from one room to another and from one nurse to another. David blew into computers, he was poked for the allergy testing and then given 15 or so more shots. As if that weren’t enough, it was time for the blood work. The doctor called for “special” nurses to come down as they were more equipped to deal with kids. The two nurses came in to see David and began their work. The first nurse had the tourniquet around his arm so tightly trying to find his vein that David’s arm started turning colors. The needle was in his arm and she was fishing away. She finally removed the needle and gave up.
As the next nurse approached to do the job, she told David she was sorry this was taking so long. David, watching this entire time, said, “It’s okay, I’m used to getting lots of shots.” The nurse smiled and placed the needle in his arm to then realize she couldn’t find the vein either. After another five minutes, she was done, as well. They called for another. As the final nurse walked into the room David looked at her and asked, “Are you the head vampire?” She smiled and said, “No, but I hope I can get your blood.” David replied back rather quickly, “Well, you can take it as long as you don’t eat it!” After more fishing and another five minutes the blood finally came out. Again, David watched the entire time.
The doctor came in to prescribe the new medicine and tell us the results of the tests. He is hopeful we have found the reasons for his persistent headaches. David was eager to leave, as was I. We walked out the office and into the parking garage. David looked at me and mentioned that today was a rough day. He was excited about getting his ice cream that was promised. As we were in the car on the way home and he was enjoying his Dairy Queen M&M Blizzard, he said, “You know, Mom, some days you have good days and sometimes you have hard ones like today, but I’ve had a good childhood so far.”
You know, I really hate it when God uses my kids to talk to me. I wish I could have his attitude when I’m going through my self-pity parties some days, but seriously, how is it that my 9-year-old has a better grasp on these life issues than I seem to have? Is God giving him these thoughts on purpose to preach to me? Or, is God giving him these thoughts so he can better deal with his life circumstances? David is at a point in his life where he has complete trust in God.
As we get older, we tend to think we can handle more things on our own and take them out of God’s hands into our own. It’s in these little acts that I begin to build an altar to myself for what I can do. I forget that I can do nothing without God. I forget He is the source of my strength until I’m running on empty. While running on empty, though, we become so focused and frazzled trying to get filled up again that we might miss God saying all the while, “Some days are good and some are hard, but with me, it’s been a good life so far.” I pray that I will remember on the hard days of just waiting that life is still good with God by my side.
What gets you through your hard days? How does God speak to you during these times?
© 2012 Susan M. Sims
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net
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