Veterans Day

I can tell you exactly where I was 45 years ago today.
November 11, 1963.
I was in the hospital in Pine Bluff Arkansas giving birth to my first child. I was only 18. I was one scared kid. I had been in labor for over 40 hours.
My doctor had failed me, first they gave me something to keep the pain down. I only recall a few minutes at a time.
I do recall getting upset, not sure about what, but I slapped a nurse. I remember hitting her and that is all.
Next time I woke up my arms were tied down.
Now you tell me that is a good thing to do. I was a kid and I did not know why this was taking so long. I was kept drugged, I drifted in and out of consciousness, I felt horrible for slapping her but I did not know what I was doing.
I do not recall details but I remember the slap.
Guess I woke up enough to know this was not right.
Finally at 3 in the morning two mornings after going to the hospital, I gave birth to a very still, quiet baby.
He would not respond to the doctors or nurses. (I bet his little system was full of narcotics that were used to knock me out).
I tore inside and out. My doctor was useless. He may as well, signed a death notice for me and and my baby.
When they finished sewing me up, they wheeled me out by my Mom and Husband. The nurse told my Mom of the mistakes, she said, "The baby is non responsive, Your daughter should have had a C section"
I said, "They broke my bag finally". LOL,
I was still groggy.
In a few hours they brought the little bundle to me, He was so tiny and so Pale.
I looked at him, I knew there was something wrong. I was the Mama remember, even then, at that early stage of Mommy-hood something kicked in.
I called the nurse, I said, "He is making weird moves, like he is choking."
The nurse laughed. "Oh you are just a new mom, he is fine, Just keep trying to feed him"
I said "OK"
Again I saw it, something minor but the movements were not normal. I called again.
The nurse came again, She again assured me he was fine.
The third time I called, they chided me for being a nervous Mom and took him back to the nursery.
I felt inadequate.
Little did I know, while going back to the nursery, My Baby, Charles, began convulsing.
They called in a team of doctors, He was checked from head to toe but the convulsions were not letting up.
They suspected lung problems or perhaps a blood clot on the brain. They just had no answers but they had to let me know.

Meantime,
My Mom and David had gone back to my brothers house to rest and eat a bite.
My Mom looked at them and said, "I am not going home, something is wrong with the baby."
David was startled. He had no idea what she was talking about.
She later told me, he looked at her like she was crazy, but his eyes became really dark.
( I know that means fear or worry)

Meantime,
the staff was running around getting help where ever they could find it. Charles was placed in an incubator with oxygen but his little body continued the jerking and drawing into a knot.
I was in my room scared to death, praying but not sure for what. I was in pain, I was being given a bath and freshened up. I was assured the baby was fine.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked a doctor. A doctor I did not know .
He was soon to be my biggest hero doctor. He was Dr. Hilburn.
He sat down and said, "Young Lady, your Baby is really sick" I sat there stunned. I don't think I opened my mouth.
Suddenly the door opened again, There stood my Mom and David, they came in on the beginning of the conversation. The Doctor repeated his first statement for their and my benefit. I think I was in a cloud again. It seemed so surreal. This can't be happening. I was at a loss for words.
Charles had began convulsions before returning to the nursery last time I had him in my arms.
They were unsure what was wrong with him, but with the violence of these convulsions his changes were only 50/50. It can go either way, any minute.
If he makes it 48 hours that will be the Turning point.
I was devastated. My Mom, and David ran to my bedside and we all cried a little.
We then pulled it together and began calling every praying person we knew. We knew God could take control if it was his will. We wanted it to be his will, we would accept nothing less. We wanted our baby to be healed.
David stood vigil at the nursery window, He would stand at night and peek under the curtain watching Charles.
David would pray and travail before God for the baby's healing.
At the 48 hour mark I woke from a fitful sleep. I began praying fervently.
David, at the same minute was watching the worse convulsion he had seen the baby have. He was in deep pain and praying with all his heart and soul.
A few minutes later the nurse came in, I said, "How is the baby?" She told me, "Oh Hun, He just had his worse convulsion yet". I think that was the first time, I just lost it. I just could not handle my baby in so much pain.
I could not even hold him, I could only reach in and touch him. They monitored when I could go down so I would not witness the convulsions. I was then rushed back to my room out of eyesight of the baby.
I cried so hard and begged, Yes, I begged for my babies life.
That was his last convulsion. November 13, about 2 AM.
God was in control.

Isn't it amazing. You take this whole scenario and think.
I woke to pray, David was at the window, Charles had his worse seizure yet, Charles had his last seizure, The last one for the rest of his life.
Today, November 11, Charles turned 45 years old.
He has always had a blessing on his life. He has always fought hard to find out what he is here for.
He had never just let go and Let God.
God is and has and always will be in control of our lives.

I had to be reminded of that blessing in the weeks to come. I had horrible headaches, I slept very little, I would wake up, stripping the bed to find the baby, I would be in a panic state.
David would grab me and say, "Honey he is fine, he is in the bassinet right there."
More than once I felt him on my chest but I could not see him there, I would remove all my clothes to find him. He would be peacefully sleeping in his bed.

One day, my wise Mom said, "Sue God never does anything halfway, He does it all the way, You need to relax more. Charles has been healed, he is fine."
Funny I never thought of it that way.
But from that day on my mind took on a new direction.
Did I ever worry? Yes I did, I am human. Did I trust God? Absolutely, he is the maker and keeper of all, the healer of the sick, The One True God.