Pages

description of blog

This photo was taken by our daughter, Sarah Timmons, or my wife, depending on who you ask. We were in Rehoboth Beach, DE on Easter Sunday, 2011.


Several years ago, on the way home from a family vacation, I picked up a notebook and quickly recorded an incident that had occurred involving our son. Eventually, I used that story to illustrate something about my spiritual walk as a believer in Christ. Thus began a deliberate attempt to document the significance of everyday events. Almost any ordinary circumstance in daily life can become fodder for another story. This, almost by definition, lends itself to a blog.

Of course, many of the entries here are just ordinary diary style stuff... the stuff of ordinary blogs. Good grief, I don't want to be ordinary.


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Child in Distress




I mentioned to Tina that I was scheduling an appointment online to have some blood work done the next morning.  "You should take Sarah with you.  She needs blood work too."  Easy enough.  I scheduled one for her right after mine.

Sarah didn't think much of the early hour, but given the fact she had to do a 12 hour fast, it was probably best.  We arrived at 7:10, and were soon called up together to get the paperwork in order. Mine was wrong, but they were nice enough to agree to draw the blood anyway and I would get the appropriate paperwork later.  After settling my error, they told us to go on back.

Sarah sat down first.  I stood and watched as she answered the clinician's questions and smiled through the whole process.  She was told to keep the gauze on the site for a short period of time.  She got up out of chair and I took her place.  She stood where I had been standing, ten feet away.

The clinician felt my arm and strapped the rubber band around my bicep.  I looked off to the side, as I normally do, thinking about nothing in particular.  Just before she sterilized the site,  I heard a little sigh, and looked up just in time to see Sarah landing on the floor, smacking her head on it's hard surface.

She had fainted, and as I rushed to her, her body convulsed.  I quickly cradled her head in my right arm and held her with my left.  At this point I didn't know if the seizure was due to the fainting, or to the smack on the back of the head.  A wave of emotion came over me, giving me the urge to cry - the same feeling I had while watching my wife in labor.  She came to in a couple of seconds and asked in a nervous laugh "What happened?"  I told her she had fainted, and asked if her head was o.k.  The clinician handed me an ice pack to put under her head.  Once she seemed o.k., we helped her up and had her lay down on an examining table.

I had my blood work done, and we got into the van to drive home.  We chatted about how she felt, and I quietly reflected on how I felt.  Just thinking about the incident would drive that emotion back to the surface.  It was an emotion that forced me to ponder.

I pondered on why I hadn't kept a closer eye on Sarah after she got up. I pondered on how I was oblivious to what she needed in those moments after having blood drawn.  I was totally caught up in my own world when she needed me to be attentive.

And then, I thought about her needs in general, and wondered how oblivious I may be to them as well.  I thought about the consequences if I remained in my oblivion.

It was like a light was turned on.  I thought - as long as I'm caught up in my own little world, there's a good chance my daughter may get into distress, and I won't even be aware of it.  God I don't want to be that kind of father.  I believe that today He reminded me of what kind of a father He can help me to be.

When we got home, we questioned Sarah frequently about how she was feeling, and after a short time felt it prudent to call her doctor, who asked to check her out.  He reported that the short seizure was not entirely unusual in such circumstances in a teen, expressed a mild amount of concern about her head and the possibility of a slight concussion, and explained how she might feel over the next couple of days.

The urge to cry is not a typical thing with me.  When it occurs, I pay special attention to it and reflect on what brought it about.  In this case, it was clear.  My child was in distress, and it caused me to consider my inattentiveness to her needs.  Now that I have this milestone to look back on, I'm in a position for God to make a change in my life.  And for that reason, it was a great day.

But the lesson is much larger.  I'm not just a father, I'm a husband, I'm a son, I'm a brother, I'm an uncle.  I encounter friends and strangers on a daily basis.  And every one of those people has a need.  Of course, it isn't my responsibility to recognize and meet all of those needs.  But without a doubt, with a different focus, God may just make me aware of one struggling individual who needs attention, and give me the good sense to offer my help.  That made it an even better day.




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You left out uncle

Brent Timmons said...

Thanks. I corrected that oversight.

Carri Griffith said...

Beautiful comments. Your "ponderings" are always so insightful. Thanks for sharing. Glad Sarah is ok.

blt said...

What an experience!!! Nothing is worse than seeing a child in need. Love your insights as always, Brent.