But They Didn’t Turn the Lights ON

There are different points in your life where you experience hardships and where  you have an opportunity to practice your faith. Practice makes perfect, right? What is faith if everything is always wonderful? Jas and I had an opportunity to practice our faith Friday night. It was 'just another day in the life' of a single mom.

Friday afternoon I left work with all my plans, with my little agenda for the night for taking Kass, her friend "G" and meeting up with my sister and her three girls for a time of treats. But this is where my plans got tripped or ‘tricked’ because before it all started I needed to pick up Jas and get him to a buddy’s house where he would hang out that evening. Jas could barely walk to my vehicle when I picked him up. He was in pain, it started in math class and he said he thought it was a pulled muscle. He got worse by the time we got home – he could barely stand up because of the pain. It wasn’t long in his agony before he agreed with me; it was time to go to the hospital.

My sister is the absolute best. She was more than willing to take all five girls by herself while I went off in the other direction and started on my journey of the night with Jas. First we headed to the urgent care. My thinking was that he would get seen a lot faster there and Jas was in a great deal of pain; waiting would not be a good thing. Kudos go out to the Carilion Urgent Care at Community Hospital. We were there and seen by the nurse practitioner within 20 minutes upon arrival. They wasted no time and when the NP realized it might be over her head, she immediately had the doctor back there doing an exam. That doctor then diagnosed an incarcerated inguinal hernia, which needed emergency surgery. Now they confirmed the finding of the hernia with another exam and prepped him for surgery as we waited on transport over to the ED by ambulance.

Jas’ pain level had gotten to an 8 by this point from the 5 he rated upon arrival. He was about to come off the table with the pain, so they gave him pain meds in his IV. It wasn’t long before the EMT's arrived to escort him and me. They strapped him to the gurney while I signed and signed and signed some more “for insurance purposes.” Then we were ready for the ride. It was our first time in an ambulance. I had to ride up front “for insurance purposes” but I could see and hear Jas through the window behind the front seats. Off we went… though we were disappointed about one thing… they didn’t turn on the flashing lights or any sirens along the two blocks to the ED. Nope, not one little flicker.

Jas was feeling better from the pain meds when we arrived and then it was like watching a movie in action… They were waiting on us. They rushed Jas right into a room and the physician’s assistant was on top of us when we came in the door expecting Jas and anxious to do his exam as he said, “The surgeon is nearby.”

I knew they said he would need surgery but was surprised at the urgency in everyone’s steps. I hadn’t seen this in most of my earlier experiences with friends and family at the emergency room. But this was serious and I didn’t realize at the time going through it just how serious it could have been.

The PA was closing the door to Jason’s room and he started his exam. He looked at me funny… I will never forget it… “It’s gone,” he said. “What?” I replied. “I can’t feel the hernia, it seems to be gone.” Jason remarked, “It is gone, I can’t feel it anymore.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and then I thought, yeah God’s like that… He can take care of our emergencies even before we get a chance to deal with it. My brother had been in touch with me every step of the way by phone, as well as TB and they were all praying as well as my sister and my daughter. God had touched Jas and pulled that hernia back through the opening; no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

The physician’s assistant was so stunned. He said he wanted to call the doctor from the urgent care facility to confirm how he did the exam and exactly where he felt the hernia. After making that call, he commented that he knew and highly respected that doctor, then examined Jas again and still felt nothing. It had went back in… which we found out later for an incarcerated hernia is simply unheard of. We were grateful. Jas was in no pain. Next the main physician at the ED came in did his own exam and then said we would need an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok and wanted Jas to see his PCP first thing Monday.

By the time all the tests were done and results were in, everything came back negative. Jas was feeling great, but stressed out and we just wanted to go home.

Following that eventful night, we have had Jas seen by his PCP who has referred him to a surgeon. Even though we are claiming his miracle from Friday night, there will still be a hole where the hernia was… and they don’t want it to come back; so now they want to do surgery to repair the hole.

Today is our appointment with the surgeon to discuss next steps and to schedule that repair surgery. Maybe I should let him know… there will be another master surgeon assisting him with the surgery on Jas… just so he knows…because the Master Surgeon always takes care of my babies.

Find yourself… keeping it real.

Photo Credit: http://www.southwestregional.org/images/ambulance.jpg

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