Bittersweet Week

It's been a long time since any of my children got sick -- about four months to be exact -- and for me that's already a breakthrough. When you have an 8-year-old and a 3-year-old, you have to expect all kinds of illnesses to come your way, from the minutest sniffles to the 39.9-degree celsius fever.

Last week, while I was having sushi with my Narnian Queens, Mia had a temperature. I thought it was just because of the heat, nevertheless, after 56 hours, we were in the hospital to get a CBC and a urinalysis. Going inside the ER appalled me; there was blood on the floor and on the beds. An entire family had been in an accident. A four-year-old didn't survive. The father was being worked on by the ER staff, with his wife a few meters away from him. She was oblivious to the fact that her husband was probably dying -- she herself was unconscious due to her head injury. They never could have known it would happen to them that night

Mia was brave when she entered the laboratory. She sat calmly on my lap and even offered her arm out to the medical technician -- that is, until she saw the big, pointy needle. She screamed and cried. Her daddy kissed her face and embraced her tightly when the ordeal was over. Miguel offered his support as well (although I'm not sure he would be courageous enough if he were in her position). While we waited for the results, another family arrived with their little girl also needing a CBC. And on our way out, yet another little girl was anxiously looking out the glass window as she sat in the chair. "So many sick little girls tonight," I thought. But not as bad as that 4-year-old who passed away. We watched as two hospital staff passed by rolling a rectangular wooden trolley box with the child's body in it

We left the hospital. Sad because of what we had witnessed, but relieved nevertheless since Mia's platelet count and urinalysis were okay. It was a case of gastritis/hyperacidity. Unfortunately, the medicine didn't work as expected. Mia kept waking up and screaming that night because her tummy ache was so severe. There was nothing we could do but to embrace her, and pray that she would fall asleep again. We were sleepless that night, along with many other parents whose children were sick as well.

Thankfully, she was up the next morning ready to take a different kind of medicine -- and to demand for a chocolate frosted donut. The day after that, we went to school to enroll her in Nursery 2, but having been informed that the Department of Education was allowing children five years of age to be in Grade 1, we had her take a test. She passed the two-page exam with flying colors (she got 100%!), and now she is eligible for Kinder 1. My 3-year-old is going to be in kindergarten -- imagine that.

So, we had anxious hours and proud moments within a matter of days. It was indeed a bittersweet week. But then again, when I think about that poor family in the ER, I'd take bittersweet any day.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (16) Be cheerful no matter what; (17) pray all the time; (18) thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.