Saga continues

As we drove into Baltimore city we followed the signs to Shock Trauma. Our hearts were beating wildly, not knowing the condition we might find our daughter. We finally arrived at the UMD hospital in Baltimore, a huge teaching institution. Not knowing where to go to find our daughter, we found ourselves in the back of the hospital in what looked liked a loading dock area with a dumpster. We entered through a door and told someone that we were there to see our daughter. Actually, the hospital did not know who Sharon was as she was brought in with no identification. We had to describe her and then we remembered a ring on her finger and that was significant in helping us to identify her. While we waited for the woman to call upstairs to where Shock Trauma was located I noticed the cement walls surrounding us. It looked like a morgue. Eventually they led us to a waiting area where we were able to sit down. It's been over 28 years ago since all this happened so my mind is a little foggy even as it was then. The doctor began to explain to us the kind of injury that Sharon had sustained as being critical. She had a severe closed head injury. The brain had hit against her skull in what they called coup and re-coup. It meant that the brain was severely bruised and was swelling and they needed our permission to relieve the pressure with a type of shunt. They would not allow us to see our daughter at this time and they gave us a number to call to check on her condition. They were not sure she would live through the night. While we were there at the hospital a number of people came, friends to sit with us and console us. I think one of the reasons that they call it Shock Trauma is that the family members are in total shock over what has happened to their loved one. My tears were being held in check, very close to spilling out and my emotions were exploding inside. Why, why, why did this happen to Sharon? She was a happy, young teenage girl with her life before her. She never hurt anyone and certainly because of some learning disabilities had received her share of affliction. She was in a 10th grade special education class in her second semester at Glen Burnie High and per her teacher was doing well and would probably be mainstreamed into regular classes in the near future. A parent feels such loss when their child is struck down and is made to lie in green pastures. The total picture of where she was at this time did not hit me all at once. (thank God for that) We left the hospital and as we travelled out of the inner city my feelings in leaving my daughter there in the big city at the big hospital were overwhelming. I kept looking back and could see the hospital's outline on the cities horizon and I felt such sadness. The Bible says that we do not know what a day may bring forth and that was certainly true here. The night before Sharon's accident, my husband and I had a small argument over something and Sharon had called from her room for us to stop fighting! We lowered our voices and the next morning before she went to school I had a chance to tell her that everything was ok and at times parents argue but they still loved each other. I am so glad I had said that to her or it would have been an added burden on my conscience. We arrived at home and picked up our 5yr. old. I honestly cannot remember what we said to him about what had happened to his sister. My mind has blocked out so much during those initial hours. I do remember sitting in the living room with Fred Kornis a dear friend and evangelist. He shared scripture with us and we prayed together. There came a knock at the door and it was the paramedics. They stopped by to offer their sorrow over our child's accident and to give us Sharon's shoes and a necklace. They told us the impact was so hard she was knocked out of her shoes, which were not flip flops, but brown tie shoes. This knowledge only added to my despair. Now the scripture that Fred shared was this: Psalms 46. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble. therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, though mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. Now here is the part that struck me. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. To my simple way of thinking, I felt hope that God was definitely going to help her early the next morning. We went to bed with anxious hearts only being able to sleep fitfully thinking the phone might ring. We also found out a little later that our former Pastor, Dr. Peper was able to get in to see her and pray for her. This was a blessing to us. (to be continued)