Slice of Life: Scariest Day of My Life

Two Writing Teachers

Last February, my youngest son, Connor had what we though was a respiratory virus that he had picked up from daycare. He was 11 months old at the time, and typically ate 3 solid meals a day along with several cups of milk as most babies his age did. After 4 days of breathing treatments from his pediatrician, countless failures at eating/drinking fluids, and his body rejecting medication to open his airways, we were sent to the Emergency Room praying to get fluids until he was able to beat this virus. When we arrived at the ER, my life slowly spiraled out of control. He was so dehydrated and weak that all he wanted to do was sleep, however his heart rate kept rising because he was struggling to breathe. After an hour of receiving oxygen, the nurse came in and told me we were going to be flown to Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. I don’t think I have ever cried and prayed so much in my life because I saw the concern and fear in her eyes. I knew she was trying to keep me positive but the look in her face was absolutely priceless. I felt ate that moment I may lose my son and I have never felt a scarier feeling in the world. After another 15 minutes, Connor slowly began to make progress and was moved from critical condition to stable condition. The Dr. at that time came in and told us that an ambulance was on their way to take us to Children’s Hospital and to prepare to stay there for several days. Being a working mother of 3 I had so many things going through my head I couldn’t even think straight. Where were my other 2 kids going to go? If my husband stayed with the other 2 kids and I went to be with Connor we would all be separated and I didn’t think I could go through this alone. Thankfully, a great friend agreed to help keep my other 2 kids while we were in the hospital so that both my husband and I could be with Connor.

After days of being at Children’s, Connor slowly began to make progress and became stronger each day to where we eventually got to go home and reunite with our other 2 children. The doctors diagnosed him with a respiratory virus called RSV and told us that this virus takes the lives of babies every year. Luckily, Connor’s body was big enough to eventually fight it off, however the critical moments of this experience are forever engraved in my memories as I know some parents were not so lucky. We left Children’s Hospital on Valentine’s Day and have never felt the power of prayer and feeling of love more than we did on this day.