Virgins and Non....

Seems I only write on this blog when I need to share things that ought not be shared with others. So yet again here we go.

Christmas Eve was one of my regular days to work. I love Christmas. I know that it's not the actual date Jesus was born, I know that we should rejoice year round about the miracle of his birth. Many people focus on Easter because that is when we celebrate the passover Lamb for our sin, and I recognize that detail. However, I'm so fascinated with the thought of a creator of the universe becoming a human, a baby, growing up and living among us. It's a wonderful time.

So this day we had a young mom check in, her baby was in one of ICU's and had just been transfered here. She was ill, multiple symptoms. The baby was only a few days old and while I don't know all the details of what was wrong, she needed to be transferred to an adult facility. I was her nurse, and got everything going. I called up to the ICU to let her spouse know what was going on and was told the doctor wanted to speak with the mom and family before she left. Silly me, I thought it was just to be an update.

The doctor came in, and very kindly told them what every parent fears: her child was not going to survive. It was horrible. Trying to comfort what is uncomfortable. They all were so overwhelmed (as they should be). There was pleading, crying, and begging God to intervene. There are no words that help, everything seems so trite. All I could do was pray, and hope that any comfort I gave was meaningful.

I spent quite a bit of time with them, the whole time I had to as much as possible control my own emotions (I did a lousy job, I shed a lot of tears) and support them. The baby died a few hours later, the mom was not able to be there due to her health problems.

Later than night I went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. All I could think about was this family losing their baby. We celebrate the birth of one baby but I was grieving the loss of another. Still sorting through a lot of thoughts about it, but I did have a good cry during "Silent Night."

One thought that passed through my mind was wondering if David and Bathseeba's baby died from HSV. And remembering all the little one's that Herod had killed trying to get Jesus. Death is not unknown in scripture, nor to man.

I'm so sorry for this family. I can't reach out to them, I can't really offer comfort. All I can do is pray for them and hope that one day, as promised in scripture, God will wipe their tears from their eyes.

It is a privilege to serve these families in their time of need.