Alexis' Big Scare

So, I've been meaning to write about the ordeal my family went through last Tuesday evening.

As background, my 16-month-old niece Alexis has developed somewhat of a bad temper, which she inherited from both her mom AND dad. As a result, she tends to throw little tantrums when she doesn't get her way. Unfortunately, some of her tantrums (mostly with mommy and daddy) have involved her crying so hard she stops breathing for a few seconds, but she usually snaps out of it.

Well, last Tuesday evening, she threw a tantrum when her dad went to change her diaper. She cried, her eyes rolled back into her head and she stopped breathing. Except this time she passed out completely and my brother-in-law (BIL) couldn't get her to wake up. He ran her across the street to the neighbors' house where they called 9-1-1. None of them could arouse her. All the while she had very shallow and sporadic breathing. The paramedicas showed up and they too could not get her to wake up. So, they called in the air lift team.

Next thing you know, my BIL is jumping into a hellicopter, on his way to Children's Hospital in L.A. Thankfully, in the middle of the ride, Alexis came to and was right back to her stubborn self, fighting the medic the whole way. lol

Cut to me at home in the kitchen, preparing dinner for myself. I see that I have a missed call and voicemail from my mom. I reluctantly listen (because this woman leaves 5-minute long messages about nothing, most of the time lol). Not good news. According to her, Alexis stopped breathing, was being air-lifted to the hospital, and who knows for how long this child was not breathing. I call my mom and we are both crying. Is she breathing now? Did anyone even attempt CPR on her? Etc.

I hang up and start texting my other sisters to let them know what's going on and friends to ask that they start praying. I cry out to God. All I can think of is, "Help us, God." I pack up a bag, thinking I may very well be spending the whole week there if this kid winds up in Intensive Care or something crazy like that. I jump into the car, headed for Children's Hospital. Two-thirds of the way there, I get a call from my mom. She's fine.

Thank you, Lord.

I continue to the hospital and there is the whole family (minus Dad, who knew everything was fine). Alexis is running around, being a little brat, like nothing ever happened. My BIL tells us the REAL story, since my Mom, once again, blew things way out of porportion.

So, we had a ginormous scare, but it all turned out fine. It definitely put things into perspective. I know that things could always be much worse. The Lord has really spared us from so much heartache and I'm thankful to Him for that.

When I was on my way to the hospital, I realized one thing: the Devil was trying to attack us because my sister and I had just gotten back from Retreat, and she's really trying to walk with the Lord. In that very moment I stopped my pleas to the Lord and I started saying something like, "Lord, You are so good. Your love and mercy endure forever. We will not turn away from You. If you take this child, we will not turn away from You. We will continue to love you."

Even though nothing happened, I still mean that. No matter what, I will cling to the Cross...

Thank you, Lord. You are too good to us. You are too good to me. Bless Your name, Lord.