A Different Kind Of Field Day

I think it is safe to say Field Day hands down, is kid's favorite day of the school year! It starts weeks before when the T-shirt order forms come home to claim your color team. Not only do I order shirts for the kids, I order one for myself because Field Day is not a day I want to miss either, the competitor I am!!

We received word last week an anticipated surgery for Emeline was scheduled for Field Day. Of all the 365 days of the year, why surgery for an eight year old on Field Day? I tried to change it but couldn’t. When I gently told Emeline she would have surgery and by the way miss Field Day she burst into tears. This little girl has been through numerous tests, scans, medications and now this!! As her mom my heart was broken too, but put it into the best light and told her we would have our own Field Day!!

Today was Field Day and surgery. Last night Emeline was visibly upset and nervous. We prayed many times asking God to help settle her heart and know that He would walk her through the day. I tried to think of special games we could play before and after surgery like the license plate game on the way down (not easy when you’re trying to watch the road), Battleship, Yhatzee, etc. Each year the school has a bible verse as a motto to encourage good sportsmanship and a reminder who we are in Christ. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but One receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” 1 Corinthians 9:24. Emeline ran a different race today then her classmates. After fun and games with mom she was forced to run in a race she would not have chosen. Her race today included fear, anxiety, and pain. As her mom I would have given anything to run the race for her but I couldn’t. As she was taken away for anesthesia and surgery my very confident daughter was in tears crying for her mother, left to run the race with the only one who could run along side her. All I could do was pray and fight back the tears myself. When the doctor came to inform us about the surgery he mentioned as Emeline was in the operating room before she went to sleep she was smiling and her usual sweet self, talking to the nurses and doctors. My prayers were answered! I couldn’t wait to go see her and sit by her side, tell her how proud of her I was. Finally, our names were called and someone escorted us to the recovery room. As I entered the department I could hear a child crying in agony, it was Emeline. For the next twenty minutes (seemed like hours) doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists scrambled to try and stabilize her with pain medication. One of the drugs they gave her was a concern that she could stop breathing but they gave it to her anyway. Again, all I could do was pray, hold her, stroke her hair, help her take deep breaths, and tell her how much I loved her. She soon settled down and is now comfortably resting at home. So many people were praying for Emeline today but only SHE could run that race today with Jesus. She endured blood, sweat, and tears but finished the race and brought honor and glory to her God along the way.

Thank you to all our family and friends who love, support, and pray for Emeline.

Blessings,

Debbie