When my son was young he had an intense dislike of hospitals. To such an extent he wouldn’t even step foot inside a building that resembled one. This was a particular challenge if one of his specialists had an office in the hospital.
To the best of my ability, I made sure to avoid all doctor’s offices located in hospitals. Sometimes even with all my vigilance, unforeseen events happen. As was the case when I had to reschedule my son’s ophthalmologist appointment because the location we normally go to was closed for renovations.
I naturally rescheduled to the second location. On the day of the appointment, I loaded all three of my kids into the minivan, and off we drove. We listened to music, sang songs and had a good time. Until I rounded the corner and saw the building. My heart sank. It was an outpatient rehabilitation center that looked strikingly like a hospital. Since it was a follow-up visit after surgery, I couldn’t reschedule. So I pressed on, hoping for the best.
My first obstacle
I valiantly kept my son’s eyes focused on anything other than the towering building in front of us. It worked well. Until I parked. Then he caught a glimpse of the building. At which point his body became one with the car seat. I prepared myself for the battle I knew would ensue.
I got my other two kids out first. Put the baby (car seat and all) into his stroller. Then I had my daughter (who was about 3 at the time), hold onto the stroller. Once they were both settled, I took a deep breath. Then proceeded to pry my son loose from his car seat while he kicked and screamed the entire time. Once I wrangled him out of the car, the next obstacle was to navigate the parking lot with a screaming, kicking kid in one arm…a stroller in the other…and a 3-year-old by my side.
Crossing the parking lot was excruciatingly slow! My left arm and shoulder hurt from the strain of holding my son and my right wrist hurt from maneuvering the stroller which suddenly weighed 1,000 pounds.
My second obstacle
I finally made it to the sidewalk. Only to be confronted with my second obstacle…the curb. I wasn’t near the curb ramp where the road and the curb meet beautifully in one continuous line. I was at the part where the curb was elevated slightly higher than the parking lot. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem to haul the stroller over it. But it was a two-handed job and I only had one hand available. If I placed my son down, unrestrained, he would bolt.
So I had to figure out a way to get the stroller over the curb with just one hand. My first attempt was a failure partly because my son had increased the ferocity of his tantrum, seeing we were getting closer to the building.
Now I’m drenched in sweat. My heart was pounding and my stress level was rising. I looked at my screaming son. Looked at the curb. Then I seriously contemplated just sitting down and having a good cry. Because I couldn’t face another obstacle. I was worn out from carrying my screaming son and trying to remain calm at the same time. I just didn’t have the strength to conquer anything else. Neither did I have enough stamina to keep walking until I found the curb ramp.
The stranger
All of a sudden I see a woman heading my way. I figured her car was parked somewhere in the vicinity where I was standing. She had a grandmother vibe about her. She sees me struggling to hold my screaming son, notices the stroller and the way too high curb, and asks if she can help.
At first, I was going to refuse. She’s a stranger. I didn’t know her. But I looked at the hot mess I was in and realized there was no way I was going to make the appointment without help.
She easily maneuvered the stroller onto the curb. Freeing me up to use both hands to hold my son. But she didn’t stop there. She escorted me into the building. Pushing the stroller and carrying on a lively conversation with my daughter. Meanwhile, I followed behind, carrying my flailing son with both hands.
She deposited the stroller and my daughter in the ophthalmologist’s office. I thanked her but before I could get her name, she rushed off.
Miraculously, as soon as I stepped foot into the ophthalmologist’s office my son stopped screaming. He was fine the rest of the appointment.
What have I learned?
Sometimes in my quest to take care of my son, I forget I’m not alone in my journey. My son’s success doesn’t wholly rest on my shoulders. I faced a curb I couldn’t scale with a screaming child in my arm. All my plans. My backup plans. Even my backup plans for my backup plans failed. But at that moment God came through. He made a way I couldn’t have planned or even foreseen. He provided help in the form of a stranger.
Final thoughts
Rest in the knowledge we are not alone in our journey. In those times we don’t have the answers or the strength to scale another obstacle, know God is with us. He does have the answers and He’ll make ways we could’ve never imagined.