Today I am thankful

I read a story about a woman whose 15 month old son recently died.  His name was Christopher.  On Thursday late afternoon he was running a fever of 103°F so she called her pediatrician.  They had her give him some Motrin and watch his fever and to bring him in the following day.  His fever dropped and after taking him in the following morning they sent her home and told her not to worry since he was still playing fine and had no congestion or runny nose.  Friday he was running and playing but on Saturday is fever spiked to 106°.  Doctor said to get his fever down since it isn’t dangerous until 107°, so they bathed him and cooled him down.  His fever dropped and he was eating and playing fine all day, but by 5 pm on Saturday he wasn’t feeling well.  He threw up and had a little diarrhea.  She stayed up all night watching him and when he had another dirty diaper and when she tried to change him he was unresponsive.  They took him to the ER.  His brain began swelling.  The doctors couldn’t stabilize his blood pressure or his temperature and were unable to complete the surgery to cut open his head to relieve pressure on his brain.  There were a lot of tests done in 30 min but couldn’t find anything.  H1N1 was negative.  Her son, Christopher died in her arms only a few hours after he was healthy and running and playing.

It could happen to anyone.  It could happen that fast.  No warning, no explanation.  So today, today I am thankful.

I am thankful when Cooper takes his entire plate of turkey dinner I just spent 5 hours cooking and dumps it upside down on the floor.  I am thankful because he is alive.

I am thankful when Charlotte keeps taking off her diaper only 30 sec after I put it back on and proceeds to pee on the floor next to the potty chair.  I am thankful because she is alive.

I am thankful when Cooper moves the living room chair for the 10th time I’ve told him not to, climbs up on the TV cabinet after I told him to get down, and throws a fit when he doesn’t get his way.  I am thankful because he is alive.

I am thankful that Charlotte is a great artist who takes any writing utensil she can find to her own body, that she wants to play open/close/open/close 100 times with the toy tool belt buckle, and that no other children are allowed to swing in ‘her’ swing at the park or else a meltdown ensues.  I am thankful because she is alive.

All the times I get frustrated or feel tired seem completely trivial because my children are alive and that woman’s baby boy Christopher only lived to see 15 months.  She is mourning the death of her child and it brings me to tears.  I am so thankful that I was able to celebrate another Thanksgiving with my own beautiful children.