My little girl has an ear ache. We have survived four years without one, a fact I took great delight in, having been a child who SUFFERED with constant earaches and strep throat.
Today our luck ran out. She has suffered all week with a fever and a cough. I can handle that -- some cough medicine, some Tylenol....in the bag. Child feeling better in no time. Throw in some chicken noodle soup and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with no peanut butter and you can be assured of a well baby in no time.
But the ear stuff...gracious - how I have struggled myself over the past few months with my ears, and now to have to watch as a bystander to my child and her pain...it is almost more than this mommy can bear. I know several "home" remedies for ear pain, over my lifetime I think I have tried just about all that are out there, warmed sweet almond oil poured in the ear, heated rice in a handkerchief and placed on the ear, lying on a heating pad, hydrogen peroxide...you name it I have tried it. There was even an incident of ear coning, that I personally did not experience but had a hand in administering - but that my friends is a story for another day - a hilarious story, but definitely for another day.
As I lay in bed with my little girl this afternoon, holding her head, listening to her cry and knowing that there was nothing short of a doctor visit tomorrow that would really stop the pain, I remembered what my mother always did for me in those same desperate moments. I remembered that my best mommy tool was attached. I pulled her close to me, placed my mouth to her ear and lightly blew air into that offending ear canal. It always worked for me, and guess what, it worked for her too. In a few moments she was asleep and thankfully pain free for the next three hours.
As I watched her drifting off to sleepytown, I breathed a prayer for that awful pain to just go away, leave my child completely.
I have learned this afternoon that I possess a powerful "mommy" tool. My breath, it can soothe a throbbing ear and reach the throne of Heaven to plead for my child.
I am a mommy - my tools of the trade are attached! Arms to hold, hands to pat away fevers, ears to listen, a mouth to proclaim my love for her and breath to soothe and pray for her and most of all a heart that bursts with love and pride over this precious gift of my child.
2 comments:
Beautiful. I hope she is feeling better soon - I, too had many ear aches, and they are the pits!
Thanks Jen. She is much better today - and it is a beautiful day here - can't wait to get out and enjoy it with her!
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