Pam Halter
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Parents Blog

A Day at the Beach
Monday, June 17, 2013 by pam

Anna loves the beach. She doesn't like ocean waves, so we usually take her to the bay when we're in Cape May or to our local lake. She sits at the edge of the water and digs and digs and digs in the sand. She squeals and babbles and giggles the whole time. Daryl and I sit on either side of her because – you know – she hardly ever does anything without some kind of seizure activity.

This weekend was no different. We went to North Cape May to visit my parents. My brother, niece, and my sister also went. It was a really nice family weekend. We're not all together very often. My brother lives in North Carolina and has his own business, so when he's able to get away, we make every effort to be there, too.

After the ordeal of Anna's surgery two weeks ago and her hitting her head on the door during a seizure last week, resulting a gash and 5 hours in the ER, we were so ready for some beach time. There's something calming about the sand and waves and seagulls for me. So, off to the bay we went. Anna settled in, digging and flinging sand and squealing, and we settled in our beach chairs. The water was cold, but not too bad, and it felt good on our feet.

Then the first seizure hit. It was a big one – about 10 minutes. Really, God? You couldn't have protected her for just 2 hours? I only wanted a little peaceful time on the beach. Is that too much to ask? SIGH. Daryl hauled her up out of the sand and sat her in his chair. A couple of women came over and offered help. That's not usual. Most of the time, people ignore us. We thanked them and got through the seizure.

Then the second seizure hit. A small one, about 30 seconds. One of the women, Kate, came back over with a towel to shield Anna from the sun. We appreciated that. Then, a few minutes later, she came over with a Fuze bottle full of frozen pina coloda. I accepted it gratefully, and while I sipped, I thanked God for Kate and a simple gesture that made all the difference in my day.  Anna played happily for a little while longer and we went back to my parents' feeling pretty darn good about the day, after all.


Comments

pam From At 6/17/2013 5:36:29 PM

Isn't is cool how God brings people into your life, even for just a day? I have to learn to trust Him more.

Julie Ann Monzi From Gettysburg, PA At 6/17/2013 5:09:25 PM

Wow. That brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely gesture.

Trish From At 6/17/2013 2:59:01 PM

Oh, Pam. My heart broke when I read this. Praying that the oils will help. You and Daryl are such a fantastic team. God gave Anna the perfect parents to love her. I so admire your strength.

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