I'll repeat this story for those who haven't read it (I forget where I posted it before).
Our youngest child had many health issues, requiring major open heart surgery before the age of one. We had to rely upon medical technology to save his life, even though I'm all about natural remedies and supporting the body in the natural way. The doctors saw first hand the difference in the recovery time of a child who had the benefit of those methods.
God places these children within our care. I believe He expects us to give them every opportunity to grow and thrive in good health. That doesn't guarantee that all of us will always have good health. But in order to be good stewards of the life He has given, we should endeavor to take the best possible care of our health.
Now, for some of us, that means different things. I know of families that have members trained in emergency first aid medicine. If someone needed to have a tracheotomy or a life-saving appendectomy in less than ideal circumstances, a family member COULD step up to the plate. However, if you're at my house, we are going to the emergency room -- I don't have the right equipment or training.
When my little guy was a few months into his recovery from his surgery, he woke up one day just not himself. He had a fever, but I got concerned when his whole demeanor changed to listlessness. He didn't even care whether or not I held him. He just whined, nursed a little and his breath smelled very different. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew it was happening fast and I wanted another set of eyes on this child. I didn't hesitate to call and get him worked in to be seen by the peditrician.
Of course, I got the whole dog and pony show about how it was probably nothing, but they looked him over and listened to his heart. I insisted that the doctor smell his breath. They thought he just needed something for his fever. Finally, the doctor offered, "Well, we could do a complete blood count." I said that's what I was there for.
They had the equipment there in the office to run the test and a much different expression was on that doctor's face when she reappeared in the exam room. She told me that the child had a fast developing bacterial blood infection and if I hadn't acted so quickly, they would have had to hospitalize him. As things stood, he would just have to have some injections of antibiotics.
I didn't hesitate to accept the help that was available. At the same time, I don't go looking for a pill at every cough or sneeze. We fight it with the things we have on hand, but when I see things starting to go downhill fast -- when I see a child's behavior change drastically -- when I note changes in weight, strength, or anything else that my remedies do not address, I get the input of a medical professional.
Does that mean I always take their advice? No, but I need them for diagnostic purposes a lot of times. They have access to laboratories, tests, and training that I do not. Before we knew of his heart condition, I had a peditrician try to tell me that the reason my baby was gaining weight so terribly slowly was because of my milk. I had charts of his urine and eliminations that told me differently. I continued to nurse instead of trying formula until I found a doctor that could tell me what was happening to those calories. It was his heart.
We are blessed in this country to have some of the finest emergency medical centers and surgeons in the world. In a life threatening situation, refusing the helps provided would be less than wise. At the same time, the final decision on the course of care is your responsibility, one God has placed in the hands of the parents.
And that's from a mom who has her babies at home.
You see, it's not an either/or decision. You do the best you can and use the good sense God gave you to know when to ask for help IMO.
