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I was young, single and pregnant. No, this was not an unusual situation, but terrifying none the less. I was alone having
been raised in an orphanage and could barely support myself let alone a child. I believed abortion was the only choice I could make.
Still I felt very guilty about my condition and but went ahead and made the appointment anyway dreading each day that brought that appointment closer.
I worked for an ambulance company as an EMT in a large metropolitan area and after one extremely grueling 24 hr. shift I stumbled into my apartment and fell to my knees sobbing and began to pray. I had delivered a baby from a 14 yr in the back of the ambulance and lost a code on an elderly woman who only 10 minutes before had told me she did not want to die. I prayed my heart out as it was the only thing left to do was to ask a God I did not believe even cared nor should care about me. I said " i know I am wrong but I can't see another way. If you would just show me another way I will have this baby."
The next day I called a teaching hospital that had advertised free medical care for young mothers if they would allow medical students to treat them and deliver their babies. They said they would consider me if I could come in that morning.
I hurriedly found another EMT to cover for me and took an ambulance not in service from the garage bay. I confess I used the lights and siren to reach the hospital, which was across the city, in time for my appointment but still waited in the lobby for an hour before the nursing director invited me into her office. "I am sorry to tell you that the social worker
in charge of the program called in sick today. She injured her back and will be out of work for quite a while. We are closing the enrollment." I was crushed. What had first appeared to be an answer to prayer now seemed like a slap in the face from God himself.
I returned to work in utter despair. There was no one I could talk to. I was the only token female in an otherwise all male company. We worked through the night with the usual Friday night calls that indicate "the knife and gun club" is thriving.
The next morning a small outlying hospital called to schedule routine transfers from their small rural hospital to the university hospital for patients who needed an MRI as the rural hospital's machine had broken down. We transferred patients back and forth all day dedicating six ambulances to this assignment. My partner and I rotated each transfer between driving and patient care. The last call of my shift I climbed into the back of the ambulance to take the vitals on an unusually friendly patient. She was a middle aged lady smiling and joking She said "Can we run the siren?" I promised her we would light it up for a minute when we got to the country road and there was no traffic. This lady then looked at me and said "How are you feeling?' I was taken aback "Thats my line" I said and she replied 'You should not be lifting so much when you are pregnant." Surprised at her observation I reassured her that I was fine then asked, "How did you know? Nobody else has noticed." "Thats what I do for a living dear.I am currently putting together an O.B. program at the teaching hospital for new O.B residents until I threw my back out yesterday. Do you have a doctor?" I am sure my jaw was laying on my chest at that point as I grabbed her chart and starred in disbelief at the name of her employer listed at the top of the page. "No I don't" I said, completely embarrassed and humbled at this miracle playing out before me. "Here take my card. I will be back in to work in a couple weeks,"
What were the odds? What were the odds that I would be working that day? What were the odds that this hospital's MRI would break down? What were the odds that this rural hospital would contact my company, one of seven private ambulance companies in the city? What were the odds that out of the six ambulances dedicated to this situation, this angel would be assigned to mine and what were the odds that it would be my turn to take care of that patient?
This lovely lady that it was my privilege to care for never knew how God used her that day. Well a promise is a promise and there was no way I could deny that God had answered my prayer. Seven months later I delivered a beautiful healthy baby girl and though life has presented may ups and downs, I can never and will never deny God answers prayers. My daughter is now happily married with three munchkins of her own that call me Nana and I have a family.
May God Bless You All.
been raised in an orphanage and could barely support myself let alone a child. I believed abortion was the only choice I could make.
Still I felt very guilty about my condition and but went ahead and made the appointment anyway dreading each day that brought that appointment closer.
I worked for an ambulance company as an EMT in a large metropolitan area and after one extremely grueling 24 hr. shift I stumbled into my apartment and fell to my knees sobbing and began to pray. I had delivered a baby from a 14 yr in the back of the ambulance and lost a code on an elderly woman who only 10 minutes before had told me she did not want to die. I prayed my heart out as it was the only thing left to do was to ask a God I did not believe even cared nor should care about me. I said " i know I am wrong but I can't see another way. If you would just show me another way I will have this baby."
The next day I called a teaching hospital that had advertised free medical care for young mothers if they would allow medical students to treat them and deliver their babies. They said they would consider me if I could come in that morning.
I hurriedly found another EMT to cover for me and took an ambulance not in service from the garage bay. I confess I used the lights and siren to reach the hospital, which was across the city, in time for my appointment but still waited in the lobby for an hour before the nursing director invited me into her office. "I am sorry to tell you that the social worker
in charge of the program called in sick today. She injured her back and will be out of work for quite a while. We are closing the enrollment." I was crushed. What had first appeared to be an answer to prayer now seemed like a slap in the face from God himself.
I returned to work in utter despair. There was no one I could talk to. I was the only token female in an otherwise all male company. We worked through the night with the usual Friday night calls that indicate "the knife and gun club" is thriving.
The next morning a small outlying hospital called to schedule routine transfers from their small rural hospital to the university hospital for patients who needed an MRI as the rural hospital's machine had broken down. We transferred patients back and forth all day dedicating six ambulances to this assignment. My partner and I rotated each transfer between driving and patient care. The last call of my shift I climbed into the back of the ambulance to take the vitals on an unusually friendly patient. She was a middle aged lady smiling and joking She said "Can we run the siren?" I promised her we would light it up for a minute when we got to the country road and there was no traffic. This lady then looked at me and said "How are you feeling?' I was taken aback "Thats my line" I said and she replied 'You should not be lifting so much when you are pregnant." Surprised at her observation I reassured her that I was fine then asked, "How did you know? Nobody else has noticed." "Thats what I do for a living dear.I am currently putting together an O.B. program at the teaching hospital for new O.B residents until I threw my back out yesterday. Do you have a doctor?" I am sure my jaw was laying on my chest at that point as I grabbed her chart and starred in disbelief at the name of her employer listed at the top of the page. "No I don't" I said, completely embarrassed and humbled at this miracle playing out before me. "Here take my card. I will be back in to work in a couple weeks,"
What were the odds? What were the odds that I would be working that day? What were the odds that this hospital's MRI would break down? What were the odds that this rural hospital would contact my company, one of seven private ambulance companies in the city? What were the odds that out of the six ambulances dedicated to this situation, this angel would be assigned to mine and what were the odds that it would be my turn to take care of that patient?
This lovely lady that it was my privilege to care for never knew how God used her that day. Well a promise is a promise and there was no way I could deny that God had answered my prayer. Seven months later I delivered a beautiful healthy baby girl and though life has presented may ups and downs, I can never and will never deny God answers prayers. My daughter is now happily married with three munchkins of her own that call me Nana and I have a family.
May God Bless You All.
God works in mysterous ways and uses any means possible to get through to us.