It was meant to be a regular Monday morning. Clara was making breakfast in the kitchen so she could send her 8-year-old daughter Anna to school. But something didn’t seem right.
Anna was sitting still at the table. She looked pale and was gripping her tummy.
“Mom… it still hurts,” she replied in a hushed voice.
Clara felt a surge of fear. “You said your stomach hurt yesterday too?”
Anna nodded, and it was evident that she was upset. “It all began on Saturday night… quite awful. I told my stepdad, but he replied it was only the pizza.
Lucas, Clara’s stepfather, had been taking care of her during the weekend while Clara was at work. Clara had ignored Anna’s previous concerns, thinking they were just a little stomach illness or something she ate. But suddenly, Clara’s gut was warning her that something was awry.
Clara didn’t want to waste any more time and took Anna to the pediatrician who had been taking care of her since she was born.
The doctor paid close attention and looked at Anna quite closely. He had an ultrasound done just to be safe. At first, everything seemed fine, but then the pictures came up on the screen. The doctor’s face changed. He stared at the nurse, apparently worried.
Clara’s heart sank. “Doctor, what is it?” she questioned, her voice cracking.
The doctor didn’t answer right away. He promptly picked up the phone and stated, “We need an ambulance for a girl who is eight years old.” Right away.
Clara gazed at Anna, who was afraid and laying on the table. And at that time, one scary idea crossed her mind: What truly happened with Lucas over the weekend?
The ambulance got there soon. The medics carefully moved Anna and started more tests while getting her ready to be moved. Everyone worked quickly but gently, which gave Clara some optimism in a very difficult time.
The doctor took Clara away and explained as they worked. The test results made it seem like Anna had eaten something, probably a small toy or piece of plastic. Anna hadn’t said anything about it, and no one else had noticed. But now it hurt and could have turned hazardous.
They were lucky to have caught it in time. The doctors and nurses acted promptly. Anna got the treatment she needed right away.
After hours of care and monitoring, she started to feel better. She was still shaken, but she was safe.
Clara thanked the doctors and paramedics over and over because she was still shocked by everything that had happened. She thanked them for their quick thought and good care with a voice full of feeling.
It was a peaceful Monday morning at first, but by the end of the day, it had turned into a scary but eye-opening day. And Clara couldn’t stop questioning herself, “Was it just an accident?” Or was there anything else going on that no one knew about?
