This Is Not Funny...

Life can be so funny at times.

I get emails, texts, anonymous calls from people, all hoping that there is something I could do to help them because they read something or heard something and they think that what they read or heard translates into me having an ability to help in some way with their cause.

The funny thing about that is by the time they get around to looking for someone like me to help they are usually grasping at straws, and by this time the matter is at a stage of finality so bleak that miracles and interventions are all they have left to pray for.

I hate that they think I fall into that category. It frustrates me when I cannot help or save someone from an unjust situation, or from circumstances of neglect or abuse, or from just a horrible twist of fate like this one.

I hate getting things like this:

My Friend: "Phillip, see what you could do the help here please, the child's parents are very poor and they don't know what to do. They have no one to turn to and they think their child might die."

Me: "What are the details of the situation?"

My Friend: "Here are the details as given to me by the boys parents:

6th of July - Hezron Hopkins went into the Princess Elizabeth Home to have corrective surgery on his knee.
He was directed there because this is where Dr. (name withheld) - The Operating Surgeon - works from.
After the surgery his leg was placed in a full leg cast.

8th of July - Complained of lack of feeling in his toes and was unable to wiggle them.
Was told by the nurse this was alright because his toes were pink.

11th of July - Developed a fever and two incisions were made along the length of the cast to allow it to breathe.

15th of July- Cast was removed and leg was washed with peroxide.
On visiting that day his mother noticed a strong smell like rotting chicken and thought maybe it was the garbage.
Childs leg was also discolored- black.

16th of July - Child calls and says the smell was his foot.
Parents are called and told to come in.
Doctor informs parents that he takes full responsibility and that he believes the leg is infected and has developed gangrene.
Parents sign consent form for leg to be amputated.
Leg is amputated in the am of that day.

19th of July - Doctor speaks to parents- says childs temperature is not going down.
Child complains of pains further up his leg into the hip.
It is suspected the gangrene has moved up the leg causing further infection.

Apparently Dr. (name withheld) has told the child and the parents that he will supply a prosthetic leg as well as physical therapy and counselling.
The parents dont know what to do and need help."

After you digest what you just read and feel the despair of that little horror show, do you look at your circumstances and your children and, having silently thanked God that this is not your story, feel a little ashamed for that relief?

Are you not filled with a righteous anger at a careless situation or a heartless system that could 'accidentally' (carelessly) rob a little boy of his ability to run and play, his truest potential as a human being and maybe, quite possibly, his life?

Me too.

I have many friends I 'harass' for help in situations like these, and they know that one of the challenges (there are others) to being my 'friend' is to expect being drafted into one of these crusades.
One of my friends is a lawyer (and a fine one at that), a humanist and a practicing (feel free to do whatever you want with that word) Christian.

She has agreed to take the case, that is, if there is a case to be had, and we go forward from there.
I want to go visit the 'Institution' but I can't unless she tells me to, because this could become a legal matter and I have been known to be clumsy in these situations.

The reason for putting this out there is that these people, this child and his parents are going to need help, financially, physically, and emotionally.

Love and caring from friends and strangers have a way of 'softening' the hardest blows, and if the details in this have stirred a desire in you to help, message me and I'll give you my friend's contact information.

How we help when others stumble is the best indication of who we really are.