Isn't that for sick kids??

We are home from Children's in Milwaukee. The hospital staff was wonderful (as usual). The staff brought to our attention that we now qualify to stay at the Ronald McDonald House across the street from the hospital and tried to encourage us to do so. For those who aren't familiar with these, a Ronald McDonald House (named after Ronald McDonald) is a place where the parents of children that are in a nearby hospital can stay at night for reduced or no cost. These wonderful facilities have provided more than 10 million families with temporary residences near medical facilities where their children are being treated for serious illnesses.

Serious illnesses. This is what gave us pause - uh, aren't these for families who have children with serious or chronic illnesses? Yes, these trips are financially hard. Yes, it would be incredibly convenient. But those are for sick kids and their families. It is hard for us to view G in this light - she is just G, our silly, adorable, incredibly smart daughter.... who has significant and ongoing respiratory issues for the past two years. I'm very comfortable with the chasm in my mind that seperates THEM (families with sick children) from US (family with a temporarily sick child). Stress on the word temporary. Meaning will recover fully and go on to live a full and unrestricted life.

Is is denial that made the suggestion that we stay at the Ronald McDonald house felt like a shock to my system?? Didn't the fact the we are traveling hundreds of miles on a routine basis to seek specialized medical care for our daughter give us any sort of a clue? As parents, it seems intuitive that we always look for the positive, believe in the bottom of our hearts that we can protect our children from anything, fix anything.

Last winter when she was so so sick, and hospitalized for a week with no improvements despite oxygen, IV's, steriods, antibiotics, etc, it took me 4 days before I called our priest and had him come to the hospital. G received the sacrament of Annointing of the Sick at that time. Why did we wait 4 days? What was so scary for us about these comforting words "Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up." James 5:14-15: "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up..." Was it because I had to admit that I wasn't in charge, that I couldn't fix my beloved daughter by my sheer willpower and desire to do so?