The four of us were in the basement, sitting in a little circle and just beginning Bible Study. She started coughing, her face turned red, she told us her throat felt tight. We each thought, great, she's sick as we politely moved upstairs so that she could get a glass of water or something, but it didn't get better. Soon, not only was her face red, but she was intensely itching her face, her eyes turned red, and her lips began to swell up to the point of being huge. As she complained about how tight her throat was getting, until her mouth got too numb for her to talk normally, we were absolutely scared. After calling her mom and explaining what was happening, we were instructed to call 911. Then, she couldn't sit anymore, and collapsed to the floor. That is when I began to internally freak out. I remained calm and helpful as I dialed 911, explained the situation, got her onto a couch, and told the paramedics what happened, all the while whipping away tears of fear. The paramedics put her in the chair and began sticking needles in her and doing what paramedics do before getting back in the ambulance because one mumbled that there wasn't enough time. Needless to say, "scared" doesn't even begin to cover the way I was feeling.
When we got to the hospital, both of her parents were there with her, but they wouldn't let us in the room with her. However much time we spent in the waiting room felt like years, but was probably just under an hour. We prayed nonstop, sat impatiently, and all of our moms showed up when they found out what happened and where we were, without being asked. Finally, I got to go in because I had her phone and her sister sent her a sweet text that I wanted to read to her, and soon after we all got to be with her.
Well, everything was taken care of. It turns out she had a severe allergic reaction to the liqua-gel Advil she had taken before Bible study, something that was not entirely uncommon because of the dyes used in the outer shell or something like that. After all this panic, the best part of the story comes when we are all together in her little room and she is much better.
Her dad had to go take care of her sister, so the only people in that little room were us four and our moms, and, boy, was it a sight. We were all talking and joking around as if we were just hanging out in the ER, no big deal, which is basically what we were doing. From trying to find a sub because she was supposed to work the next day to running through the maze of a hospital to find her some food she would like in the cafeteria, we never stopped laughing. Whenever I left the room to try to get service or food, looking at the room that I was going back to put a huge smile on my face. Four best friends and their moms hovering around the hospital bed of one of them, looking to meet her every need, take care of her, and make her smile. I would say we were pretty successful.
Eventually, they let her go home, so we all went back to her house with her and watched wedding shows on TLC until we decided she should get some sleep. It was a long, scary, and difficult day, no doubt, but, more importantly, it was a day of love. I realized the love that all of our moms have for us; they each decided without a doubt in their mind that they would be with us as soon as they found out what we were going through. I discovered how important the love in our friendship is, and how it allowed us to help her, to help each other get through it, to take care of her, and to do what needed to be done. I learned to value the people I love; every time I see her now it is hard to stop myself from giving her a big hug and yelling "I AM SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE ALIVE!!!" I experienced God's love and God's hope throughout the situation. And, most of all, I was reminded that I really do love my friends, and I really would do anything for them.
So, thank you, God, for taking care of us. Thank you, moms, for being there for us. Thank you, friends, for everything.
Honestly, there is no other way I would have rather spent my Friday.
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