Several years ago when I was expecting our first child, I went to Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association to speak with a Christian Science nurse about the services they offered for mother and infant care. The baby was delivered in a hospital and then a Christian Science nurse spent the next three days with us in our home teaching us how to care for the needs of our little one! She also helped me with some of the practical needs I had.
Again, a year and a half later, we had a different Christian Science nurse come to our house after our second child was born. And then when I was expecting our third child, I was confident in my care for infants and didn’t think we needed a Christian Science nurse following delivery. BIG mistake! Although I was very comfortable caring for an infant, it would have been really nice and very helpful to have the joyous, practical care and support for me!
I didn’t think that Christian Science nursing and my children’s needs would ever cross paths again. At the time all I was familiar with was mother and infant care. Then several years later the school nurse called my cell phone to say that one of the children had been hit on the head during end of the year activities, the wound was deep, and in her professional opinion needed stitches. My husband was closer to the school than I was, so he picked up our son and drove him to the BA for outpatient care.
The outpatient Christian Science nurse lovingly, humorously, gently cared for the patient. We had also contacted a Christian Science practitioner for treatment for our son. The Christian Science nurse explained to our son (and us) the practical steps of keeping the bandaged area clean and dry. We were able to change the bandage ourselves until shortly it was evident that the wound was healed and he was able to begin his summer!
Another time I had a call, not from the school nurse, but from our son’s soccer coach explaining that he had suffered a leg injury. A father on the sidelines who was also a doctor had made a diagnosis of the injury and an ambulance had been summoned. The soccer coach knew we were practicing Christian Scientists and I asked him to wait on transporting him to the hospital until we arrived. He kindly agreed. Again, we contacted a Christian Science practitioner to support us and our son in this healing.
When I arrived the ambulance was present and the EMT’s were doing their job on the soccer field assessing our son’s injury. Although I had accompanied another child to the hospital once for an x-ray (which showed a broken shoulder which healed very quickly), intuitively I felt that this time I wanted to get this child home. I had to sign waivers for the ambulance drivers. The coach and the EMT’s kindly got our son into the back of our car which (we were able to fold the seats flat).
It took three adults to get this child into the house because said “child” was 6’1” and probably 180 lbs which brought up the practical issue of mobility until healing was fully realized. Once again, we were so grateful for the help of a Christian Science nurse, this time from the Visiting Christian Science Nursing Service. She came to our house that afternoon and fit our son with crutches and showed him how to use them properly.
When the coach called the next day to find out how our son was I was able to explain that we had a Christian Science nurse from a nearby Christian Science nursing facility come and properly fit our son for crutches. He used the crutches for a week, and was back on the soccer field within two weeks.
As a parent, I am deeply grateful for the many services the BA offers.
Please make a donation today to help ensure the BA’s Christian Science nursing services continue to be available to support you, your children, and future generations.
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