Wednesday, August 24, 2011

They say it's postpartum

     A very sad thing happened here in Orange the other day. A desperate woman, possibly suffering from postpartum depression, dropped her baby over the 4th floor railing of the parking garage at Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC). She was not from the area and the baby was not a patient. NEW INFORMATION REBEALS THAT THE BABY DID HAVE HEALTH ISSUES and THE MOTHER WAS PREVIOUSLY HOSPITALIZED FOR DEPRESSION AND THAT SHE HADN'T ACCEPTED HER SON'S CONDIDTION. Postpartum depression is suspected. I read a brief article on WebM.D. about this disorder.
     But I also had first hand experience. I suffered from it after my youngest was born. As far as I know the difference between me and this woman is I got help. I don't know about her family and support which WebM.D. also stated plays a factor. HER HUSBAND WAS QUITE CONCERNED AND ASKS US NOT TO JUDGE HIS WIFE. Because of the help I got, and a few prayer warriors, I did not act on the fleeting thoughts of driving my car off a cliff with the children in it. My postpartum also stayed at the depression level and did not go into the realm of psychosis. Psychosis turns a fleeting thought into a thought that must be acted upon.
     The older I get, the more like my mother I become. Sure her first reaction to the news, which someone would have to tell her because she refused to watch the news, would be disgust. But after that initial reaction, she would lift up the entire situation to the Lord. The baby, last I heard, is in critical condition at UCI. Mom would pray for God's Will first and if it be His Will, healing. Then she'd pray for the mother with grace and compassion.
      That is the other sad point in this story. I've been watching my friend's and their friend's reactions on Facebook. I didn't divvy up the comments into condemnation and prayer so I don't have exact numbers for you. I can tell you though that it appears to be condemnation with a sprinkling of sympathy. As a Christian I believe it is our first priority to take this woman to the throne of God rather than send her to the electric chair. We don't know the full story but God does. We need to ask Him to become real to her and supply her needs in the days, months, and years to come. THE BABY"S DEATH DOES NOT CHANGE MY VIEWPOINT.

2 comments:

  1. Amen! Yes, the act was horrendous and it hurts in the pit of the stomach to even think about it, but God will forgive any sin that is confessed and repented of. I'm praying that she come to her senses, get help, recognize her responsibility, repent, confess, and come to Christ. That does not relieve her of consequences, nor should it.

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  2. Good for you for stating this Lisa. Yes, its horrible and we feel shock and sorrow and anger but as Christians we have such a better way of dealing with this than letting our anger turn to condemnation and hatred. God forgive me, prayer is not always the first thing I gravitate towards. your post reminds me to be more intentional about making prayer the First Response.

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