The Foxtail

 This picture of Helen was taken in October 1956.  It was processed then but I bet the photo was September celebrating Grandma and Grandpa Gaddy's birthddays.  Helen is two here.  One of my earliest memories occurred near front porch where she lives today.  Surely she was not yet two or maybe she was about this age.  Fleta, Clayton and I were playing in the front yard.  I bet we were supposed to be watching after Helen, but we were better than Patsy at ignoring that duty when Momma told us to watch our sister!

Helen swallowed a foxtail.  She stuck the tip in her mouth and it went down tip to stalk.  This made all the bristles spring out in her throat.  She stopped breathing.  Momma came outside and worked with her.  Daddy was working and we never had but one vehicle.  The situation was perilous.  Momma told Clayton to run to Uncle Floyd's and have Aunt Lovetta come with the car.  Momma was going to take Helen to the doctor.  I remember Momma holding her upside down, sticking her finger down her throat, and Clayton running that mile to fetch Aunt Lovetta.  Aunt Lovetta always cmae to our aid when we needed her.  By the time, she and Clayton got to our house in the car.  Helen had vomited up the foxtail!  I can remember the feeling of being so afraid and so helpless.  I am sure Momma felt like that too.  Momma did not hesitate to try and get help.  Her children were the most important thing in the world to her, next to Daddy.  I also remember the feeling that our Lord sent help when we needed Him and were helpless.  He still does that today.  He will not put more on us than we can endure and will always answer when we call out to Him.  What most Christians want to do is boss the Lord around in His actions rather than believing in the darkness of the day that He is in control and will work everything out for the good of each!

The mystery of this story is--would Sister Helen have been a famous Doctor if she had not been without oxygen those minutes?  Who knows the answer to that question!