Slippery Ice

Slippery Ice

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalm 55:22

When the ice storm hit, we expected to see a lot of broken bones in the ER. Typically, the patients would be growing boys with too much energy to stay inside. Broken arms or legs from sledding or a slip on the ice were par for the course.

So when the EMS radioed that an eighty-five-year-old woman had been found in her front yard, my heart sank. A broken bone on a teenage boy would heal just fine, but a bad fall on the ice could be deadly to an elderly person.

When they brought Florence in, I learned she had gone outside to clear her walk. After she fell, she had lain on the icy ground for nearly an hour before someone noticed and called for help. Her core temperature was 94 degrees—a little low, but nothing a warming blanket couldn’t fix.

The X-rays revealed that Florence had an intertrochanteric fracture of the left hip, which prevented her from getting up. “It only hurt when I tried to stand,” she said. “So I just lay there hoping someone would come by.”

When I asked Florence if she knew how blessed she was to still be alive, she answered with a question of her own: “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone. Can I get this fixed and go home as soon as you’re done?”

“Florence, your hip fracture will take some time to fix. Then you’ll need to stay in rehab for a few more weeks while you heal. After that, I pray you can return home with the help of home health care and physical therapy.”

A shadow crossed her face as she absorbed the news.

“Florence, know that when we slip and fall, God is right there to catch us. He will pick us up and help us walk again. He was there for you while you were lying in the yard, and he’ll be there as you heal from this break. Don’t worry. Just give your burdens to God.”

Florence smiled. “I always have, and I always will. I may have slipped on the ice, but I have never slipped in my faith.”

TODAY’S RX

Be mindful of your neighbors and elderly friends during the winter season. Offer to help them with their needs.

Lord, only you know how many slips and falls I’ve had—both physically and spiritually. Thank you for not leaving me on my own, and for tenderly caring for me through each one.