Scariest moment as a parent

#1

joevol33

1st official VN BB bracket winner
VN Pick Champion
Joined
Mar 21, 2011
Messages
284,935
Likes
232,235
#1
Me and my wife were talking earlier about just things you deal with having kids, and certain situations that scare you. There are plenty, but what's the scariest situation you've faced? Ours was a choking. My oldest got choked bad once, but it came up pretty quick. My middle daughter however, she choked on a cookie when she was around 2-3. I was outside cleaning my wife's car when she screamed my name, and I knew something was wrong. My daughter had literally turned colors, and was limp. By the grace of God I just put her over my knee and kept my cool. When I finally got the cookie out and she was breathing, I walked into the bathroom and just fell in the floor crying. I was so scared at how close she was to choking to death. My wife had actually called 911, but they wouldn't have got there in time. Thankfully it came up the way i was doing it.
 
#2
#2
2 stories. Same son.

He gut stuck in the birth canal when my wife was in labor with shoulder dystocia. The midwife got real concerned and when i saw her expression I did too. She called for emergency assistance. Thankfully we delivered in the hospital so the team was there in under a minute. She delivered him but he wasn't breathing and had no movement of his arms. I had never prayed harder or through more tears. They got him breathing. Pediatric neurologist gave us the news he may have a brachial plexus (the nerves supplying the arms) injury. I followed up my fervent prayer with more but this time praying for his arms. He slowly started using his arms later that day a few hours after delivery. He spent one night in NICU and has been healthy ever since.

He was riding with me on my farm tractor. He was about 3 at the time. He stood on the footrest just like i did as a kid with my father. We were moving along with the speed set. He shifted his weight just as i hit a hole. I caught him as he was falling to the ground. He would have landed in front of the rear wheel had i not. That was the last day he rode with me
 
#3
#3
Similar to above. First child, long and difficult labor, lotsa pitocin (stimulates labor but can depress the infant’s breathing.) Born limp and grey like a newspaper left out in the rain, no infant resuscitation staff in delivery room, although they had seen all the signals on the monitor, 1-minute APGAR of 3, had to listen to the doc call for help stat (my father was a trauma surgeon and never used that word), and they got him up and running, finally; second APGAR of 8 or 9.

He has neurological issues 35 years later, no telling if they are effects of delivery or just the luck of the draw (Asperger runs in family.) Or a mix, of course. Grateful that UT Hospital staff resuscitated him, but that was my last hospital birth. The failure to anticipate what was going to (might have) happened is an endemic problem in US healthcare. The next two (last two) were with midwives, one in a birthing center and one at home, and went without a hitch despite going over due dates.
 
#4
#4
When my youngest son was about 18 months he climbed up on the changing table and tried to turn on the light switch. He leaned out too far and fell off. Landed smack on the forehead on the wood floor. Rushed to the ER, CT scan showed a tiny bleed on the brain. They sent us to LeBonheur right away. They did another CT, which I protested because of the high level of radiation involved, and found no bleed. The sound of his head hitting the floor is sickening and something we still remember. Fortunately he seems to have no issues from the fall and he is almost 9.
 
#5
#5
Oldest fell out of the shopping cart at Target when she was about probably about 18 months. We literally turned around for a second, she threw a leg over and out she went. Landed right on her head and like Dave said, the sound was sickening. We left the cart in the aisle and went staright to the ER. CT scan came back fine.
 
#6
#6
I was at one of our son's baseball tournaments with our daughter who was 4 maybe 5 at the time. She was playing with some other kids beside the bleachers, turned around and she was gone. Other kids said she went and got into a car and the car left. I've been under fire before but never felt panic or fear like I did that day. Turns out it was her grandmother, my wife forgot to tell me she was coming to pick up dear daughter at the ball field.
 
#7
#7
I was at one of our son's baseball tournaments with our daughter who was 4 maybe 5 at the time. She was playing with some other kids beside the bleachers, turned around and she was gone. Other kids said she went and got into a car and the car left. I've been under fire before but never felt panic or fear like I did that day. Turns out it was her grandmother, my wife forgot to tell me she was coming to pick up dear daughter at the ball field.
Holy crap...I would have flipped out.
 
#11
#11
I am not an angry person at all and I have rarely EVER yelled at my kids for anything. But once a bad situation has been averted I find myself often getting extremely angry over the situation. I guess being scared and angry go hand in hand.
 
Last edited:
#12
#12
When my daughter was 2 were we at a church cookout. I thought my wife was watching her and she thought my daughter was playing with some kids. I'm freaking out and look around. I see her running as fast as she can towards a busy road. This was right after the Ross 4.22 40 time. I'm pretty sure I beat that sprinting towards my daughter to beat her to the road.
 
#13
#13
Similar to above. First child, long and difficult labor, lotsa pitocin (stimulates labor but can depress the infant’s breathing.) Born limp and grey like a newspaper left out in the rain, no infant resuscitation staff in delivery room, although they had seen all the signals on the monitor, 1-minute APGAR of 3, had to listen to the doc call for help stat (my father was a trauma surgeon and never used that word), and they got him up and running, finally; second APGAR of 8 or 9.

He has neurological issues 35 years later, no telling if they are effects of delivery or just the luck of the draw (Asperger runs in family.) Or a mix, of course. Grateful that UT Hospital staff resuscitated him, but that was my last hospital birth. The failure to anticipate what was going to (might have) happened is an endemic problem in US healthcare. The next two (last two) were with midwives, one in a birthing center and one at home, and went without a hitch despite going over due dates.
My son was ok when he was born, however he stopped breathing the next morning while my daughter was holding him. The nurse grabbed him and rushed him to the neonatal ICU where they resuscitated him. He stopped breathing 7 times while he was in ICU. They never determined the cause. He never had any more spells after he left the hospital. He does have Asperger's though.

One more about my son. We were over at my mom's house when he was 6 years old. and she noticed that her pill container had been dumped the floor. She counted everyone and one of her blood sugar pills was missing. I don't think he took it, but better safe than sorry. I took him to the ER. He was admitted over the weekend. I remember it was the weekend that Earnhardt was killed. I actually saw that wreck in my son's hospital room. He was released without incident. I got in trouble with the wife when she got to the er for letting him out of my sight.
 
#14
#14
My son was ok when he was born, however he stopped breathing the next morning while my daughter was holding him. The nurse grabbed him and rushed him to the neonatal ICU where they resuscitated him. He stopped breathing 7 times while he was in ICU. They never determined the cause. He never had any more spells after he left the hospital. He does have Asperger's though.
Dude. That's crazy because....

My son slumped over and stopped breathing about 30 seconds after he was born. His airway was obsrructed and they were able to suction him and a few minutes later he was fine... and he has Aspergers.

We've always speculated along with various Doctors what impact the event may have had on his Neuro development.
 
#15
#15
My son was 1 and had a febrile seizure in the car while on the way to the hospital (his 3yo brother was also with me since my wife was out of town). He was puking and stopped breathing so I pulled over in a publix parking lot to help and clear his mouth. Got him breathing again and drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. His car seat was still rear facing so I held a mirror in front of his face and watched him in my rear view during the trip. Not the safest but I felt desperate

Both my sons have had the seizures and I've been told they are more common than we realized at the time. Still the scariest thing I've experienced so far
 
#16
#16
Dude. That's crazy because....

My son slumped over and stopped breathing about 30 seconds after he was born. His airway was obsrructed and they were able to suction him and a few minutes later he was fine... and he has Aspergers.

We've always speculated along with various Doctors what impact the event may have had on his Neuro development.
Although not confirmed, I've always convinced that was a contributing factor to his Asperger's
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolNExile
#17
#17
My son was 1 and had a febrile seizure in the car while on the way to the hospital (his 3yo brother was also with me since my wife was out of town). He was puking and stopped breathing so I pulled over in a publix parking lot to help and clear his mouth. Got him breathing again and drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. His car seat was still rear facing so I held a mirror in front of his face and watched him in my rear view during the trip. Not the safest but I felt desperate

Both my sons have had the seizures and I've been told they are more common than we realized at the time. Still the scariest thing I've experienced so far
I don't think there's anything more scary than watching someone have a seizure. My next door neighbor in college had one and I'll never forget watching it happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolNExile
#18
#18
My son was 1 and had a febrile seizure in the car while on the way to the hospital (his 3yo brother was also with me since my wife was out of town). He was puking and stopped breathing so I pulled over in a publix parking lot to help and clear his mouth. Got him breathing again and drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. His car seat was still rear facing so I held a mirror in front of his face and watched him in my rear view during the trip. Not the safest but I felt desperate

Both my sons have had the seizures and I've been told they are more common than we realized at the time. Still the scariest thing I've experienced so far
That's scary!
 
#20
#20
My son nearly drowning at around age 2.

Dumbest thing I've ever done and he's my third so should know better. We were at Hilton Head and the ocean was unusually calm with no waves one day. Me and my son went about waist deep in the water and he was in an inflatable tube. I was facing the shore with him between me and the shore no more than 1 foot away from me. Out of nowhere, a wave came that knocked me off balance and flipped him out of the tube (he had no swimmies or life jacket on). The wave carried him away from me and in the Atlantic with the murky water, I could not see him. I ran forward about 15 feet where I thought he should be and for what seemed like forever, couldn't find him. It was probably 8 seconds or so before I saw a foot come up out of the water and fortunately he was close enough for me to lunge and grab him out of the water. I carried him out of the water, went and sat on the beach and cried. After I somewhat composed myself, I walked back up to where my wife was, dropped him off and walked away. My wife said what's wrong, and I couldn't form any words. To this day, 17 years later, it still haunts me.

If any of you are reading this, you cannot be too careful. I grew up at the beach and spent my entire life in the water and nearly drowned my son. Never take them in the water without a preserver of some type!
 
Last edited:
#21
#21
My son nearly drowning at around 2.

Dumbest thing I've ever done and he's my third so should know better. We were at Hilton Head and the ocean was unusually calm with no waves one day. Me and my son went about waist deep in the water and he was in an inflatable tube. I was facing the shore with him between me and the shore no more than 1 foot away from me. Out of nowhere, a wave came that knocked me off balance and flipped him out of the tube (he had no swimmies or life jacket on). The wave carried him away from me and in the Atlantic with the murky water, I could not see him. I ran forward about 15 feet where I thought he should be and for what seemed like forever, couldn't find him. It was probably 8 seconds or so before I saw a foot come up out of the water and fortunately he was close enough for me to lunge and grab him out of the water. I carried him out of the water, went and sat on the beach and cried. After I somewhat composed myself, I walked back up to where my wife was, dropped him off and walked away. My wife said what's wrong, and I couldn't form any words. To this day, 17 years later, it still haunts me.

If any of you are reading this, you cannot be too careful. I grew up at the beach and spent my entire life in the water and nearly drowned my son. Never take them in the water without a preserver of some type!

This guy I work with had a 3 YO son drown in Lake Powell. He was left unattended and he must've walked off the houseboat into the water. They never found the body. I'm surprised this doesn't happen more, tbh. Houseboats are chaotic when you have lots of people.
 
#22
#22
Probably the most terrified I've ever been as a dad. The youth group went to a Christian concert on Sunday night. I got a frantic call from my daughter around 10:30 saying that the buses were gone. What do you mean they're gone? She had gotten separated from the group leaving the arena and went to wrong lot. The thought of my 12 year old daughter alone in downtown Nashville is terrifying. Still is. God was looking out for us that day, as He always does! I called the youth pastor. In the meantime, a family from our former church happened alone and stayed with her until we could get directions to where she was and direct the church buses.
 
#23
#23
My son nearly drowning at around 2.

Dumbest thing I've ever done and he's my third so should know better. We were at Hilton Head and the ocean was unusually calm with no waves one day. Me and my son went about waist deep in the water and he was in an inflatable tube. I was facing the shore with him between me and the shore no more than 1 foot away from me. Out of nowhere, a wave came that knocked me off balance and flipped him out of the tube (he had no swimmies or life jacket on). The wave carried him away from me and in the Atlantic with the murky water, I could not see him. I ran forward about 15 feet where I thought he should be and for what seemed like forever, couldn't find him. It was probably 8 seconds or so before I saw a foot come up out of the water and fortunately he was close enough for me to lunge and grab him out of the water. I carried him out of the water, went and sat on the beach and cried. After I somewhat composed myself, I walked back up to where my wife was, dropped him off and walked away. My wife said what's wrong, and I couldn't form any words. To this day, 17 years later, it still haunts me.

If any of you are reading this, you cannot be too careful. I grew up at the beach and spent my entire life in the water and nearly drowned my son. Never take them in the water without a preserver of some type!

Granddaughter fell in the pool a couple weeks ago without her life jacket on her. Wife was right there and scooped her up within a second, but scared the crap out of both of us. Now the life jacket goes on before she walks out the back door.
 
#24
#24
My son nearly drowning at around age 2.

Dumbest thing I've ever done and he's my third so should know better. We were at Hilton Head and the ocean was unusually calm with no waves one day. Me and my son went about waist deep in the water and he was in an inflatable tube. I was facing the shore with him between me and the shore no more than 1 foot away from me. Out of nowhere, a wave came that knocked me off balance and flipped him out of the tube (he had no swimmies or life jacket on). The wave carried him away from me and in the Atlantic with the murky water, I could not see him. I ran forward about 15 feet where I thought he should be and for what seemed like forever, couldn't find him. It was probably 8 seconds or so before I saw a foot come up out of the water and fortunately he was close enough for me to lunge and grab him out of the water. I carried him out of the water, went and sat on the beach and cried. After I somewhat composed myself, I walked back up to where my wife was, dropped him off and walked away. My wife said what's wrong, and I couldn't form any words. To this day, 17 years later, it still haunts me.

If any of you are reading this, you cannot be too careful. I grew up at the beach and spent my entire life in the water and nearly drowned my son. Never take them in the water without a preserver of some type!
I react the same way. I wonder if it is a guy thing. After the crisis is under control and everything is on the right path I have to get away to gain control of my thoughts. It is like that fight or flight shuts off my ability to talk or think straight. It is also accompanied by a flood of emotions from anger to relief.
 
#25
#25
I react the same way. I wonder if it is a guy thing. After the crisis is under control and everything is on the right path I have to get away to gain control of my thoughts. It is like that fight or flight shuts off my ability to talk or think straight. It is also accompanied by a flood of emotions from anger to relief.
Yep, it took me a while to come down off the emotional roller coaster. It was several hours later before I could tell my wife what happened. Fortunately she understood I needed some time and didn't push me or I might have jumped off the closest bridge ;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: joevol33 and McDad

VN Store



Back
Top