As a mom, time stops for us when we give birth to our baby(ies). The first coo, our heart explodes. The first baby step, we get those butterflies as we run over to help our tumbling little. Our little boy’s first soccer goal, we jump and scream as if no one is watching. These little moments are the moments we live for and moments that time stops for.
No one could’ve prepared me for when I first held my babies after giving birth… the kind of moment that takes your breath away.
Happy moments, time stops.
Bad moments, time stops.
Dreadful scenes emerged during week 17’s NFL season, as the Buffalo Bills took on the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of the game. His mother saw the horrific scenes from the stands at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
As a mother, time stops for us in this moment.
“How do I get to my baby? I need my baby. I can’t get down to the turf fast enough”… I can only imagine the thoughts going through Ms. Hamlin’s head.
Time stopped for this mom as she had to watch her son lay lifeless on the field while being given CPR. It was also reported that he needed the use of an automated external defibrillator on the field. He was given oxygen as he was loaded into an ambulance, with reports at the time saying that he had a pulse but was not breathing unassisted.
Time stopped as Nina Hamlin had to be taken by security down the stands to get to her baby. Damar is reportedly in critical condition, having gone into cardiac arrest.
As a mom in these moments, time stops. The seconds feel like minutes, the minutes feel like hours, the hours feel like days and the days feel like weeks.
A situation happened to me that does not compare, but I can somewhat relate. My twins were hospitalized twice with RSV, one time with them being sent to the PICU when they were not getting better. During those long days, I felt helpless. Yes, my babies were receiving exceptional care, but I had to sit there and hear the sounds of the monitors and the screams of my babies when they had to be poked for an IV or be suctioned to clear their nasal passages.
A mother’s pain while watching her children suffer is excruciating. One of our proudest jobs is to protect our babies, but when accidents or an illness happens, we are helpless. When our babies suffer, we suffer. In Nina Hamlin’s case, she suffered while the whole world watched. Eyes were probably glued to her, as people around her, in Paycor Stadium were probably wondering about her mental health in that exact moment. Did she fall to her knees, did she scream, did she cry or did she freeze while she processed what was actually happening?
Mama, these next coming weeks and months while you are crying out to God, wanting answers and healing, many people from around the world are walking along side you. Many people say that someone should not have to suffer in silence. Mama, you are heard and supported.
Nina Hamlin, us moms are with you.
