I am the blessed father of three healthy, happy, beautiful daughters. I count my blessings every day that they are healthy and able to enjoy a full life like every child should. This, however, was not always the case with our oldest daughter. When Tyler was 20 months old, my wife and I realized that she was wheezing and had a terrible cough. Believing she had the flu, we monitored her that night, and the next day my wife took her to our pediatrician. I went to work concerned about my daughter’s health, but certain that the doctor would simply diagnose it as a common illness and provide the necessary prescription. You can imagine my horror when I received a frantic phone call from my wife telling me that as soon as the doctor saw Tyler, she told my wife to take her to the hospital immediately.
I instantly left work and met my wife at the hospital. They were trying to put an IV in my Tyler’s arm and were having a very difficult time finding a vein to use. My daughter was panicking since at her young age she had no concept of what an IV was, or why her mother and father were letting people hurt her. Needless to say it was a very traumatic experience for my daughter, my wife and me.
Tyler was in the local hospital for 3 days before her lack of improvement caused them to transfer her to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. We were informed that there was liquid in her chest that was putting pressure on her lungs and restricting her ability to breathe. In order to remove the fluid, they would have to perform a surgery where a tube would be inserted inter her side and the liquids then removed. I will never forget holding her little hand as they rolled her into the operation room, telling her everything was going to be okay.
We spent 9 more days in the hospital with our daughter, sleeping by her bedside every night to comfort her. The happiest day of my life was when she was given a clean bill of health and allowed to go home. After spending 9 days at the hospital, I wandered the halls and saw the other parents that were there with their children that had leukemia and other serious and chronic illnesses. It made me realize that compared to some, our trial was small. For us the trials were over, and even though they were but a small moment they will be forever remembered. For others, the trials continue, and with every day comes a new hope that their child will be released and sent home in good health.
During some of those long nights I spent by my daughter’s hospital bedside, I had time to reflect on the things most of us take for granted. I often thought who would be by my daughter’s bedside if my wife and I were not here? Who would be the one to make her health care decisions for her? If something happened to my wife and I, who would raise her, care for her and love her as we would? I realized then that life is too short. Time goes by all too quickly, and more often then not we fail to plan for those that we love and care about the most. I am grateful that my daughter is now healthy and enjoying life, but I am also grateful that my wife and I have put documents in place to ensure that our children will be properly provided for and taken care of if something happens to the two of us.
About Morris Hall:
At Morris Hall, we have focused our legal practice on estate planning for over 40 years. Along with estate planning, our attorneys help clients and their families with matters of probate, trust administration, wills, powers of attorney, business planning, succession planning, legacy planning, charitable gifting and other important legal aspects. We also have divisions in financial, real estate and accounting to help you incorporate all of your planning together, ensuring that everything works perfectly for your needs and situation. Our Arizona offices are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Arrowhead. Contact us today at 888.222.1328 to schedule an appointment!
Contributed by MH attorney David T. Eastman
This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.
This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.
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