Soul Supporters

by Hillary Key

The door opened to the emergency room where we were sitting, waiting by Bennett's bed. Our friend, Dianne showed up just as she had insisted she would. I had called her as soon as Bennett was stable enough for me to leave his side. It was not long before my calm "survivor mode" voice cracked into sobs as I told my friend of the surreal events that had taken place.

When we arrived at the ER, Bennett was nonresponsive with a high fever and a low oxygen saturation rate. A whirl of nurses and doctors worked on him. There were no smiles or giggles. Bennett seemed to be somewhere else, somewhere we could not reach him. And I had watched as from within a nightmare, as a doctor put a consoling arm around my husband, preparing him for the possibility of the unthinkable.

"Dianne, they are going to put him on a respirator," I said.

"I'm coming," she said, in a way I knew not to question.

And shortly after, there she was, bringing with her that reassuring smile I had come to depend on.

Thankfully I was able to greet her with news of slight improvement, though not enough. The only thing standing between Bennett and a respirator was an available bed in the intensive care unit.

The door opened again. I was comforted to see our friend Bonnie walk in and relieved she was not someone coming to take Bennett to the ICU. Bennett has never experienced a hospital stay without an appearance from "Miss Bonnie".

Bonnie, a minister, led us in prayer as she had many times before. This time the five of us, including Bennett's nurse, encircled Bennett's bed where he lay so small and fragile.

She then took the empty chair beside my husband who had not dared to move beyond an arms length from his son. Bonnie leaned in close to a pale but no longer blue Bennett. He was breathing better now, well enough to avoid the impending respirator. We could all breathe better.

Bonnie spoke sweetly to Bennett as if everything was normal, like we had just passed her in the hall at church instead of having just brushed shoulders with our greatest fear. Brown eyes opened from behind an oxygen mask. With a nod of approval from the nurse, Bonnie removed the mask to hear Bennett's response.

His speech escalated quickly from low and drowsy to pretending to be one of his many alter-egos, "Dr. Bennett". The real doctor who had left a still quiet Bennett returned to the Bennett he had not met. He voiced his astonishment with a simple "wow". His amazement continued as Bennett thanked him and requested a radio for his hospital room.

Bennett was discharged three days later having never seen the ICU.

He has seen the ICU since, only briefly after surgeries. And of course "Miss Dianne" and "Miss Bonnie" were there, along with others who have become regulars... praying, visiting, bringing laughter, bringing food (lots of food!), just being there - soul supporters.

Some have sat in bedside chairs hoping, waiting, praying over their own children. With these, we share an additional bond and knowledge that exists without explanation

It has been two years since aspiration pneumonia sent us speeding to the ER. Recently, two of Bennett's friends have made that same trip. Thankfully, they are both recovering.

Throughout, I have seen a seven-year-old soul supporter emerge. Bennett has been very concerned... praying, visiting, bringing laughter, just being there. It humbles me when I see the same hands that have been held, reaching out to hold.

And of course, he has "been there". He knows what it's like to be attached to machines that rudely alarm when you are trying to sleep, to overhear scary conversations and to be a nervous parent's center of attention. I could see in Bennett that certain compassion that grows out of having "been there" in his tearful response to the news that his friends were sick.

Even more so, he has seen what being there looks like. I know he has been influenced by all the supporting his soul has received, because when I told him his friend Gabrielle had finally come home from the hospital, his immediate response was...

"Let's take her a meal."

Hillary Key is a full-time mom, and lives with her husband, Jeff, and son, Bennett, in Roswell, Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in graphic arts from The University of South Carolina in 1992. Hillary had two short stories published in 2006 in Special Strength for Special Parents by Nina Fuller. She enjoys painting, reading, and being a daily guest star on The Bennett Show, broadcast "live" from her living room, produced by the imagination of her son. Bennett, the host and creator, is doing extraordinarily well. He is enjoying good health, sweet friendships, and a new stage built into the corner of his room by special fans. His recent memorable performances include standing on his own for a few seconds (on stage, of course) and learning to drive his new "fully loaded" power chair.