A Parent’s Worst Fear

“You never had to do that, I can take care of myself.”  Amber shouts back.

“You…take care of your self?  You can’t even keep a job longer than two months, you just got fired from that gas station job, and you’ve gone through four apartments this year.  I have had to pay for everything.”

“You know what mom, this is going no where…”

“You’re goddamn right this is going nowhere.  I’m not taking responsibility for this child, and I will not pay another dollar.”

“Fine!  I’m gone.”  Amber stormed out of the house and up the street to the bus station; her mom knows where she is going, yet is too angry to stop her.  Filled with so much pain and guilt for what has happened, Joyce can only pray for Amber to realize what is happening to her self.

Amber came from a good home, and was raised in a big city.  She started using drugs when she was 13 years old, and she has been using crack for the past year. She dropped out of high school, and has been going from job to job.   Her mother has been an enabler for some time, and when she does confront Amber about her drug use, and pushes her to go for treatment, Amber just gets angry and leaves.  Just recently, Joyce read in the local paper about a 23 year old man being found dead in a gas station bathroom from a drug overdose.  This seemed to be a reality check for Joyce.  The young man lived in the same neighbourhood, and his father worked at an investment-planning firm, which Amber’s father had done business with before her parents got divorced.  Hearing news like this, and so close to home, has now made Joyce face the reality of her daughter possibly dying from drug use, and now, maybe losing the baby in the process.

It was Wednesday evening, and Joyce was just arriving home from work. As she was entering her house, the phone rang.  She managed to get her shoes off, and drop her bags as she ran towards the phone.  She glanced at the caller ID before she picked up.  The ID was the hospital number; there was slight resistance to pick up, and a brief moment of panic.  She answered the phone, and with much hesitation said, “Hello…”

“Yes, Ms. Maynard?”  A mans voice answered on the other end.

“Yes this is she, who is this?”  At this point there was even more panic in her voice, as she already knew what this was going to be about.

“Ms. Maynard, my name is Dr. Walker, I’m calling from…”

Joyce cut in, “Yes, Public General, I can see that on the caller ID.  Is my daughter OK?”

“It would be a good idea for you to come down to the emergency.”  Replies Dr. Walker.

Thirty minutes after Joyce hung up the phone, she arrived at the hospital, and Dr. Walker was there to meet her.  The Doctor explained to Joyce, Amber had used a very large quantity of crack cocaine in a short period of time.  Amber’s heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature increased so much; she went into convulsions and passed out.  Because she did not receive help right away, she slipped into a minor coma.  Joyce asked about the baby; unfortunately, the baby did not survive.  Amber was not far into her pregnancy, and the chance of the baby surviving such trauma to the mother, was very low.  Three days later, Amber came out of the coma. She did not remember much of what happened.  Joyce explained to Amber everything that did occur, and what had happened to the baby.  Amber’s reaction to the loss of the child was not what Joyce expected. Part of Amber seemed to be relieved the child was not going to be born under such circumstances.  Like any mother, Joyce was very relieved Amber was safe, and for the first time, while lying in the hospital bed, Amber asked for help.

A parent’s worst fear is losing their child.  A near death experience like this does not need to happen.  A drug addiction can be treated before it’s too late, and there are professionals available to help a family in need.  For more information on what steps to take, call this toll free number,

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