Why Do I Have To Go Through Too Much Pain

Children never ever run out of questions.  While some are easy to answer, there are those that leave us at a loss for words.

Why does this always happen to me?  Why do I have to go through too much pain?

Just what do you say to a child who asks this question when you yourself feel that a child should never even be asking that question in the first place?  No child should have to go through pain. Period.

The calm before the storm. Waiting in the ER.

Unfortunately, my daughter had to go through so much physical pain at a very young age.  Several days ago, she was rushed to the emergency room when pain in her abdomen persisted and increased in severity.  All symptoms pointed to appendicitis and surgery was scheduled immediately.

As with all surgeries, this entailed a series of skin tests, blood extractions, and IV insertion.  I know adults who dread these so what more would you expect from a six-year-old.  The first blood extraction took ages with little Jade screaming her lungs out and refusing to extend her arm and to open her tightly closed fists.  After a lengthy talk, the next ones were successfully done much faster and with no screaming.  Still, she was in pain with each prick from the needle.  It was agonizing to see her go through those. 🙁

While in the OR, her surgeon was surprised to see hemorrhage in her abdominal cavity.  The pain she felt was most likely due to that hemorrhage and not to appendicitis which was just at its onset.  Apparently, it was caused by omental torsion so she underwent both an omentectomy and an appendectomy.  Her surgery went well and we were amazed by her quick recovery.  I braced myself for plenty of crying and whining post-surgery but was so surprised to see her with a huge smile on her face while in the recovery room.  A day after surgery, she was already sitting straight and could walk a few steps.  Two days after, she was already standing straight and walking unaided!

A pretty smile post-surgery! “I was asleep, Mama. Then I woke up and they’ve fixed me already!”

A day after surgery. Still all smiles!

Third day. No more IV! Yey! Here with Ate Becca who patiently encouraged her to be brave and to walk properly. <3

Still, when it was just the two of us in the hospital room, she would ask me why she had to go through all the pain.  Why it happened to her? Why she was always sick? (This wasn’t her first surgery. She had bilateral inguinal hernia repair when she was just three months old).

Why does this always happen to me? Why did God let me have this kind of pain? Why did I have to go through all of these?

What did I say to my daughter? This was the only thing I could say to her, “I don’t know why we are allowed to experience pain, but I know that God is always with us when we’re going through it.”

Psalm 119:50

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

I don’t know why there is suffering in the world.  I don’t know why children go through pain.  What I do know is that my dear Jade showed so much more courage than I have ever shown in my almost 40 years of life.  That my dear Jade has shown so much more faith in Jesus than I have ever shown.  I do know that prayers are powerful and that miracles do happen.  I do know that Jesus is always with our little Jade.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.