suffering in silence

Sloanie & i were folding laundry on Wednesday. As my hand brushed against her wrist, i saw her flinch & asked what was wrong.
"Oh, i fell up the stairs last Thursday..."
"Last Thursday?? & it still hurts? Lemme see..."
Gingerly she held out her arm & i stroked it & asked to see the other one to compare...
Sure enough the hurting one was swollen.
"Oh, Sloanie, why didn't you tell me?"
"i don't know... You were at the church practicing music & daddy was getting ice cream with Gampie & Gam was watching Cai make cinnamon buns... i hid in your room to cry."
She had been her usual work horse self all week - wrangling the little boys, carrying loads of laundry, vacuuming the basement...
"Sloanie, i think you need to see a doctor. It shouldn't be hurting like that still..."
"No, mom - i'm sure it's fine... let's just leave it."
i made her take an advil & we iced it up & i put a tensor bandage on it for night - hoping that the swelling was just from overusing it after a bad sprain...
In the morning, she greeted me, "Mom, doesn't it look way better?"
"um... not really, baby..."
But, Neil was coming home on Friday & so we waited it out till he got home, took her in, got an x-ray...
& a pink cast.
i feel sick that she suffered in silence...
& i wonder if...
Maybe that's how the Father looks at us - wanting us,
His much loved children,
to bring our wounded selves to Him...