So here is a little story:

For dinner, we ordered food from Cracker Barrel. We got a family dinner that came with biscuits with butter and little honey packets. Right after dinner, we were sitting in the living room. Maggie came over to me and pointed at her mouth and said,

“I just swallowed that.”

“Just swallowed what?” I asked.

“That shiny thing,” she said.

RELATED: Grieving Mom Warns Families About the Dangers of Button Batteries To Children

So I looked around for what she could be talking about and saw a Barbie doll on the table. Levi was sitting there too. His eyes got big and he said, “I just took one of those out.”

What he was talking about is a little button battery that was in the doll’s leg. The cover to it had come off.

I knew immediately that this was bad.

Dolls with empty button battery slots

We start getting ready to go to the hospital. While I was doing that, my daughter Eva was on her phone looking things up.

“Mom, it says to give her honey.

We still had little packets of honey just sitting on the table. How amazing is that? It was surely God’s kindness to us! So we gave her a couple of packets and grabbed the rest for the ride to the hospital. I gave her more in the car.

RELATED: The Childhood Accident we Narrowly Avoided

When they X-rayed her, sure enough, there was a battery but it has slid right down to her stomach where it is less dangerous. They keep her overnight with plans to possibly retrieve the battery in the morning. But first thing, they did another X-ray and see the battery was sliding down again into her intestines. At that point, there was very little risk. Maggie was discharged right after breakfast.

honey and button batteries

I was not planning to share this story. But multiple times, the doctors told us how good it was that we gave her that honey right away—because it coats the battery and keeps it from getting stuck. And I felt I needed to share how truly and awesomely God was looking after this little girl that night.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:12).

 

I had no idea this story would reach so many people, but I’m glad it’s helping to get the word out and am grateful for all the support and prayers.

After sharing, I was contacted by a couple of sweet moms who lost their children following battery ingestion. They are so amazing to experience such a loss and want to help others through their experience. Here are their websites for more information: 

Button Battery Awareness

Reese’s Purpose

Poison Control Center information on button batteries

 
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Katie Jacobsen

Katie Jacobsen is a wife and mom to eight crazy kids, living in Ohio.

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