Another nightmare

Different topic, far scarier and more real.

Probably related to this, since my friend had another hearing in court today.

I woke up early this morning with a vague memory of a dream I had last night. All I could remember was it involved one of my children being in danger. I couldn't remember at first, and then it all came rushing back.

I'm at a hospital, not in it, but outside it. My child is with me; it's not Audrey or Aislinn, but for some reason, I have a son. Weird, but it's a dream, so whatever. Somehow, I can't remember how, my son gets burnt badly. A man comes to us and says, "I'll stay with him, you go in the hospital and get something to put on the burn." I go into the hospital and rummage through a cabinet, looking for some ointment to put on the burn. A hospital employee comes over to help me. We throw away a tube of something that is about two years expired (and I have no idea what THAT part is supposed to mean). I find something, and go back outside. My son and the man are gone. I figure they've gone inside the hospital to get help, but as I wander around looking for them, the horrible realization comes that my child has been kidnapped.

I can still feel the terror of that dream.

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My friend's daughter was released from the hospital two weeks ago, and was put into a foster home until today's hearing. My friend had all hope that her daughter would be returned to her today. The baby has shown little to no improvement or significant weight gain since being in the hospital or with the foster family, which would seem to exonerate my friend from abuse or neglect. However, the prosecuting attorney took up the entire 3 hours of court time scheduled for this morning's hearing with two witnesses. The next hearing is not until Wednesday afternoon. I am beyond frustrated for my friend and her daughter; I am sick at heart. I am only glad I have a God I have faith in (as does my friend), because I have no faith at all in "the system".