The Fall

Just as the drama in our house has diminished, with the girls going to school this year, the boys waste no time in reminding me that I still have my hands full. Sure, the drama is gone, only to be replaced by trips to the ER.

We had gone to the beach on Wednesday to relax, swim, enjoy the last bit of summer. The lake we go to, has a playground that the kids love. I make the comment to my friend, "Matty does great on this playground, I don't worry about him." I really should learn to keep my mouth shut saying stuff like that.

Well, the day went along fine, the kids played great and I enjoyed some great girl conversation. I glance back to the playground and see a woman carrying Matty. I run over and see a very large amount of blood. I don't panic, but scoop him up and start walking to the first aid area. No one is there, but I get some towels and some ice. I know mouths bleed a lot, and this was a lot! After I got him to drink some water, the blood flow from his mouth let up a bit. I looked him over and he looked fine.

A girl then comes over and tells me she saw him fall. I asked her to show me where and she points to the very top of the jungle gym. He had decided to try and climb down a ladder, that was way to far away for him to reach. It was at least seven feet high. She told me he landed on his face. I know kids bounce, but not that high.

He wouldn't let me sit down with him and he wouldn't stop crying. He is usually a tough guy and doesn't fuss to long after hurting himself. I asked him to walk, he wouldn't. He then starts saying his back hurts, over and over. I then feel him go limp in my arms and start fussing about his arm, looking at it like it's falling asleep. Now I start to worry a little. I don't like rushing to the Dr. for unnecessary visits, but a Mommy fear took over me and I felt I should take him to the hospital. Also, encouraged by another lady who told me that last week a kid fell on the same playground and ended up having a skull fracture. Well, that probably wasn't the greatest thing to share with a mother who is holding a crying child, she is worried about, but she was just trying to help!

Thank goodness my friend was with me and we had driven separate cars. The girls stayed with her and I took the boys to the ER. I was nervous for him to fall asleep, because of course I am thinking the worst. He quickly fell asleep as we started driving, my yelling back to him didn't help a bit. I watched his breathing in the rear view mirror to calm myself.

When we arrived at the hospital, I tried again to see if he was maybe just over exaggerating and we were going in here for nothing. He still wouldn't walk for me and still told me his back hurt. So in we go.

Now, I have a very long, horrible history of bad hospital experiences. Walking in to this one, I feared the worst. Long waits, nurses that make you feel bad, cold rooms, and horrible bed side manner. This hospital, changed my view entirely.

I walked through the automatic doors holding my breath. I had to go through a metal detector and police officer, I really started to grow skeptical and leery. But then, like magic, I was escorted right back. No waiting in the waiting room, what? He had fallen more than twice his height, so we were sent to the trauma unit. When we walked into the room, it was filled with people. Everyone taking care of us. The doctor was kind, helpful and didn't once make me feel inferior or awful. I had such a great experience, that after we left, I actually called them, to say it was the best ER visit I had ever had and thanked them.

So, back to the little stinker. The Dr. examined him head to toe. Matty was going off to him about how he fell and how his back hurt. He was really playing it up. "I fall down. I hurt. My back. My back." He had every one in the room gawking at his cuteness. As soon as the Dr. walked out, while we were waiting for x-rays, Matty miraculously recovered. He was running around the place like nothing had happened. The little booger. Seriously, at least act like you are in pain, at the very least lay down, you are making me look bad!

I am not upset we went, the peace of mind was worth the $100.00 to me, especially when he woke up crying that night, I didn't worry. But still, a little part of me wanted there to be something wrong. Nothing major of course, just something small and fixable, something to justify the trip to the hospital and my copay.

Thank you Swedish Hospital for taking such good care of us, but I pray we don't have to visit you again!

Please be careful boys, you are going to give me a heart attack before I even turn 30!! Be kind to your mother!

And I wonder where they get it from?