AGGGHHHH
It was 7pm. The children were nestled all snug in their beds. All of a sudden, I heard this PIERCING scream from Aaron's room. He came downstairs, wailing - his cry was a mix between fear and pain. What on EARTH??? Finally, I was able to get out that he swallowed a quarter and his throat hurt really bad. I got a HUGE cup of water and made him drink the whole thing. I laughed it off, and tried to comfort him. I told Aaron to just go to bed, and he would have to poop it out. Then, I got on the phone to make sure I was doing the right thing. I called my sisters; I called my neighbors; I called my friends; I called and paged his doctor. I felt ok, until the doctor called me back. He kindof scared me - filling my head with possibilities of it being lodged somewhere. Then, those nightmares and images flashed through my mind - could I be "that" mother that just allowed her son to swallow a quarter and not do anything about it? Watch him stop breathing in the night and it would be all my fault because I thought it was no big deal... All you mothers know the path my mind went down (or am I just the only PSYCHO mom?)
UNFORTUNATELY, I am stuck home with my 3 kids all alone - Joe is out of town. AGGHHH. Nate and Charity are already asleep (Aaron has since calmed down and passed out on my bed). BUT the doctor said (since a quarter is so large for a child so young) that he would feel best if we went to the children's hospital to make sure we were following "quarter swallowing" protocol. He kept saying "A quarter is MUCH larger than the pennies and dimes we usually get calls about. I haven't gotten a call about a quarter yet." (he is no young dr either). Did I really have to go to the ER???? SERIOUSLY? I am not the type to freak out... I was NOT willing to drag the kids out there either. Lucky for me, I have a sweet girlfriend (thanks Carrieanne!) who came over and sat with the sleeping kids as I took Aaron to the ER. I was prepared for an all-nighter. I knew the second I got in the car the way the evening would unfold: WAIT at the ER, WAIT, WAIT, Laugh with the people at the silly situation, WAIT, WAIT, Get an Xray, then find out we are OK and we can go home and wait for the quarter to come out the other end. I figured (since I left the house at about 8:30) I would be home by 1 or 2am...
How the evening really went:
Get to the ER by 9pm. Sign in. Go immediately to the nurse. Wait 5 mins. Get Xray. Take Aaron potty. Pay my co-pay. Talk to Dr. Leave 9:45pm.
I have NEVER in my life had such a pleasant experience at an ER! I was in and out in 45 mins! granted, this was just an easy one - laugh at the silly little boy who ate money... but 45 mins???
Looks like I will be going to Cook Children's for EVERY emergency! I usually go to a different hospital, but I switched things up tonight. I am so pleased. Ya, I wasted my ER copay to find out that my son was ok, but I am willing to pay that so I can sleep better tonight.
17 comments:
Emily,
Like the old man on Grumpier Old Men said when one of his grandkids swallowed a quarter and the parents were freaking out,
"Relax, kids swallow quarters all the time---if they crap out 2 dimes and a nickle then you have a problem!"
Bob
Oh my!! Im glad everything was ok, but good job on taking him. Im with your Doctor on that! A quarter is HUGE, how did he do that??!!
Glad you can rest easy tonight! That is sooo scary! Kids scare the crap out of me sometimes! I too love children's hospitals. I will take my kids no where else but Phx Children's we are ALWAYS in and out within 2 hours (you win with 45 min though!)Yes, we have been there often, Jack is "Head-Wound Harry". Soooo glad Aaron is alright!
Love the "Grumpier Old Men" comment, Bob.
BTW...I was LOL that you knew that the movie was "Sky High"! Too FUNNY!
Glad everything is ok and you had a short visit! Seems like these things kind of things always happen when the husband is out of town. Makes me feel bad for single moms who are always alone.
Wow! what an eventful night. I would have struggled weather to go or not too. So far we've been lucky and not had to go to the ER. Knock on wood! Almost once,but we went somewhere else. I'll be posting about that one in a couple of weeks. I'm Kara will really crap her pants when she reads that one!
BTW, I'm glad he's ok! Sorry, I'm so self absorbed right now! sheesh.
That is great that you were only in the er for 45 minutes! That is amazing! Thanks for letting me know what to do if Audrey swallows a quarter and where to take her!! It's great to learn from someone else's experience!
Bob's comment is hilarious. Glad CarieAnn came to the rescue. Cooks really does rock. Just for the record I would have done the same thing and freaked out. All moms worry! You are not alone
Cody did that when he was 4, but he choked! We called 911 & they were here before I got off the phone (FAST!) We were so scared.
Cooks was great to Honor when I took her in 2 weeks ago...she got 3 stitches and they gave her a babydoll & a popsicle! We were there 3 hours though.
FYI: There's a Cooks Urgent Care with Emergency services on Precinct Line that is really good too...they don't open till 11am though, but they are open late.
We love Cook's Children too. I really hate those situations that could go either way...and you aren't sure how seriously you should take it. I'm glad you had a relatively "good" ER experience.
Wow I'm glad everything came out okay in the end! So did it come out? Did it show up on the x-ray. You are so calm, I would be freaking out. That is amazing you were only at the er for 45min!
Ahhhh is right! Just thinking about another ER trip for us makes me stressed. I am so glad that it went so well! Aaron!!!!! Don't do that again!
man. that would freak me out. We have been to the ER more times than I would like with our kids. Glad you got in and out!
You know what bugs though, is when doc's get all freaked out, and it makes you worry, only to find out that all is well. When we've had to go with our kids at the recommendation of the pediatrician it was always like "I think everything should be fine but I want to air on the side of caution"... Seriosuly, I don't need anyone else to get me worked up when my kids are possibly sick, I'm good at that all by myself!
Now that doc's got the "quarter swallowing" thing under his belt. Hope it doesn't hurt coming out! And don't worry Em, you're a good mom!
Now just hopefully Charity and Nate will be able to learn from their older brother that making music in your mouth with a quarter (or anything else) is not a good idea!
I am so glad to hear your little guy is doing well. I too love Children's hospitals. It just makes things so much more pleasant plus you actually probably got to bed at a descent time. Hope everything comes "out" alright!!
Wow what an ordeal! Im so glad he is okay and you could sleep better. Seriously I dont know why my husband feels the need to do wild and crazy things but he does! He mostly does it to put the videos on you tube!:) What a dork!
phweeeeehaaaaa!I think that is kinda funny Aaron!You should save it when you poop it out.(make sure you wash it though)I also don't like to go to the ER unless we are bleeding or unconcious.I am tired of creating medical bills.Glad that everything turned out to be ok.Aaron..try not to eat money anymore;)
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