Stylin

Saturday here at the homestead. Grant has been vomiting since midnight (again) and continued into mid morning. The good news is that it appears to be over..moving now into explosive diarrhea. Can you say...when it rains it pours?

Dave and I might take a little date night this evening as long as Grant is emotionally and physically strong. Fingers crossed. I could really use an escape. Last night we were up AT LEAST 20 times with his nausea and vomiting. OH JOY IS ME. Thank goodness the vomiting does not appear to be linked to the head injury as advised by 2 doctors and ask a nurse. He really does look a bit better today. Can you say CONTRACEPTION? Man I dont think I really can handle another one...this is just too much.

Have a great weekend.

Pediatric Cat Scan Perks

These were taken last night..hehe..he loves to wear big boots.





I have decided I don't really feel like reliving the entire urgent care visit for you..so here is quick synopsis:

*the staff was amazing
*after we actually got a room the service was fairly fast
*they believed me thank goddess
*and here is the super dooper highlight. they ordered a cat scan to rule out bleeding of the brain and usually they have to sedate the child which means an IV and nothing by mouth for a few hours prior. I suggested that I could most likely get him to sleep - would that work? They were all excited and hopeful! Well sure enough after we arrived in the dark CT room...with the hummmm of the machine...it was a perfect sleeping environment. So I told the nurses to leave us be for a while and I would motion when it was all good. We started nursing and I sang Grant his little to bed song...whispered "sweet dreams little bear" (sleep time ritual) and off he went. It was lovely.

So the nurses returned and I layed him in the mold that holds them still..still nursing. I hung over him a bit just to make sure he was good and gone...and then he just let go so perfectly. Then we draped him with heavy radiation blocking blankets. He was quite bound by the time they started the machine up. The table flew back and forth as she adjusted him just so underneath the machine's red lazers. The sweet nurse that stayed with us was just ecstatic and so proud of us for making it happen without sedation. They don't want to stick babies..and then there is always the potential for side effects etc. After the procedure they were kind enough to loan us the mold so I just picked up the whole thing and placed him in the wagon (another children's hospital perk) and off we rolled.

I must say that even though he was exposed to radiation, I am very glad we had the cat scan. Without it I would still be wondering. They said that kids can have intracranial bleeding and still be acting normal!!!!!!! The fact that it was a reinjury...within just days of each other...that made them really concerned (and me too!).

On an iffy note....Grant has vomited 3 times since 12:30AM last night. Hopefully he is just sick (that sounds nice doesn't it) and it is not related to the head injury. Remember...we are still watching him for stuff like this for 30 days! So I am going to call the Dr and just check in.

This pic was taken just this morning..can you see the improvement? I sure can! yae



I am starting to feel better. Not nearly as anxious and tense and frightened. My parents are here now thank GOODNESS. We are keeping Grant out of day care while he has a chance to heal. Looks like I will be bringing him to work with me a few days next week (don't even want to think about it...sounds so stressful) while my parents go home and take care of some things. My mom plans to return to be here for the Battle of the Bands (a program of mine that leaves me needing a babysitter) and then the ear tube placement on march 3. Some one pour me a double please.

Besides all that...HAPPY FRIDAY. Get drunk for me or something.

Day

Let me just sum up the last 24 hours for you....fear, anxiety, shaking uncontrollably with the unknown, a sleepless night topped off with a day spent in the hospital not knowing if they were going to call social services on me or not. Hell day in short.

I told you that Grant re injured his left temporal area again last night. After my post he awoke twice screaming in anguish. A talk with"ask a nurse" told us once again that we did not need to take him to the emergency room (or even to the doctor the next day...pretty rediculous if you ask me...even if its just for liability). I wanted to rush to the ER but my husband and friend (and day care provider who caused the original injury) said we should stay put. It was crazy. We even made it into the car...where Grant quieted down again...so I decided to go back home. It was such a gut wrenching experience. The ask a nurse did say that if he woke up again screaming and crying to take him to the er...but he didnt. he slept the rest of night sweet dear. I of course did'nt. Between every 2 hour assessments (is he coherant...does he know you...are his eyes equal...any drainage?) and the overall stress of the experience...I laid awake praying for everything to be ok.

This morning I called in to work. I just couldnt send my baby to "the lions den" aka day care...to fend for himself with just ONE EYE open. His eye was a straight up SHINER rising up past his eyebrows. IT LOOKED TERRIBLE. However...his demeanor was delightful. Unbelievable child. Very high pain threshold (that why when he was screaming and wouldnt nurse or lay down or keep any focus worried me SOOOOOO).

After chasing him around the house worrying about every crazy little prank he pulled..I called around to find a helmet. I found one..and we jumped in the car just to drive a block and half to get it. HOWEVER....I realize that we should call the chiropractor (like I had planned out at 4AM) especially since we were already in the car seat etc (did'nt matter at the time that I was not wearing a bra or SOCKS).

Called the chiro..they were leaving soon....come in NOW. We pressed the petal to the metal and he saw the chiro. I MELTED DOWN SEVERLY. Being around 5 women in the office...and we were basically alone..and they all reacted stunned at his wound....couldnt believe we hadnt seen a doctor...allowed all my own feelings and fears to rush to the surface. Dr. Mary was sure he had concussions. I was weeping...they encouraged me to go to the doctor...I told them I had wanted to go to childrens mercy since last night but was ganged up on to not go (by my husband, Des, and the ask a nurse). They gave me directions and I went.

Straight up we drove 45 minutes to childrend's mercy. I knew they would likely call social services but I DIDNT CARE. My child's health is more important. I knew they might keep me on house arrest like they did in Florida...but my child's health is more important. I knew it was going to cost the entire $2,000 deductible...but come on now...we are going to meet that very soon anyway. Money is NOTHING. I needed to know if my son had bleeding from the brain or any number of life theatening injuries. I was on a mission.

So we arrived and 6 hours later we were home!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a marvelous visit. I love childrens hospitals...they are the ONLY way to go if you have an option for your child. Drive the extra 30 minutes and go where they specialize in little people. You will be so glad you did.

I will write more tomorrow about the visit. But I want to say that Grant is FINE. Yes he has a very large hematoma...but his brain is fine. His eye is fine. He is going to make a full recovery. They were happy I brought him and they believed me that BOTH injuries were an accident. They didnt even call social services....which was a beautiful thing. I know from history that it (being interrogated by ss) is a traumatic experience. Every time I saw a social worker or policeman my heart sank..are they for me? But not they were not...and Grant was given the AOK. Thank god.

Tomorrow I will expand upon why not having a bra on, a shower or socks was a hinderance to my full day at the children's hospital experience.

Till then....THanks for your love.

Pounded by Arse

So my day was already scheduled tight. I knew it was going to be a haul...but it was completely doable. Until I received the dreaded call.

Whenever I am at work and see that day care is calling me...my heart skips a beat..in the HOLY CRAP kinda way. That all started when Grant was choking a lot...and I guess I never got over it. Plus...how often does day care really call? I mean they are busy ya know. Anyhoo...today was another BAD call from school day. Starts off...

"Paula, I hurt your kid". WHAT? YOU HURT MY KID? "Ya, he has quite a little welt on his head..you should come see it for yourself". Sure thing...be there in 10 minutes. Whoossshhhhhhhh...I am off. When I arrive she is holding him down with an ice pack on his forehead. I cant see the "boo boo". The process of her removing the blinder still plays back in slow motion. I was pretty scared of what I was going to see.

Sure enough...he is LOPSIDED. I mean half of his head was adorable and normal for him...the other half was like 4 times the size of normal. I melted. I fell apart. I tried to stay calm...but I teared up. I tried to nurse him but he was in too much pain...and for those of you who nurse...you know that is rare. The sky has to be caving in for them not to nurse.

She tried to explain what happened. It was STRANGER than fiction. I love her by the way. She is a friend and Grants day care provider. She is wacked out in a fun loving, brillantly scattered kinda way. Turns out she was performing a somersault for the kids, entertainment mind you, and Grant ran underneath her. Doesnt really sound that bad. BUT IT WAS. Somehow her spine and back end smacked him so hard his head got a GOOSE EGG sized bump on it. Grant it...she is 6 foot 2 and 5 months pregnant (adds to the mystery). She of course was terribly apologetic and remorseful..even saying she wished it had been her child instead.

So I held him as he wept and sobbed and held his head. He was mad, he was in anguish, he was sick and tired. We called his primary pediatrician's office..and get this the BITCH secretary who I already call the gait keeper, gave MEDICAL ADVICE to DES (child care provider and friend). Des had asked to speak with a nurse and good old MARTHA AKA BEEN THERE TOO LONG GOTTA GO BITCH decided to go ahead and pretend she was one. I only found this out because Des handed me the phone. I said...Isnt this Martha? I was too overwhelmed at the moment to completely go off on her...so I decided to snitch on her Monday. Then we called ask a nurse.

They were professional and went through a checklist...to see if the symptoms could mean something really bad had happened. No he wasnt vomiting, or leaking from orifices, he did no have a dent in the goose egg and his pupils were equal in size. WHEWWWWWWW thank GOD. Yes he could nap but just make sure and wake him after 2 hours to see that he could speak and walk etc. By the way..Martha did not say ANY OF THOSE! She could freakin kill somebody giving out medical advice. GRRRRRRRRRRR

So after about 1 hour of crying so hard he was coughing....he finally settled down to mama singing our favorite tunes including "you are my sunshine" and "row row row your boat".

Tonight he is actually doing very well considering. The swelling has gone down to 25%of the original size. There is a very large bruise...about 3x2" at the largest point...its a triangle on his forehead. I feel so sorry for him. I mean doesnt he have enough going on? Fighting ear infections, on a super strong antibiotic 3x a day, teething up a storm, fighting a cold and now this. Sweet baby.

So send out good energy for Grant....that he will heal quickly and not have any long term damage. I know kids get bonked on the head lots..and heads swell up nice and dramatic...but its still scary as hell to see your baby like that. In his world...a butt fell from the sky and pounded him one. Will he be scared of somersaults now? I doubt it.