Adventures in ER Land

We got the privilege of visiting the ER yesterday evening. I have been expecting these visits, having three boys, but this one was a doozey! I want to recap this so in future years I can tell the boys about this adventure and how much fun it was! Let's start in the beginning. We were all sitting in the living room and the boys were playing with cars. They use the fireplace ledge as their race track sometimes and Drew was toddling to go play. I watched it happen and could not do a thing about it. He tripped and went head first into the brick fireplace ledge. As soon as he did it, I grabbed him and blood was gushing everywhere. I knew that head wounds bled a lot, so at that point it was keeping everyone calm. We are in the middle of a horrible cold/ice/snow spell here so the twins were still in their pj's. I told the twins to grab their lined crocs put them on and head to the car. I put a wet compress on Drew's head and tried to stop the bleeding and put him in the car (apparently without shoes or socks). What was I thinking! It was 3 degrees at this point.

We had not been out in four or five days, so we had a nice snow drift outside our garage. I told the boys to start singing "Jesus Loves Me", in hopes to help us get through the snow drift and to keep Drew calm. I gunned it and what do you know, we got through it!

We are about 15 minutes away from the hospital, so I kept asking the boys if Drew was awake and if his head was still bleeding. Jaxson said "I will yell to keep him awake!". Ok, whatever. Ryan said "Mom, there is blood everywhere!". I turned on my emergency blinkers and drove about 80 on I-40, passing a state trooper and again singing "Jesus Loves Me". :)

We get to the ER and I check him in, they send us to the waiting room, he is still bleeding, so I forcefully go back up to the station and ask to be triage so we could at least stop the bleeding. All four of us go back to triage and they get it stopped - all three of the boys spot stickers at this point, so Spiderman and Sponge Bob appeased us for about 5 minutes.

Here is where it got wild folks. There were about 30 people in the waiting room and the charge nurse comes out and says that they are full in the ER and trying to make room, but it was going to be a while. The boys are still in their P.J's with crocs on and getting very restless. Drew is doing fine and just chillin. I am a germaphobe when it comes to colds, flu, rsv, you name it. Especially with premies I am sooooo cautious. I am telling the boys not to touch anything. The housekeeping lady comes through to mop the floors (nasty from all the snow). Well, the boys thought the "Wet Floor" signs were awesome! They would run and knock them down. Fabulous! Then they started to call people back by intercom. Jaxson thought this was awesome, so he starts yelling the names as they are called. "Joe Bob!" as loud as he can until the person goes back. Some of the people were Hispanic, so hearing him try to call out Jose Martinez, was pretty funny....at this point I had tears of joy and frustration. :)

Ryan is being Mr. Verbal in the waiting room. A couple across from us was basically making out in front of us for some reason. Ryan yells, "Why are they kissing so much!". Then an elderly gentleman walks by and Ryan yells, "Something smells like poop!". Thanks Ryan....hopefully he was hard of hearing.

The boys saw someone with a sucker and both protested in fine 2 year old form in the middle of the waiting room floor. Yes, the germaphobe left me at that point. Out of my control!

Jaxson did not have any socks on under his shoes, but Ryan did, so I grabbed them off of him to put on Drew.

We got back after two hours and put in a room, thank goodness! They have "hall rooms" where they basically put you in the hallway, that would have been a field day for the boys. So we are in a tiny room waiting now. It has one chair, a bed with wheels, as well as the computer for entering in patient info. I put the twins in the chair and sat with Drew on the bed. It was around 6:00 and dinner time for everyone. Not a fun time. The boys started fighting with each other in the chair, pulling hair, biting, you name it. I pulled Jaxson off the chair and made him stand by the bed. He then proceeded to play with the bed and pushed some button that made the entire thing collapse. Thank goodness his hand was not in it! It dropped and Drew started screaming. Yeah....

The doctor comes in after an hour and I put both boys back in the chair. They are quiet and start watching the doctor. Then all of a sudden they start kissing each other all over the face and being nice to one another. Ryan states, "Hey mom, we are kissing like those people in the other room!". Ok, note to self, little talk in the car on the way home..... The doctor then makes a snide comment on how if one of them has a cold they both will get it, no kidding doc, they are twins, I know they are kissing all over each other but come on! Probably the third kid will get it too, actually I hope they all get it quick so it is over sooner! Anyways, sidebar there.

The doctor puts the stitches in, joyous time holding Drew down. The boys were really good at this point just observing. I prepped them before it happened on what was going to happen, so they were prepared. They just sat there then when it was over they were ready to leave!

We get the discharge papers and we head to the main lobby of the hospital to get the car out of valet. The floors are wet in the main lobby, yeah. What is this mopping day! Anyways. The boys then proceed to "skate" around the lobby with their crocs and when those would fall off their bare feet.....yep those are my kids in their pajamas, bare feet, slipping and sliding all over the lobby and oh yeah, trying to jump in the fountain......

Then one of the nurses that kept the boys in the NICU came through. She was sooo excited to see the boys and commented on how great they all looked. At first all I could think was, Yep, taking great care of them in their bare feet mid winter letting them run around like banchees, but then I paused and thought for a moment, I am sooooo grateful for those banchees! The last time this nurse saw the boys they were about 4 pounds a piece. Now look at them, being all boy! We were also waiting to leave the hospital! I was so grateful that it was just a few stitches and nothing more. The night was complete chaos, but in the end God showed me a great lesson.

I loaded up the boys and we made our way to McDonalds for our take home dinner. By the time we got home, two of the three were out. Jon met us at the house (he was a couple of hours away at work) and we all had dinner together.

Our second ER visit (first one was with Jaxson and his peanut allergy) was eventful, but taught me a lot. I am so grateful for my boys and my husband. Jon drove four hours last night just to see us and make sure we were alright. He was back at work at 5:00 this morning! Amazing!

Drew is doing great and back to normal! Toddling around the house like nothing ever happened!

Drew checking out the new safety ledge I put around the fireplace today!

The wounded warrior!

Smile! Lovin those Goldfish!