First ER trip (I am sure there are more to come)

I was playing with Jerry while fixing dinner. I was holding his hands and "jumping" him as I cooked. We had been running around and playing and just having fun. In my brain I know this was not a good idea, but forgot in the moment. Next thing we know he is crying and holding his arm. When we tried to touch it he would wail. Tyler asked him what hurt and he kept pointing at his elbow. We tried to get him to eat dinner, but he wouldn't pick up his fork. Instead, he used his right hand for everything (he seems to be left-handed). Call the pediatrician. She says go to urgent care or the ER, it sound like nurse maid's elbow. I have now earned the Brittney Spears mommy award, again.

We found an urgent care that took his insurance and headed out. Jerry, Michael, and Mommy made our way inside, only to find out they need prior authorization to see us. Great, off to the hospital. After parking across the street, the ER lot was full, I managed to lug a car seat with a baby and push a stroller across the street and up the hill and into the ER. Of course, the place was hopping. Usually Wednesday nights are slow, but since we were there this was not the case.

Eventually Jerry started playing around and acting like nothing was wrong. Could it just be the motrin kicking in? After a forever wait to get registered, then another wait to see the nurse, another to get back to see the doctor, and of course waiting to see the doctor, we figured things out. A couple of the nurses said he must have popped his own arm back into place. The doctor could see nothing wrong. Jerry had full rang of motion in his wrist, elbow, and shoulder. He asked if Jerry had taken any falls during the day. I just sort of laughed. He doesn't know my kid. I told him no falls other than climbing on a box trying to get cake and then falling down and cutting his tongue with his teeth. He obviously has no clue what kind of child this is (thank goodness). As we were getting ready to go, Jerry tripped and smashed his head on Michael's car seat. The doctor said he wanted to check him to make sure we didn't have any busted lips or heads, before we walked out the door.Finally, after 5 hours, we headed home.

As I was trying to get back out the door and down the hill and across the street to the car, a security officer stopped and asked if we needed help. We all piled in his car and he drove us over to the car. Not only did he give us a ride, he didn't leave until all were safely buckled and I had started the car. A little thing, yes, but a big deal to me.

Although the entire ordeal was a headache and long and tiring, I was still able to see my blessings. My child hadn't stuck a plastic toy in his ear and refused to say what it was. I didn't have to press charges against the dad/boyfriend that brought my kid in with a shattered jaw. My child wasn't screaming or throwing up. My kids behaved and were quiet and flirted with anyone they could. My kids have insurance to pay for things like this. I can speak English, and I am married to my kids father, and all my kids have the same father. We have a pediatric hospital close to the house. I had a home to go to, with a warm bed and heat.

Once we got home Jerry easily went to bed. Michael, on the other hand, did not. He wanted to play since he woke up as I was taking him out of his car seat. I think it was around 2 before I really got to sleep, then Michael was up again at 4:30. Tyler thought I was just getting home, so thank goodness he got some sleep and didn't hear all the racket when we came in.

You think I would start having good luck now. After a long night like that, I deserve something easy. Of course not. When I went to slice the cheese for Tyler's sandwich, I discovered that the brand new brick I just cut open was moldy. Yippie skippie, I get to go return it today. I did get to go back to sleep for a while. Thomas got up to watch TV and I crashed again until Tyler called. Then I buried myself back in the blankets for another couple hours when Jerry and Michael woke me up. As I was getting ready to make breakfast, bowls of cereal, I rinsed dishes to load the dishwasher and run it. I reached to turn on the disposal, no go. Great, now my garbage disposal is broken. The day has to get better from here, right?

Great, now Jerry is wrapping computer chords around his neck. Why do my kids do this?