Beware the Ides of March

Here I was, starting a nice boring post about nothing, when Jeddy came breathlessly barging into the room to say that Ada got hurt.


Little could I know as I languidly closed the computer that this time there really was a wolf in the sheepfold.


The story came together gradually, but my first clue was looking out the window and seeing the neighbor dad supporting Ada as he led her toward our house.


The next clue was the blood spattered all down her front...


But the alarming part was when we were speeding along toward town and she said "What happened to me?"  She didn't remember falling off her bike, or how she got home, or even going to play at her friend's house.


So how was your Saturday afternoon?  I spent mine being sent from the urgent care clinic to the ER, where I followed my daughter being wheeled around in a gurney.


Today was our family's first concussion.  Not our first ride on the CT scan rodeo, though.


Do you know you shift into a different brain mode when you're driving your heavily bleeding child to the ER?  Did you know that all nonessential information becomes completely irretrievable?


And did you know that in the moment when you're looking down at your six-year-old lying on an adult-sized gurney with blood stains head to toe and "concussion" ringing in your ears, they ask you for her entire medical history?


At this moment, every hospital experience I've ever had with my children is blurring together, including their births, so when the nurse prompts, "Any surgeries?," I think Surgery? We've done surgery.  Which kid was that?  We've done CT scans, we've done oxygen tubes, we've done hospitalizations, we've done EKGs, we've done ambulances..... Sheesh, lady, I don't know!


 Her scan came back normal.


They taped her chin back together.  She didn't need stitches.  I did question the use of tape--I mean, I'm pretty experienced with Scotch and masking--but this is medically professionally taped together.


She got a sparkly bandaid on her elbow.  We only have plain beige at home.


She got a little hospital bunny to add to our collection.


And a new bike helmet.  With encouragement to wear it.


We've been parents for almost 9 years.  In that time, we've:

• called 911 twice
• had one ambulance ride
• had two surgeries
• seen a pediatric neurologist, pediatric neurosurgeon, pediatric ophthalmologist, orthotist, and physical therapist
• had 3 hospitalizations (7 if you count their births)
• done 2 EKGs
• done 1 EEG
• done 4 CT scans
• done probably 6-8 X-rays
• had a baby catheterized
• cleaned vomit from the bathroom mirror, behind furniture, the car, the couch, public places, and our own person
• been to the ER probably 10 times
• seen our kid hooked up to oxygen monitors
• done oxygen tubes up the nose
• had a kid on an IV at least twice
• been tested for at least 7 things you've never heard of, and about a dozen that you have 
• had our kid's face professionally taped together, and
• had one concussion.

Is there an award for this?