Overdose
I just got back from the ER. Before you start to worry, everyone’s ok. Today, in true Honor fashion, Honor and I spent 4 hours in the ER. For the ONE MINUTE that I went into the bedroom, Honor managed to unzip my purse, get into my container of Ibuprofen and eat them all. I’m estimating that he ate close to 1600 – 2000 mg of Ibuprofen. I wasn’t sure what to do, it seems that I always overreact about these things, so I called Jim who told me to take him to the hospital. Luckily Jen had slept in and was still not at school therefore able to watch Eden.
Honor and I rushed to the hospital, me in yesterdays tee and jeans, Jim’s hat, dress shoes and mascara smeared underneath my eyes. Honor in white jammys that he had managed to spill orange juice on the butt (don’t ask me how), and socks. Now lets talk about our hospitals parking. We have this fantastic hospital here in Grand Junction, it has won all these awards and is ranked really high, but there is NO where to park. What am I supposed to do when my son breaks into my purse and takes all the Ibuprofen and I can’t park anywhere? So I just made my own parking space on the side of the road, I mean, what do they expect me to do?
We arrived at the ER where the great wait began. They really should call it the Waiting Room, not the Emergency Room. He was seen quickly by a nurse and then the doctor saw him probably half an hour later. By then Jim had shown up (having had to park a block away.) The doctor determined that Honor should be ok, but he wanted him to drink some charcoal and stay there for 4 hours under observation. FUN! Jim decided that I would be ok (ha!) and decided to get back to work.
The nurse that brought Honors charcoal must not have children because she mixed the stuff with Coke. What person in their right mind gives a 1 year old boy caffeine? I decided not to say anything, because I didn’t want to wait for her to make new stuff. I don’t know if you’ve ever had to drink charcoal, but the stuff looks disgusting. I wasn’t brave enough to try it. I managed to get about one third of it down him, but let me tell you, that room will never be the same. Honor, a straw and black goo liquid are not a good combination. I forgot to check if some got on the ceiling, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it made it all the way up there. By that point we had at least two more hours of waiting and the caffeine was starting to take effect. The child is bad enough with out caffeine!
I asked the nurse to get Honor some lunch, it was noon and the bottomless pit is always easier to handle when full. We didn’t get his lunch until 10 minutes before the doctor let us go (about 1:30pm). Wanna take a guess at how fantastic my afternoon was. corralling a hungry, drugged boy in a teeny tiny room? I’ve been sufficiently punished for leaving my purse at Honor height. Although, if he really wanted to get it, I know he can find a way. Remember, he is a professional.
Here is the cherry on top of my wonderful day: As we were (finally) leaving the hospital, a woman looked us up and down and told me “That baby should be wearing a hat.” It was 50 degrees out, I was feeling hot in my coat. I hate that I never think of responses until it it too late. To that woman I wish I would have said, “It’s too bad you’re not his mother.”
Do you hear me mean woman??? It’s too bad you’re not his mother and you could have spent 4 hours with him flinging charcoal/coke all over the teeny tiny room, only to leave and smother him with a too warm hat!
So, we’re all fine. Honor is sleeping now. And I am trying to prepare myself for the onslaught that will ensue when he wakes up. We really do need to get that boy a cage.
Category: Honor 8 comments »
January 14th, 2005 at 3:38 pm
I am really glad that you are all ok!!!
January 14th, 2005 at 4:01 pm
So glad everything turned out ok, and yes the playpen is good but within a few months our boys will already be climbing out.
January 15th, 2005 at 9:52 am
I’m so sorry that happened! What an awful day. I know we’ve had more than one hairy moment with Thomas in the ER. It’s amazing anyone makes it out of there alive!
And what is with people, anyway? I mean, REALLY? On 70 degree days, I’d take Thomas out last summer without shoes and someone would inevitably make a comment about how he should be wearing shoes. He doesn’t WALK! Gawd!
January 15th, 2005 at 10:21 am
ahhhhhhh, the people-who-know-your-child-better….gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh…the next time someone says something along those lines to you, pick up the offending child and place her/him in the advice giver’s arms….then tell them if they know better what to do with YOUR child, to please feel free…then walk away….see how far you get before they come running after you…
that’s my plan for the next time someone has something to say about my parenting skills (excluding shannon’s preschool witch…I mean teacher). It drives me nuts how judgemental people are about other people’s parenting…so, yes, lets please make the world’s most difficult job harder by criticizing one another…ok…I’ll stop now before I really do start to rant n rave (plus I just had to go finger sweep Kait’s mouth….newspaper is apparently one of her favourite food groups – call CAS)
anyway, you are an amazing mother….so there. and if there’s ever another time that you go to the hospital and your child is given caffeine, give it enough time to kick in before asking a nurse (preferrably the one that administered it) if she/he could watch the boy while you go to the bathroom (take as loooooooooooong as possible).
January 15th, 2005 at 5:43 pm
Oh my goodness Alison, my heart was raceing just reading your story. I am so glad that you guys are ok. I can’t even imagin how you felt. That woman with her advise was luck you didn’t ripe her a new one after they day you had. Jst becasue they see you with a baby, gives them no right to tell you how to rase them.
One of the 4 times I was rushed to the hospital for stitches as a child my mother asked me to dress myself before I went out to play, so she ended taking me at 6 to the hospital in biker shorts and a wool sweater, in July.
I know that this is quite the adventure, but you will get through it:)
January 15th, 2005 at 7:26 pm
What an ordeal! I’m glad he’s ok! Don’t you just love perfect strangers who think they know everything!
January 17th, 2005 at 11:27 am
Oh you poor thing… I know the ER sucks! The last two times we’ve spent there, it’s been between 8-10 hours!!! I hate how they seem to just forget about you and your child… and ER doctors are so scary… it’s just a big guessing game sometime with them EEEEEEK! I’m glad Honor is okay and I pray it will be a long time before you ever have to return there again – if ever!
January 20th, 2005 at 12:59 pm
I honestly don’t know how you restrained yourself from throwing something (the black goo, your shoe..whatever) at that woman. Props to you…
…and I hope you’re getting some rest!