In a room, on a bed, in a hospital wheel chair holding a sobbing 2-year-old whose tears easily broke a dozen hearts Sunday.
Holding her still, so still, so not to disturb the injured left arm.
Watching her eyes roll back in her head from the pain, from the exhaustion of the day and from the crying.
Reluctantly helping nurses and doctors move her just so to figure out what was wrong and how to fix her and how to wrap her small arm in a splint and how to get her small body to lay flat on an X-ray table.
Teaching for the first time what a hospital is, what an emergency room doctor is, what the kind nurses will do and how she was just born there two years ago.
Shhing her, talking to her, hearing her say boo-boo and trying not to cry too much, trying not to appear too scared, trying not to think the worst, whatever that is in a moment of torture.
Then, seeing all her pain disappear with a simple twist of her arm by a very smart, heroic doctor who felt that elbow pop right back into place and assured us she would feel better in a couple minutes.
Watching the smile return to her face, again, and how she searches her arm up and down for the now missing boo-boo that kept her down and out for two hours. Letting her and her sister gleefully eat cheese puffs and chocolate stuffed cookies for the first time and not feeling an ounce of guilt and never feeling more happy about junk food and the pleasure it carries with it.
Telling yourself that rough housing with daddy and twin sister is OK, it is bound to happen, that boo-boos happen. This is life now. This is motherhood. This is Mother's Day -- every day. There are no holidays -- except every day, to be here witnessing human life and two childhoods unfold and holding your breath and screaming in your hands and closing your eyes to try and block some of it out.
All in a Mother's Day, I suppose.
Happy?
Undoubtedly.
Tired?
Immensely.
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
How NOT to spend Mother's Day
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19 comments:
Oh, Shawn! What a day! I'm so glad that everything is ok and she is feeling better now. Big Mother's Day hugs to you!
Nursemaid's Elbow! Aww... we had this exact kind of afternoon about a month ago. It was so scary, so painful for my son, and the recovery so quick and complete.
We happened to be out of town at a wedding when it happened to us. The only other toddler in sight at the big event was a little girl who had been through this 5-6 times (enough times that the doctor trained her father the moves to pop it back in himself.)
Glad she is okay!
So sorry! Glad she is okay, but what a day.
I think in honor of mother's day you need a recent photo of you (with one or both girls)!
Poor baby! I'm sure it was a scary ordeal for everyone...glad she's feeling better.
Oh poor baby!!! I'm so glad she is ok. Happy Mother's Day!
Oh my to find out just what a Mother's job is. I'm so sorry and so relieved and so so so. Such a terrifying jolt to find out that it's all upside from here. All upside!
Oh my! What a mother's day adventure. I hope you didn't have to wait in the waiting room forever, and I'm glad it wasn't anything serious that couldn't be fixed so quickly.
Oh dear! That was a scary post to read. Take some time to recover from a day like that! Yikes! Lets hear it for good doctors and cheesepuffs! What a relief that she felt better immediately!
Hospital visits are not a fun place, any day. I am glad she is so much better now. Kids heal quick, the trauma lasts a lot longer for the poor moms.
Oh my! What a way to spend mother's day.. being a mom! Glad to hear she is ok!!
good grief you poor thing what a mother's day!
I am glad your wee poppet is all better and I hope you have recovered as well.
I have had a few dashes to er with my daughter... once she got whisked to hospital in an ambulance from school... she dropped a PIANO on her foot!!! dear dear me.
I am so, so sorry that you had to spend Mother's Day that way! I know how heart-breakingly hard it is to see your little one scared and hurting. I've had one of those long, all night ER trips myself. I'm so glad she's doing okay. :)
I'm laughing and on the verge of tears all at the same time. Yes, Mother's Day is everyday.
Love to you.
You poor thing! All of you! A mothers day you'll never forget...happy mom's day!
wow.
what a day.
we have yet to take that dreaded visit to the emergency room. just waiting for the the when, not if.
Glad to hear she is doing well again.
and that you all enjoyed some junk food. :)
What a day, like any other day, but not. So glad to hear she is recovering.
Oh my! I'm so sorry you had to go through this.
Happy Mother's Day for the rest of the year.
You deserve a whole year after that.
:) C
That is a nightmare. May the rest of the year be peaceful...ha. Okay, let's just say less crazy.
Amazing that you could write so beautifully about such an ordeal! Poor, sweet girl (and parents), and hallelujah for quick recoveries. Love the photo, too. Hugs!!
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