Hug them tightly indeed

I'll start my ramblings here by telling you now, that everyone is okay.  I suppose that ruins the suspense but seeing as how this more journal than novel, why scare those my friends who care enough to read through my blog?

Kent had been planning a weekend away with the guys for quite some time.  The weekend was to consist of Band of Brothers (watching), Call of Duty (playing), Rock Band (again, playing), eating, talking, sleeping, hiking and hanging out.  My plans were to have some fun with my friends and our kids and then head to my parents house on the Lake for some fun and relaxation.  

Monday, Hudson threw up his chocolate Easter Bunny.  Tuesday, Kent joined in on the fun (minus the bunny).  At that point it had pretty much been assumed that this would run through our family in it's entirety (it had already run it's course on Grandma Sue, cousin Miles, Aunt Carrie and Ryan after all).  I had decided that Kent's retreat was important enough that Kent would be going even if I was sick.  Plans were in place... my Mom would come help and if that fell through, Grandma Sue would be here for us. 

Funny enough, this pukey stuff was not what crept into our weekend.  Kent got better, I cleaned everything... door knobs, light switches, toilets, sinks, etc.  Thursday morning, Spencer started to cough and by Friday I knew that we would not be getting together with my friends.  Note:  we'd been avoiding friends all week so as to keep them from getting the throw up stuff from us.  So we decided to load up for my parents house early and we took off on Friday.  The weekend started out well enough... the kids marveled at the cable tv and Dad went and got sushi for dinner.  The kids went to bed great and I settled down nicely on the couch ready for a good nights sleep before our planned day of shopping and waterfall visiting.  Around 11:00pm Spencer woke up which really wasn't a big deal.  The big deal was that he continued to wake up every 20 minutes until about 3:00am.  Then Hudson woke up at 4:00am and then Spencer again at 5:00am.  That means I really didn't sleep.  The next day I had only what I can compare to jet lag.  We tried to go shopping with the boys but Spencer cried that his ear was hurting the whole time... so then I knew why the poor boy was up all night.  Ugh!  At that point Mom and I determined that maybe we'd all sleep better at my house.  She decided to come along to help out and the plan was set.

We headed back to Mom & Dad's place and I proceeded to pack the van up that I had just unpacked.  3 little backpacks, camera, camera bag, laptop, books, sleeping bag, pillows, stuffed animals, food, snacks, water... I could not believe the pile at the door once it was all assimilated.  We did not need this much stuff.  

We piled into the van and headed home... me jet lag exhuasted... Spencer cranky, cranky, cranky and Hudson and Finley being Hudson and Finley.  Once we got home Spencer was crying hysterically because his ear hurt so bad.  I called the doctor and argued my way into an antibiotic prescription for Spencer.  They wanted me to wait until Monday.  I said no... I was not waiting and somehow I got my way.  I almost cried when the medical assistant told me they had called in a prescription.  I left the little boys with Mom and went to the store to get the prescription and a few food items that at the time seemed important.

I walked in the door upon returning to find Hudson in my Mom's arms and a look of fear on her face.  "He just stopped crying," she said.  Apparently he had been crying non-stop for 5 minutes.  She told me that he had been standing on a chair in the kitchen (as he often does) and he fell backwards and fell the back of his head.  Hard.  I watched my sweet boy ease in and out of being awake and dazed, to being asleep, to crying.  Hard.  My poor sweet boy!  I called the doctor and was told that the "on call doctor" would be calling me back and if I didn't hear back in a 1/2 hour to call.  So after about 25 minutes I called back and was scolded that it had not been a half hour yet but that they would page her again.  Hmmm... I called Sarah, remembering that her Mom is a nurse and was there and she came over.  All I remember them saying was that if he wasn't throwing up it was likely okay (and I had heard this before as well).  They also asked if there was a bump (no) was that bad?  I was pretty sure that was a bad thing.  Not long after they left he threw up and I must say that this is when I got scared.  My Mom was scared too.

We called Sarah and she ran over here to be with the boys while we took Hudson to the ER. Poor Spencer was not sure what was going on.  His first fear was we were leaving him all alone (of course not).  Secondly he definitely realized that his attention over his ear infection was drawing to a close.  He did tell Sarah that today was not about Hudson, it was about Spencer.  

We called my Dad and he came so he could send Sarah home and be with the boys as well.  We got to the ER and they asked us questions and then lead us to a hospital room and told me to undress him and put this little tiny hospital gown on him.  I almost lost it right then and there... seeing my sweet boy on that bed in that little gown... not knowing what was going on in his little head.  He continued to wake up crying and then fall back asleep... over and over and over again.  I kept trying to pray but most of my attention was on holding him and telling my boy that it was okay.  He kept asking for his bed at home.  I was so glad we had brought his "piwwows" (pillows) and his big fuzzy green blanket.  The doctor came in and told us that it looked like he had a concussion and that his brain had rattled like "pickles in a jar."  He said that likely he would be just fine but we could do a CT scan if we wanted to just to make sure.  I opted to go with the scan and it was decided that we could wait for him to fall asleep on his own rather than sedate him.  So we waited and then they brought tylenol which he promptly threw up.  The nurses flooded in and changed his sheets and I hugged my boy and cleaned him up best I could and told him it was okay.  He was wet and cold but they brought him nice cozy sheets and he settled back in.  My Mom said, "It's okay, Baby," at which time he cried out "I not a baby, I a big boy!"  It was at this point that I was fairly certain he was going to be okay.  

The guy in charge of the CT scan came in about then and led us to the big scary CT scan room.  Hudson was in my arms crying but the hum of the room seemed to calm me down.  The CT scan man told me we would take our time as it was hard to get 2 year olds to lay still.  I laid Hudson down on the little bed and what did he do?  He fell fast asleep!  So this part was really very easy other than having to watch my little boy in this gigantic machine.  I don't think I'll ever get that image out of my head.  I picked him up after this and we went back to his room and waited 1/2 hour for the CT scan results.  We filled this time with text messages to Sarah and phone calls to Kent and my Dad trying to keep everyone updated.  And yes, I'll admit I kept my Facebook friends informed as well.  

The results came back that everything was normal.  I was to watch for seizures and more throwing up once we went home.  But first, they wanted to keep us for a while to make sure he really wasn't throwing up anymore.  They brought down a chair from the maternity wing and I rocked my sweet boy in a chair quite similar to the chair which we had first rocked him the day he was born.  It had been so long since I had rocked my Hudson and I felt so good knowing he was going to be okay.  Knowing he was being prayed for and that everything would be okay.  Mom and I chatted to pass the time and eventually he grew uncomfortable in my arms and we put him on the bed where he slept peacefully until we were told we could go home.  As we walked out to the car Mom asked him how he was and he said, "pretty good."  Another sure sign that he would be okay.

I took my boy home and tucked him into my bed so I could watch him and make sure he continued to be okay.  He woke several times in the night and called my name... I was so happy to be able to reassure him.  When he woke in the morning he told me his favorite knock knock joke, which I know I've shared before.

Hudson:  Knock, knock

Me:  Who's there?

Hudson:  Apple

Me:  Apple Who?

Hudson:  You an Apple!  (at which point he laughs hysterically)

Yep, that's my boy and he's just fine.  Thank you so much to my Mom, Dad and Sarah for being there and taking care of my little family.  Kent felt so badly that he wasn't home but I was so glad I was able to call him with updates.  He did get home safely today.  (Yay)!  We are also thankful for everyones prayers.

Oh and a side note... the on call doctor did return my call.  It was 1 hour and 40 minutes after my initial call.  I didn't really even talk to her, as we were at the hospital and Hudson was crying in my arms.  I'm not sure why it took so long, but I'll ask at the doctor today when I take Spencer in for his ear infection.  

So that's what happened this weekend...

I took this photo with my iphone as I was rocking him in the hospital.