So sorry about the delay yesterday. As we were rocking through our first day of Christmas break, I got a call from my friend who was hosting the eldest Blandings boy for a sleep-over. Apparently, her son and mine had found the only patch of snow left in Kansas City and decided to go sledding. Only, it was more ice than snow. It’s a small park close to their home with stately architectural columns at the bottom of a small hill so it’s known as Vernona Columns. People take their wedding pictures there. It’s lovely. Unless you hit it with your head. Or you pull up to find an ambulance and a fire truck and a handful of EMTs strapping your son to a board and putting a collar around his neck. His nose was bleeding a bit and he was vomiting. Basically in and out of consciousness, he was moaning and crying, but not responding to verbal commands. Anne Lamott, in one of her books, said the majority of prayers are either, “Please, please, please.” or “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” So I started with “Please, please, please.”
In the ambulance, the wonderful men who were helping us both kept asking him to open his eyes. But he wouldn’t. So they’d press on his chest, which would make him cry out in pain, but open his eyes. I sat there wanting to tell them to stop and wanting to beg them to do it again so I could see that he was still in there. The staff at Children’s Mercy Hospital is amazing, which I knew already. They have been steady and caring and direct the entire time we have been here. Through the scans and the evaluation. And the neurosurgeon. I truly hope I never need to talk to a neurosurgeon again unless it’s at a cocktail party.
But he’s fine. A concussion. A bone chip right over his right eye. No surgery. No bleeding. Nothing tragic. So the tears that would not stop coming last night were for all the things that did not happen. He’s sore, but fine. A little grouchy today, but fine. He should definitely be home for Christmas. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Whew, glad everything is OK. Never a dull moment, right?
Patricia, I can’t tell you how relieved I am. Wonderful news. What a Christmas gift.
I am sorry for all this, but how did you get to become such a good writer?
Thank you all for your good wishes. And, anon, a little training,a little practice, and good genes. Thanks for that.
Mrs B – Oh, dear! Glad to hear your little B is ok. Hope you are ok, too. No one could ask or hope for a better gift.
Merry Christmas from our house to yours.
HOBC – Well, I’m better now. He’s going home from the hospital today which is great news. Yesterday was a very, very bad day. Here’s to a happy and peaceful new year for all of us.
Wow, what a wonderful Christmas gift!
Patricia… I wish I was there to give you a big hug! I am so sorry about Blanding No. 1, but am glad it doesn’t seem serious. Love Annie Lamott, too!
Meg – you just did. Thank you, and yes, Anne Lamott is always good for a laugh – and inspiration.
It’s a miracle we can get them through puberty alive!! Glad everything turned out ok. My kids are 24 -21 and 18 and have my fare share of ambulance rides. Never a dull moment! Happy Christmas.
Wow, sorry for what you mut have had to go through! Glad it turned out okay.
oh oh oh dear!
i had tears in MY eyes!!! so glad to hear he is alright!
i love your blog – i don’t own my dream house yet but yours is the one i want to emulate! (actually there is one in my small village oh i wish… but not this year (or next)…
anyway, as a southerner living in the north i love your sensibilities… they remind me of my childhood hometown.
happy holidays with ALL your family intact!
(and is this what my sister and I have to look forward to with my two nephews YIKES – they are 1 (Tomorrow) and 4 (Jan 19) so i guess we have a little time.
Oh no! I am so glad everything turned out okay. My heart was in my mouth while reading your post.
Very scary experience! Glad that everything turned out OK!
Patricia-so sorry to hear about this accident! May you 5 have a restful, relaxing, concussion-free holiday!
Best,
K.
K – I think he’s much better today – although the bruising is so much worse. He does think he will be able to make it downstairs tomorrow. 🙂
So sorry to hear this. My husband had a head injury (running for the commuter train, always within minutes or seconds of its departure), tripped down concrete stairs and the rest was not pleasant.
He had some periods of dizziness over days, nausea, sensitivity to light and sounds too. He lost his sense of taste and smell. 6 months later, his sense of taste and smell may be around 50% or less, of what it was, if that. But, that it is getting better (and we hear it takes forever) at ALL is a VERY good sign. It means it’s healing, and it heals incredibly slowly, the brain does.
I don’t think your son can take it too slow these next days. Since all is well from the scans, the rest will follow, assuredly, to a full recovery, again, if slowly. Best to you all!
I am so glad your husband is ok as well. It’s incredibly scary, isn’t it? I keep swinging back and forth, because basically he is “fine.” He is still nauseous and woozy – we’ll go for a while and he will seem himself, then has to go lie down. He definitely has no appetite. We are so lucky it’s Christmas break – it is making it easier to keep him home. Thank you so much for the information – I am hoping your husband continues to improve – sounds like he has a great care-giver!
It’s amazing how quickly things happen to kids. My niece was playing b-ball with her sibs on Christmas Eve and tripped. Slammed down and broke four fingers in one hand and is just scraped to shreds. One second earlier or later and things would have been different for her and for your son. I am thinking of you all often! Hope Christmas was good.
Oh, Meg, I’m so sorry! What a crummy night to be in the emergency room. (Any night is a bad night, but Christmas Eve is worse.) It’s a blink of an eye isn’t it? Our Christmas was remarkably peaceful. Hooray.
wow, mrs. blandings- you just made me cry. thank goodness, he’s alright- what a great xmas gift!
and anon, was on the money- beautifully written (as well as moving).
Maison – not trying to manipulate – I’ll leave that to Oprah – but had to write it down. It has been a very meaningful Christmas. He’s starting to be himself again, so now we are teasing him about his bruises. Things will be back to normal in no time.
Boy were you lucky! wow, were you lucky. I’ll bet he’s cured of sledding for a while. That’s the difference between boys and girls. I’m glad it turned out ok, but still, a trip to the er is never a pleasant event. Is he alright now completely????
Joni – we know just how lucky we are – the kinds of things they were telling us were possibilities were awful. He is totally, totally fine. The array of bruising has been awe-inspiring, and his energy level is not quite 100%, but his sense of humor has returned in full force. It was a week yesterday and we can see a huge improvement. And, yes, I was just telling Megan at bb8 – boy are a whole different species. I grew up with one sister and this kind of thing would have never happened at our house. Even if we had lived somewhere with snow.
Thank you is right – I am so glad to hear that he is okay!
We had been to the ER with the boys several times already – I imagine there is more to come. Heather