Wednesday, July 7, 2010

What in the world???

Forgive my inability to push buttons! I wrote "A weekend away" last week and forgot to publish it.
Whew, too many things going on here lately.

Poor Chloe choked on a fish bone last week after taking her FIRST bite! It was unbelievable and I am thanking God that it wasn't any worse. My Red Cross training only went so far and I knew that I had to take her in. She started choking and sticking her fingers in her mouth to get the bone out then after the initial commotion and I had swept a finger through her mouth to get it out, not feeling a thing. She was standing there with eyes as big as a skillet, her mouth wide open and drooling profusely. I grabbed her up, threw her in the front seat and raced to the emergency room. (Later, April tells me that she knew it was serious because of my putting her in the front seat. "NO CHILD SITS IN THE FRONT SEAT!!", has been etched in her mind-FOREVER!!!!)
Amazingly, the ER had us wait no more than 5 minutes and they let us bypass the other patients! It must have been the look on Chloe's face- she couldn't(errr-wouldn't talk), and her mouth was open as wide as the Grand Canyon. (I can joke about this now, but last week, no way!) The nurses were so sweet and we got to see my personal physician, Dr Latham who did what he could, but called for the ENT specialist who took a looong time a comin'. Meanwhile she was x-rayed and checked out by an anesthesiologist who explained that they were going to out her asleep so they could REALLY look in her throat and find this bone. (Now I KNOW why I gave up catfish years ago, other than the fact that it's a scavenger and we have moved on to cleaner tasting fish- oh, back to the subject, sorry.) ;-)) So by now I knew Joy needed to be fed and I had to call for backup. Can you hear it now? You know, the loudspeaker in Kmart-"Mr Chloe's dad! I need backup! Backup needed at the ER right now! Um, YES YOU HAVE TO GET HERE NOW AND MAKE QUICK!"
Mr Chloe's dad made it in a remarkably short amount of time and I ran back home to check on the big ones and feed the littlest one.
All that said and done, I go back to the hospital where they are preparing to transport Chloe to surgery for a look-see.(Two airmenladies let Chloe walk to where we needed to go- the surgical waiting area where we waited a few minutes and then a surgical technician and a dear friend of ours* who works in the ENT clinic and answered the phone when the ER called up to find the Dr.-she volunteered to be the other tech during the procedure.) Chloe went willingly with *Nikki into the OR.
I went home again.
When I came back, I brought April. This way, Chloe would have the female presence she needed and I could get back to Joy. I wasn't prepared for Chloe to come out of anesthesia in hysterics. She was thrashing about, screaming and crying. Mr was doing his best to keep her contained and from hurting herself. I have NEVER seen her that way. I didn't recognize her by her actions. Mr carried her to a hospital room that was ready for her in case she had to stay overnight. I stayed for a bit longer, requesting tissues for her and something to drink. She calmed down and a conversation about ice cream started, resulting in a reclamation of her former calm self. That was all I needed to see to be comfortable enough to leave. So I went home again, receiving a call that they'd be home after the nurse brings them some paperwork to sign. They made it home at 9:50 pm and she was starving.
What we all figure is that the bone was lodged vertically in her jaw area so when she went to close her mouth is when it stuck her and that's why she had to hold her mouth open. Sometime during this ordeal, when she fell asleep, is when the muscles relaxed enough for the bone to dislodge itself and be swallowed.
So that was my week, how was yours??

2 comments:

Celeste said...

That is terrifying! What a great family you have to work together through such a traumatic time!

Misty said...

We survived and have give up catfish! My family is pretty good- they kick in when they're needed.
I miss Abilene's BBQ. Have you been to Harold's yet?