Today was a summer "free day". By that I mean there was truly nothing on my plate. The day began with a trip to the community pool, reading, even swimming some laps for good measure and so that I could say that I "swam some laps" because let's face it, any exercise counts in the summer. I cleaned up and decided I would run errands. "Run errands" in our family means we take the car out of the garage. I may be doing necessary things like running errands or I may be going to Target to look at swim goggles so that my super comfortable new contacts won't float out of my eyeballs when I SWIM LAPS. I'll leave the options open.
With the excitement of seeing a sweet friend in the Target parking lot and catching up with her, I didn't feel the buzzing of my phone in my purse.... apparently a lot. Once inside Target I pulled my phone from my luggage like purse to make sure nothing earth shattering had happened in the last 8 minutes. It had. There were 4 missed calls from my son within the last three minutes.
I really didn't think a lot of the missed calls at first. Did he want to go somewhere this week or do something and need my permission? Sonic? Again? He would have left a message, I would think. I called Mary, our family secretary who also happens to be my daughter. She informed me that Liam was "on the mountain at Granny and Papa's mowing their yard".
"Are they there, too?"
"No"
Calling Liam again and getting no response, I called Todd, the kids' dad. Nothing. Calling back and forth and getting nothing. Why? Why would Liam call, from the mountain, 4 times in a row? Out of gas? Car trouble? My inner Mom kicked in and while I believe we need to believe the best, being careful not to bring about any junk that we don't need, I had a feeling. If you've ever had a feeling I don't need to explain this to you... I just knew. Something wasn't right.
I was still in Target but superficially shopping around waiting to hear from one of them, sure that I looked like a probable lifter when my phone buzzed. Todd. Sigh. I answered with, "Hey! What's going on!?" Todd's voice wasn't his usual and I just knew and immediately began running for the door as the store swirled around me. "I'm headed to the E.R. Liam's having a reaction. He's driving down from the mountain...." I honestly don't remember all the interactions while I raced to my car and headed to the hospital. I do know I put my flashers on and to all the people in Madison at lunch time, I'm sorry.... but hell, you were between me and one of my children. Todd would say, "Please don't wreck, it'll be OK." To which I said, "I won't wreck because these people are gonna get the HELL out of my way!" and I meant it.
I prayed and my hands shook so hard while I tried to remember how to GET to the hospital, but the HARD part? FINDING THE FREAKING E.R.!!! Now, I'll ease your mind and say that all is well and Liam is fine now. He gave me the title for this. I wasn't so sure given, well, the title, but he said, "Well, that's what I shouted! And yes, I kept mowing even as my foot went numb..." Sounds about right.
And now let me get to the rest of the story....
For the love, who designed the parking garage and how you get to the ER? Liam, the one who was broken out in freaky hives and having a hard time breathing (that part was anxiety) who DROVE himself to the ER couldn't even figure it out and parked his sweet '88 Jeep Cherokee Grand Wagoneer in a loading zone and got out and RAN! When Todd arrived he asked someone if he had seen anyone (insert Liam's description) and they said, "No, but we saw a teenager running"... yeah, that'd be my son. RUNNING because he thought he was about to die. Good heavens! Todd found Liam before Liam found the ER entrance. Seriously. They went in through some back door and found some wonderful angel that had fallen from heaven. I think she was a supervising nurse. Anyhoo, this angel took one look at the leprosy-like being which was my son and got him in quickly, by wheelchair because Liam nearly passed out (again by then it was likely anxiety) and he was tended to.
Fast forwarding approximately 8 hours ....OK 30 minutes because that's how long it took me to figure out, and I quote, "Park on levels 1, 3, or 4... take the elevator down, come through the hallway, out the door, and take the sidewalk that will bring you right back here to the ER entrance". Yes. Really. I was a panicking mom. Did they NOT realize that it wasn't the time to give me detailed directions? I parked on level 2. TWO. I did not take the elevator, I took the stairs. To level 1. Then walked back up to level 2. Yes. Really. THEN read the signs. Took the elevator. Then asked directions. Then laughed a little because I knew God had this, I really did. I flew into the ER entrance (OK, I went through the metal detector) after mister "too tight uniform" cop at the door went through my bag and so preciously asked if I had any weapons in my purse. Um. No. Just the blazing lasers of my eyes burning a hole in you if you don't freaking LET ME GET TO MY SON!
Front desk. Guy on phone. Me trying to be patient and not let my crazy mom come through because.... cops at doors.
B17. "Your son is in B17.... it's through those double doors and.... " (I didn't hear the rest. I was off!)
I took my sticker seriously. At first it was upside down on my shirt until I realized it... then it lived on my water bottle.
When I spotted Todd and Liam in B17 I ran into the room, flung my purse into the floor, and hugged him like he had just ridden his bicycle without training wheels for the first time. He mumbled that he was ok. What he didn't get was that I was not.
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| Seriously, he hung off the bed by about 5" |
Of course I was glad that Todd was there with him. But I'm the mom. I've been there for everything, and even if I hadn't, he's my kid. I don't care if he's 6'3" and headed off to college soon. I don't care that as I looked at him sleeping sweetly after his Benedryl cocktail, my thoughts went to "Good grief he needs to shave... and get a haircut!" He's my little boy. It doesn't matter that he literally hung off the bed like 5 inches... really... He's my kid. He needed help. I couldn't make it better.
Incredibly grateful that the reactions Liam had to what we figure were yellow jacket stings, all fixable. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it was scary. He has reactions to things and the first time is the scariest because we don't know what's happening. After the Benedryl cocktail wore off and the hives were basically gone, we were cutting up a bit. He told me more of how he made it into the ER. We had to call back the registration lady because Liam said, "I have no idea what number I gave her for my SS #." Ah, so much fun. I can't figure why they don't just throw in a Valium Rx for the parents as a consolation prize.
The nurse and doctor at the ER were great. They really were. Liam had a serious nap and had a ton of freinds over tonight. Come to think of it, no different than other nights. And my summer "free day"? Silly silly me.
Ending this day with a tremendous amount of gratitude for great outcomes, our quirky sense of humor, Benedryl cocktails (Liam's not mine), and being able to watch my son sleep for a few hours, knowing he would be fine. Now... what will we plan for tomorrow? Plans? You ask? And God laughs....
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| 5 hours and no hives later :) |
Relieved,
Becky, a mom
