Our First Visit to the ER

I have to admit Dave and I have been very fortunate.  In our almost 14 years of marriage, last night was our first official visit to the ER.

Hannah and her friend Sami from school have signed up to participate in the History Fair.  For the past week, Hannah has been stressed about when her and Sami could have a play date to get their project done.  We had planned for the play date to occur tonight but then Sami called and said she had soccer practice Friday after school and so she wanted to know if they could do it on Thursday.  This actually worked better for us too because I had gotten an e-mail on Wednesday informing me that Hannah has soccer practice on Friday as well.  

Sami's mom called me Thursday morning at work and we got it all figured out.  Hannah would go to May Day practice after school in Mendon and then ride back in with Grandma.  She'd get to Sami's around 4:30 and work on their History Fair project.  Sami's mom would load the girls in the car at 7:30 and bring Hannah to Mendon arriving around 8 o'clock.  What a great plan, right?

At 7:55 p.m. I get a phone call from Sami's mom.  I see the number on my phone and say to myself, "They must be running late."  Oh no......Sami's mom informs me how sorry she is and that Hannah has fallen off the scooter and they're not sure if she's broken her arm or not.  She's still willing to drive her home to Mendon if I'd like but she is worried that we'll be coming back to Logan anyway to have her arm x-rayed.  So, I tell her that we'll go ahead and come to pick her up and will be there in about 20 minutes.  I get off the phone and go upstairs to inform Dave as to what's going on and the four of us load in the van and head to North Logan to pick up Hannah.


I can totally understand Hannah's emotions as she sees us pull in the driveway.  At the moment when you see your parents, the emotions surface and the tears come.  We get to the door and she's crying.  Sami's mom was telling us how brave she's been.  She's been sitting on the couch with Sami and they've been laughing.  They were super nice and had her arm in a sling.  Dave had Hannah sit on the couch so he could look at her arm.  He tried to have her push up on his hand; she can't.  He tried to have her push down on his hand; she can't.  He's squeezing and feeling and she's showing him where it hurts.  It was so cute when he said, "Well, my x-ray vision isn't working tonight so I think we're going to have to go and have it checked."


For some reason, I thought InstaCare was open until 9 p.m.  It was 8:30 when we left Sami's house so we cruised to 400 North where InstaCare is and wouldn't you know it they close at 8 p.m.  We were 45 minutes late.  I have chatted with others today at work and they have done the same thing thinking that it closed at 9 p.m.  At least I'm not crazy!  We contemplated......do  we take her to the ER or do we call Uncle Glade and have him order the x-rays.  Well, if we call Uncle Glade, he can't read the x-rays until tomorrow and then he's not here in the valley to wrap it or do we just bite the bullet and go to the ER because we can tell that she's in pain.  We bit the bullet and headed back to 1400 North for the ER.


As we were driving to InstaCare, I was asking Hannah how it happened.  I asked her if she tried to break her fall with her hurt arm.  She said no.  She broke her fall with her other arm but the one she hurt she landed on it with her belly and chest.  Dave turns to me in the car and say, "It's broke.  If she landed on it with her entire body weight, it's broke."

We arrived at the ER around 9 p.m.  I walked in with all three girls while Dave parked the van.  We were lucky because there was no one in the waiting area.  Before I even had Hannah totally checked in, they were calling her back.  I asked Dave is he wanted to go or wanted to stay with Ashley and Nicole.  He opted to go back with Hannah.


The three of us had a nice time in the waiting area.  We watched a little "Night of the Museum" on my tablet and then hooked into the Wi-Fi and watch some Dora the Explorer.  We made a couple of trips to the bathroom and then hit the vending machines for a bottle of water and some Cheetos.  I was very impressed with these two little girls.  It was really late at night.  Way past their bedtime but they were such troopers.  The only complaint Nicole had was that she couldn't sit by Ashley anymore because her breath stunk.  It smelled like Cheetos really bad.  The receptionists got quite a kick out of that!  I can't say I blame her.  It was 10:15 at this time and way past her bedtime.  I might be a little "sensitive" to smells too.

 Pretty proud

 Gotta get the hospital tag in the picture

this is the "I'm really tired Mom and my eyes hurt from crying" picture

What is Hannah's major concern?  Will she be able to go 4 wheeling with her Dad next week to Hole in the Rock?  As of right now, we're not sure.  A little more discussion needs to happen on that one.


She is such a trooper.  I thought for sure she would come in during the night and need more ibuprofen.  Nope.  She slept all night.  I thought for sure she would be sore this morning.  Nope.  No complaints.  In fact, she took some more Ibuprofen and went to school in her wrap and sling.  Will I be surprised if she calls me and needs either more medicine or want to come home.  No, which is fine by me.


Last night after we got home and got everyone in bed I asked Dave if he could tell her arm was broken at Sami's house.  He said he thought he could tell there at Sami's as he was "feeling" around.  Good thing he came.  I'm not sure what decision I would have made on my own.  We climbed into bed and turned off the lights at 11:30 p.m. Aaahhhhh.

One more Welker Adventure down and I'm sure many more to come.

I Give!

There seems to be a HUGE black cloud following me this week.  I'm ready for it to go away and leave me alone!!!

Monday Morning 1:15 a.m.
Ashley arrives in the bedroom saying that her stomach hurts.  You know, the kind of hurt when you need to throw up.  I send her to the bathroom to see if maybe she's still somewhat asleep and maybe needs to potty.  She arrives back to say that didn't help and her stomach still hurts.  I get the garbage can and make her a bed on the floor on Dave's side because it's wider and closer to the bathroom.  Within five minutes (probably less) Ashley has begun the throw up marathon.

Monday Morning 3:15 a.m.
Nicole arrives in our room to sleep on the floor on my side of the bed.  Sure....why not......four's company right?

Monday morning 3:30 a.m.
Dave's work phone rings and he gets called out to work.  Mind you neither of us have slept because we've been up multiple times with Ashley.  Oh and did I mention, Dave has training Monday through Friday in Salt Lake and needs to be there by 8:30 a.m.  Dave jumps in the shower and is out the door by 4:30 a.m. to go be an investigator.  Oh yea......Nicole is still awake.

Monday Morning 6:45 a.m.
Ashley and Nicole have finally fallen asleep.  Phew!  Dave comes in the door just quick enough to say goodbye for the week and he's off.  I call work to say I won't be making it in because I need to be home with Ashley, call Grandma to see if she can come and get Hannah and take her to school, and get Hannah ready and off.

Tuesday Morning 7:30 a.m.
Ashley has been woken up and says that she thinks she can make it to school.....until.....she eats breakfast.  Her stomach is still aching so we adjust and Nicole goes to preschool, Hannah goes to school, Ashley goes to hang with Grandma Peterson and I make it to work....but not until 9 a.m.

Wednesday Morning 6:05 a.m.
Nicole comes in my bedroom a little dazed and confused.  She starts coughing and at that moment I fly out of bed because it's the cough that's coming with throw up.  Here we go for round #2.

I still need to get Hannah and Ashley to school so Nicole gets buckled in with a puke bowl.  We make it to 600 west on our way in and she starts crying and begging me to turn around.  Then she pukes in the bowl, thanks me for bringing it for her and she's a happy camper for the rest of the ride.  She did fall asleep on the way home until she woke up at 10 a.m. to puke again.  She finally perked up about 1:30.  Tried to watch a VHS movie and the VCR ate it.

Wednesday Night 6:15 p.m.
Dave braved the snow storm and drove home to be with us for the night.  Little did he know it wasn't going to turn out to be a great night of sleep.

Thursday Morning 2:00 a.m.
Hannah has arrived in our room some time before 2 a.m. but at this moment she pops up from the floor on my side of the bed saying her tummy hurts and she doesn't feel good.  I sent her into the bathroom and she's really not acting all that sick.  I make the comment to Dave that I think she just wants a day off school.  He agrees.  Then.....five minutes later let the puking commence.  Really?!?!?  Hannah's cycle is about every 30-40 minutes from 2 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Poor Dave once again didn't get much sleep and had to head back to Salt Lake in a snow storm for training at 8:30 a.m.

Ashley and Nicole both went to school today.  We all loaded in the car early and headed out in the snow storm to drop offs.  Thank goodness for puke bags in the car.  It was a life saver for both me and Hannah.  She kept telling me to drive faster on the way home but that's a little hard when the roads are covered with snow.

Thursday 8:20 a.m.
Nicole throws a complete fit in the car at preschool.  She doesn't want to get out.  This probably has to do with her and Ashley fighting over My Little Ponies and it completely put her in a bad mood.  I end up pushing her and the teacher ends up pulling her out of the car.  I drive away with her kicking and screaming.  Oh heaven help me!

Thursday 9:30 a.m.
I reach for my towel from the towel rack as I'm getting out of the shower and the towel rack falls off the wall.  Nice!

Thursday 12:24 p.m.
Hannah and I are upstairs watching a movie.  My phone rings but I've left it downstairs.  I'm thinking it's Dave calling to chat while on lunch.  Nope.  It's the school.  They're calling to inform me that Ashley has fallen on the playground and hit the back of her head.  She is now done playing outside and they are watching her in the office for a concussion.  Seriously?!?  They inform me that her eyes are dilated but when they shine light on them they shrink.  She's not throwing up at the moment so they're just going to watch her close.  I can go pick her up if I'd like or I can wait to see if they call me back.  It's now 1:15 p.m. and I'm still keeping the phone close by in case I need to head to the school.



I am going back to bed for the rest of the week.  Don't try to find me.  I'll be hiding under the covers!