Just when we started to get things turned around...Just when we started to say to ourselves "looks like we're over a little hump"...this happens.
So Andrew was a continued cranky mess this weekend. Which all came to crashing halt when he broke one of his father's silent film DVD's. For some crazy reason it took him actually breaking one for us to realize that all DVD's need to be out of his reach. He has been obsessed with DVD's lately. And although he would like to watch them constantly, just carrying around the cases and talking about the pictures satiated him while his parents refused to always have one playing. But he was a Cranky-McCrankster. Then he breaks one, loses all access and happily plays with toys that have been neglected a for a while. Who knew that his wooden food cutting set just happened to have a cucumber and a tomato and he could act out Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales? Now I can't believe how long it took for us to put the DVD's out of his reach.
So we happily bond as a family yesterday afternoon and evening, put Andrew to bed and put in a um, DVD. After the movie Dave begins to feel sick. He calls to me for help and as he is walking from the bathroom to the bedroom he passes out onto the floor. I, of course, do what I do best: panic. I grab the phone. I try calling my mom to see what to do, but she is inconveniently out of town at my brother's. As I try calling him, Dave, who has come to, passes out a second time. I hang up, and call 911.
After placing the call for help, I call a local friend to come and be with Andrew so I can go to the hospital with Dave. By the time I am off the phone with them, the fire truck arrives, followed by the EMT's. While the EMT's are here, he passes out a 3rd time. They are cool as cucumbers. I am crying and they tell me I shouldn't cry because I'm pregnant. I wonder if they know you actually cry more when you are pregnant. Especially when the one that you practically depend on for everything is a weak lump on the floor. Sorry boys. You will see this pregnant woman cry.
My friend arrives to stay with Andrew and Dave and I climb into an ambulance, for the first time in either of our lives, to head to the emergency room. Dave has incredible chills, is pale, and has blue lips. When we arrive his temperature is low and they cannot get a blood pressure reading, but he is awake and conscious and we are talking and feeling good to be in a place where there are experts.
After blood tests and an EKG the diagnosis is: stomach flu. That is one intense stomach flu if you ask me.
Here is what I learned from my experience:
1. When your husband is about to pass out, don't bother yelling "Dave! Dave! Stop! Don't do this!" It doesn't help.
2. Bring shoes and coats. I didn't want to bother with putting shoes on my barely coherent husband as we were leaving and I didn't have the foresight to think that we would be coming home. He was also wrapped in blankets on the way out, so no coat. But again, coming home, he could have used one. An aid gave Dave some silly little foam slippers to wear home and it looked like I was brining home a bum with no shoes in his jammies. Poor Dave. That is no way to treat the sick.
13 comments:
How is Dave this morning?
Poor guy...
He's better. He is already bored and has asked to go for a walk. But this wife said 'no way.' At least, not by himself. So he is on the couch. He is not a patient patient.
Now I understand your comment on Marti's blog. Yikes, how scary. That is one stomach flu indeed!
It sounds like he was really dehydrated, probably had it coming out of both ends. That's miserable.
I'm glad you're all okay.
Holy Cow! Poor you! Sorry Dave, poor you too.
I would have loved to be the one that the paramedics told to stop crying. Pregnancy is a great excuse for bad manners, you know! =)
Fingers crossed- are you and Andrew still healthy? POOR Dave! And, what?! I don't understand?! Why shouldn't the pregnant woman cry? Usually it's the pregnant one passing out!
I know. I don't really understand that rule either. I think the idea is that stress will affect the baby, but I finding crying such a release of stress that when at home with family and EMT's I just let those tears flow.
And you are right. I felt like I was going pass out on Saturday afternoon after a trip to the post office. We had to stop at a restaurant, eat a lot of food and then I went home and slept for 2 hours. It felt like Sprout said "I need lots of calories and you can't have any. So, eat a lot, and go to sleep. Ok?"
Love the smiley faces on the slippers - I hope that made you laugh about the situation a little bit on your way home with the bum. Geesh, this was a scary story! His lips were blue?! Dill, I think crying a bit was a very calm reaction - I'm sure Sprout had no idea that his Mommy was freaking out about his Daddy lying lifeless on the floor - three times. The paramedics might not know the right things to tell a pregnant woman, but I guess they took good care of Dave. I'm glad to hear he's ok. Hope he gets better soon, and I hope you and Drew stay healthy. Drink your OJ!
How thoughtless of me to be unavailable. YOur Dad is really no help in a situation like that-but 911 is the only thing to do. I can't picture you carrying Dave to your car to go to the hospital!
give us a Dave update.
Eric
Dave is good today. I think he might be back to normal. Yesterday even he seemed fine, just tired. So I guess that is that on his end! Yay!
I am still feeling a little overwhelmed and shaken though. What's with that?
Wow, I'd be shaken too. That must have been so scary, and although you know now that everything is fine, it didn't seem fine at the time. Emergencies like that remind us of how fragile life is, I think, and hopefully we can move on from them cherishing each other more.
I'm thinking of you guys! I'll see you tomorrow, actually. Oh, and I just talked to your mother and I'll plan to come over to you so you guys can show me all the stuff with Dixie.
Post a Comment