Sunday, July 3, 2011
Over Independence weekend we were camping with family at Balsam Canyon in Springville. Mikey was playing with his cousins. I was holding Jayden talking to Shanna and Danny. Mikey was taking the tent down and getting all things packed up. Capone was running around freely like the wild dog he thinks he is.
Shanna casually says “yea, he just broke his arm.” Not even seconds later Mikey runs screaming to his Dad (a scream I’ve never heard before). I rush over with Jayden in arms. Cherie tells us calmly that we need to rush him to the hospital and not to worry about anything here; they will take care of it.
We throw the boys in the Pathfinder, leaving Capone behind, rushing to the hospital. Mikey was driving as fast and as safe as he could to get us down the mountain. I’m searching my phone and GPS to find the nearest hospital, of course nothing pops up within distance. Insurance company is closed and not able to tell me what hospital is in network. Forget it, we’ll just go to Utah Valley Regional, we know we are accepted there.
Mikey is driving with his flashers on trying to go around cars that will let him pass, which seems to be no one. I guess people don’t know that flashers mean there is an emergency going on. One guy flipped us off as we sped past him … hello people we have an historical son with a broken arm.
The whole way down the mountain Mikey kept saying how he just wanted to go home and not the hospital. He said he would take a nap if we didn’t take him in. I had to reassure him over and over that we had to take him to the hospital so that doctors could fix his arm and make it better. He said that he never wanted to go camping again because of his arm. (Poor little man, he loves camping, he asks to go camping in the middle of winter “Mom, when the snow melts can we go camping? Mom, there isn’t any snow on the ground can we go camping now?” I have to tell him when there is no more snow in the mountains.)
We finally reach the hospital. Following the signs to the ER we drive around the whole hospital to add to our frustrations.
Mikey rushes into the hospital while I park the car and tow Jayden in. Why oh why did we bring the baby with us? Because I’m a nut case and didn’t think anything of it. For the first couple of hours J is just fine. He starts getting fussy, we make him bottle. Perfect timing, it’s time to take Mikey in to get an x-ray. Walking and carrying J all the while trying to feed him at the same time = a struggle. The x-ray tech was amazing and very friendly. He treated Mikey very well and with patience. He answered every question Mikey had, even if it meant repeating the same answer. He calmed Mikey down and helped him move his arm and held in place while the pictures were being taken.
X-rays were pretty quick, at least it felt like it was. Waiting and waiting in the room, J’s getting fussy, change his bum, still fussy. Call Glenna, she’s off work…she came and picked him up. Oh, so wonderful of her, such a relief to not to worry about two boys. It was a lot longer and J would have never made it through it.
We switched rooms a few times, this is taking forever. Our last room Mikey sat on the bed waiting for the doctor’s to come and “cast” him up. A young man pushed a huge machine with two “TV’s”; Mikey tells him his hair is girlie because it’s long. They man laughed and told him that he long hair because he was half Indian. He asked if Mikey knew what an Indian was and asked if they were girlie. Mikey said agreed that Indians were not. All in all the man was very friendly and laughed Mikey’s comment off.
Finally the team of doctors arrived and are ready to get this thing going. As they started to him under he was acting silly at first and told one of the doctor’s, “You’re funny. I like you.” The more he went under the more hysterical he got. He started screaming and trying to get up. I told him over and over that I was here and he was safe, you’re okay. At one point he screamed for his Dad. Mikey said nothing in return, I told him to ensure him and him know you are here. “Dad’s here Bub, you’re okay.” Mikey kept screaming, it bothered me and I couldn’t fight back the tears any more. “Hey Mom want to step out for a minute.” I’m thinking no, I really don’t want to, that’s my baby in there I should be there with him. Yes, I can’t watch this. I stepped out the whole time … still hearing him and I’m still crying.
They are done! My baby is calm and ready to go home.
Drop by Grandma’s to pick up J and off to fill a prescription. It’s Sunday and there are no pharmacy’s open, what in the world are we going to do. We head home to let Mikey lie down and relax. Mikey gets dressed/cleaned up and heads out to find a Walgreen’s with a 24 hour pharmacy.
Hours go by and Mikey is still not back yet. I’m watching All Dogs go to Heaven with Mikey and I Robot. Finally 10pm rolls around and Mikey pulls in with the prescription and McDonald’s.
It was a crazy unforgettable holiday weekend.
By the way Monday, July 11, 2011 Mikey went in to get a hard cast; he choose yellow.
