"UH OH"

We are finally getting into our new routine of Grandma Carolyn's surgery recovery.  Her sister, my aunt Mimi, is staying with her and as soon as I get Bobby on the bus for school, I go to her house to give Mimi a break to run her errands and do the things that she needs to do.  I've been cooking meals while I'm there for them to have, doing laundry and helping do whatever I can.

Saturday (yesterday), Bob and Bobby accompanied me to Grandma's house.  I was making a roast beef dinner while we were there, so we were planning to be there for a few hours.  

Bob and Mimi ran an errand and then went up to Mimi's house so that Bob could get her lawn mower out and ready for the season.  Meanwhile, Grandma got her shower, I had dinner going, and was doing some laundry.  I had put the towels into the dryer and come back into the living room and sat down to relax for a few minutes and watch tv with my mom.

Bobby was upstairs watching Elmo movies in one of the bedrooms and being a really good boy. We then heard a crash that caused my mom and me to jump.  Bobby then yelled "UH OH" and began whimpering.  I knew that he was scared and not hurt from the crash because he wasn't in a full cry.  I ran upstairs where an older coffee table was sitting with a shattered glass top and broken wooden supports under the glass.  

"It's OK, you're OK, we're not mad."  I kept telling Bobby these things to calm him down.  I noticed a couple of drops of blood on his feet so I took him down to the bathroom and had him take off his pants so I could look at him.  

I yelled to my mom, "call them (Bob and Mimi) and tell them to get back here, Bobby needs stitches."

There was no doubt in my mind that his knee needed stitched since I could see things that I definitely shouldn't be able to see.  The one benefit to my mom just having surgery......there was gauze, bandages and tape all within reach.  I got Bobby's knee bandaged as well as I could with one hand and got him dressed to go.

Mimi's phone was laying on the table.  CRAP!!  I knew that Bob didn't have his phone with him either and they would be outside working on the lawn mower and not hear the inside phone ringing. DOUBLE CRAP, Bob took our vehicle with my purse inside.  I didn't have our insurance cards or my license.

I put Bobby in Grandma's car and started off to Mimi's to get my purse from Bob.  My mom had texted Mimi's daughter-in-law who lives close by to run over and get Bob.  So on my way to Mimi's house, I pass Bob and start honking the horn!!!!!  Oh Lord, help me get this kid to the ER!!!!

Bob pulled over, I turned around and we were walking in the ER within 10 minutes after this.....and it was pretty empty!!  Thank you Lord!

They have little check in rooms where you go over why you need to be seen, etc.  It was obvious from the blood soaked gauze taped to Bobby's knee why we were there.  One of the first sentences out of my mouth was, "he is on the more severe end of the autism spectrum so his compliance isn't going to be great."  

The woman who checked us in kept us in her little office until the triage nurse was ready for us.  Bob said to her, "should be go to the waiting room?"  She said, "you can stay in here if it is easier for you since it is a much smaller room."  "YES, thank you!!" was my reply. 

A few minutes later the triage nurse took us to get his vitals and medical history.  His nurse came in to take us back to a bed before we were finished in triage so that we didn't have to wait to go back, she even brought some tape with her because I was sitting on my knees in triage holding Bobby's bandage on because he had pulled it off by this point.  I looked at her and said "THANK YOU!!"  In my head I had been thinking, "what I wouldn't give for some tape right now!"

It was only 2 or 3 minutes before they ushered us back to x-ray.  They wanted to make sure that there was no glass in the wound and that he didn't fracture anything.  I held him for 4 x-rays, and we were back to the bed and thankfully the other family that was in there a few minutes before was gone.  We were alone in the area.

The doctor came in.  I said, "he's going to need to be sedated.  He is very strong and is not going to comply."  Funny, as an autism mom, I've pretty much been in control of situations pertaining to Bobby because I've had to tell everyone the best way to work with Bobby.  The doctor said "NO!!"  

He said that he didn't want to sedate unless it was absolutely necessary.  No need to risk sedation. Bobby needed three staples because it was the quickest, easiest way to proceed. We would move him to "the other side" (surgery area I'm guessing) as the last resort.   He said we will hold him and do it as quickly as possible and men with gloves on started coming in.

The x-rays showed no glass and no fracture.  I laid over Bobby's chest so that I was face to face with him and talking to him.  Bob, nurses and the men held his legs and the staples went in.  Another man walked in and grabbed his arms for me because they had gotten out from under me.  Before I knew it he was bandaged up and Bob took him to the car.  

After they walked out two more men in gloves came in to assist and turned around and walked out when they realized we were finished.  I stayed to complete his paperwork and insurance information. They whole time I was just STUNNED at how quickly this process went!!  I just kept thanking everyone, I just couldn't believe it.  The nurse finally said, "Oh honey, you were fast tracked."  I said, "THANK YOU SO MUCH."  I'm standing there answering questions for the intake, the doctor was handing me extra guaze, bandages, and an ace bandage to put over top of everything.  I was just stunned that this was over and Bobby was out in the car!!!  

They could not have been any nicer to us!!!!  I'm not exactly sure how long we were in the hospital, but it couldn't have been more than half an hour if that long.  We left to go back to Grandma's.  I had to drop Grandma's car off.  After I pulled it into the garage, I went to check the laundry, the dryer was still running!!!!!  I had put the towels in the dryer, then all of this happened and we were back home before the dryer cycle was over!!

The staples don't seem to be bothering him other than itching a little.  He has to have them for 12 days before removal. Praying that the next 12 days go smoothly with no staple issues!!!  He slept 9 hours last night, he doesn't seem to be in any pain. 

I'm so thankful that hospitals are preparing themselves for patients like Bobby.  It means so much to our families!!  I literally couldn't thank everyone enough.....they were probably tired of hearing me!!! LOL!!

This is hard to believe......this all happened so fast that I don't have ANY pictures!! I know, so unlike me!!!!!!!!

  

"Your Mom's Sick....Call Me!!"

It's amazing how our lives revolve around the weather, especially in a region where you experience all four seasons.  It's been a long winter and our moods all improved when the forecast was a week of warm weather.  I decided to get Bobby out walking on the rail trails everyday after school.  After we got home Monday, I let him rest a little while and then we headed out for the first walk of the week. Approximately three-quarter miles into our walk I received a text from my aunt, my mom's sister, that said, "your mom's sick, call me."

Well, I knew that couldn't be good news, she's never texted me like that before!!

This picture was literally taken seconds before the text!!  When we were on the other side of the bridge, I moved Bobby over to the side and called my aunt.

"We are at the ER and a surgeon is on the way."

It takes a minute for your brain to wrap itself around this information.  She then gave me the quick version of their day.......

She had stopped in at my mom's house that morning and my mom was complaining from severe stomach pain and a sinus infection.  Mimi, my aunt, made her get up and took her to the doctor.  The doctor did an x-ray, blood test (which showed that her white count was extremely high) and then sent them to the Emergency Room and a CT scan showed that she needed surgery ASAP and her white count was continuing to elevate.  She had a perforated diverticulitis causing the infection and pain.

Now, to get Bobby back the three-quarter mile back to the car, get him home and meet Daddy and then drive to the hospital all during the 5:00 rush hour time frame. Yeah, Bobby had ZERO urgency about getting himself back to the car.....

About 9:30ish pm, the surgeon came out and talked with Mimi and me....he removed about a 10 inch section of her bowel and that the surgery went well.  She would be in the hospital for 5 days or so and be in a good deal of pain.

Bobby and one of his most favorite people, Grandma hadn't seen each other for 3 weeks, which hasn't happened since he was born.  Bobby had a stomach bug for a week so we kept him away, didn't want Grandma to catch the bug. The next week Grandma was at church everyday working on their chocolate Easter egg fundraiser, and for the last week she was in the hospital.  Grandma was missing her Bobby!!!

Friday after school and therapy, we decided to take Bobby to the hospital to say hi and pick up some dinner to go....it had been a long week!

Bobby had never been to this particular hospital and just wasn't sure about this at all!!

We walked right into the room and then realized that Grandma was on the bed with tubes and such and was ready to go NOW!!  We had to prompt him back in the room to give Grandma a kiss. Daddy got a medical glove as a distraction. It worked for a minute....

And then we left.  Funny thing, he played with the blown up glove for two days before it finally burst!!

It looked like Grandma was going to be released this weekend, now it's pushed back to Monday. Hopefully soon!!