We go to ER

I know I should not complain. 4 kids and I have only been to ER once with a child before this. But I WANT to complain. Lissa tried to step off the couch this morning. From standing on the couch to stepping out into space--which of course resulted in landing resoundingly on the floor. Much screaming ensued, my Lissa is a drama queen. I can find no blood, no gore. The leg looks normal. There is no swelling or bruising. I am inclined to believe that she has a deep bone bruise. However I can tell my wife is not so sanguine about things and of course the fact that my daughter will not put weight on the leg after icing and tylenol is troubling to both of us. KC is anxious as I know he feels responsible. He was I suppose indirectly as he did the antic first. Being 4 he could do it and not injure himself. Being 2, Lissa couldn't.

Robbie had to be 20 minutes away for an all day youth rally so Kirsty took him there and took KC along for the ride. I explained to Chet that I was heading to ER with Elisabeth and we took off. The hospital is about a tenth of a mile from my home. It was about 8 when we got there. There was one person ahead of me and she promptly was whisked away to OB/GYN. I am hoping for a speedy visit. I am wrong.

There was a serious assault at our hospital recently and now entering it is very much like going to jail to get medical treatment. When you walk into the ER there is a policeman on duty 24/7 I actually thought he was there to bring in a patient but was informed nope, just to keep the peace ma'am. Gotta love it. I suggested to the nurses that the staff get some non violent martial arts training. There is a lot you can do to protect yourself without actually attacking someone. The hospital big wigs are looking into that.

When you finally get put into one of the little rooms there are not just privacy curtains but sliding glass doors, presumably to contain a patient who becomes violent. and there are pass keys and security codes to every part of the hospital now. So when you go to X ray you must be escorted because you can't get there without the code. It is sad. And sort of scary. It just has bad mojo.

We were there till 11:30 because more pressing situations came in. People who needed stitching up and such. The Dr when he finally saw us told me to make Elisabeth walk for him. I laughed. Here is someone who is not a parent! You tell me how you make a child walk. I said I can put her down but she won't bear weight on it and she sure as heck won't walk. She didn't either.

After an x ray to be sure he determined there was nothing seriously wrong. But of course he added there was no radiologist on duty on the weekend so if he was wrong they'd let me know Monday! Uh huh. One popsicle and a pinwheel later we were out of there.

The other weird thing was that when they did intake the nurse asked if I was her mother and I said yes. She did more questions health insurance stuff etc and then said "forgive me but I need to ask if she is adopted." I said she was but why the need to ask. She said she didn't know but it was on her form. Weird and I was not thrilled. She is my daughter. Period. And unless you are asking family history, which was never asked, the question seems superfluous to me.

But we are now home and after a short nap, Lissa is awake and very fussy. So I am off the computer and off to cuddle a hurting baby.