A Close Call

I was editing my profile last night when I heard a terrible tumble from the stairs. Mr. Encyclopedia had fallen down a dozen oak steps! I found him laying on the tile floor perpendicular to the stairs screaming he needed ice. Where to put the cold pack? There were too many places hurting! When asked what happened and how did he fall, he said his feet had slipped forward out into the air and he bumped his way down the stairs hitting every step with with the back of his head. Thank God he was conscious and could move his hands and wiggle his toes! After the initial yell for ice, he was remarkably calm. But he was in tremendous pain from his head down his back. Krazyglue and I debated about taking him to Children's Hospital ourselves vs. calling for an ambulance. Mr. E started shivering and clutched at his stomach; we feared shock. Krazyglue carefully elevated his feet and covered him with a blanket. I dialed 911.

As I held his hand while we waited for the rescue squad, Mr. E remarked, "First Aid Class was right: when someone gets hurt, it does help to have your loved ones nearby," and smiled at me with his eyes. Pretzel and his sister, LM, knelt in the family room praying for their brother.

Mr. E was was blocking the front door but trying to move his torso in the slightest brought shooting pains. So Krazyglue had to open the garage for the paramedics to enter through our laundry room. We both sent a quick internal plea to the Heavens that they'd be able to make it through the narrow path to the door with their equipment. The back board they brought was surpisingly narrow (thank You, Jesus!) and they managed just fine. Once they'd secured Mr. E to the board, they were able to move him out of the way of the door and the gurney was waiting for him on the front porch. Thankfully, too, Children's Hospital was one of the choices we were given for where to take him, even though it is much farther from our house than at least 3 other hospitals. They let me ride with him to the hospital, albeit in the cab. Krazyglue followed in the family car.

Mr. Encyclopedia went straight to the Trauma Room and the hospital staff was very good with him. In response to the question "What happened to you?" Mr. E replied, "I fell down the stairs in an ugly manner." (Hmm, have I mentioned that this 10 year old is well-read?) The registration process was simple and was carried out in the room. (Why can't it be that simple when we go for blood work or for other less complicated reasons?!) After a neuro assessment, a new neck brace was applied and they gave Mr. E something for pain after which they took him to x-ray for neck and spine films.

Then we waited. My last time in the ER was with D Kid who had broken his wrist. We waited a long time after his x-rays, too, and I found out later it was because the chief resident was discussing with the other docs whether to take him right to surgery to set the fracture. So as the time wore on, I couldn't help but wonder what lay in store for Mr. E. "He doesn't have any fractures," came the good news at last! They had deliberately waited to observe him, so as to decide whether he ought to go home in the neck brace. He'd responded well to the pain medicine, so they said he didn't need to wear the collar. During our wait time, I'd found a big bump to the left of midline on the back of his head. They checked that out, and decided not to treat, but to send us home with the protocol for head injury. It seemed answered prayer that Mr. E had little pain except for that head bump.

Today he looks pale and has a headache. We figured out after we got home last night that because he'd been holding the railing with his right hand when he first slipped, the initial impact had been to the left side of his head and back. So today he's got some swelling on his upper left back and he's hurting a bit. I've called our pediatrician to see if the spine x-rays showed his rib cage just to be sure he hasn't cracked a rib. All in all, we are very grateful that Mr. E wasn't hurt worse. In our six and a half years in this house, no one has ever fallen on those oak stairs. Now we just have to hope (and pray!) that his head bump heals with no complications.

God certainly has a way of slowing us down (and making us pray!) at Advent! We've skipped today's swim lessons, and I think ice skating tomorrow will be put on hold, too. Just going to hang out at ye olde homestead and enjoy each other's company.