Our First ER visit...

Last night, Charlie and I were sitting on the couch and Harrison decided to join us. He climbed up and sat down to face us and leaned backwards as if the back of the couch would be there however he was facing the back of the couch and he fell straight back off the couch. I immediately picked him up and immediately his arms and legs started making uncontrolled movements curling into his body. The movements reminded me of a seizure and about the time my mind processed that something was terribly wrong the movements stopped. He took a big gasp of air and started screaming. It took us a while to calm him down- but eventually we did. After he calmed down he was very lethargic. He laid on my chest for a good 5-10 minutes. I was really starting to worry. But again, around the time I starting thinking we needed to go to the hospital he started snapping out of it. He got up and started playing. He wasn't himself exactly, he was a little out of it, but was acting much better. About 5 minutes after he started playing he threw up. This was a big red flag to me. It was kind of the icing on top of the cake. It is the one thing I remember learning from nursing school associated with head injuries....it becomes an emergency when they throw up because that means a high amount of pressure build up in their head....However, it is not unusual for harrison to throw up. He did it about 10x a day as a baby and now in his toddler days he throws up anytime he gets upset. Still not sure what to do, but feeling very uneasy and nervous, we called our doctor. The nurse on call recommended we go to the ER.............but after he threw up he was back to his old self. Playing and acting fine. I didn't want to expose Harrison to the ER if we didn't have to but also didn't want to miss anything big. I called our good friends from small group, Joanna and Colby. She is a nurse practitioner that works on the neurology floor at a children's hospital and he is a med student. Together we all decided it would be better safe than sorry to get him checked out. There was no way Charlie, me, or anyone who we talked to felt comfortable with us putting him to bed that night without getting checked out. So...... We packed our bags and headed to the ER.

Because of all of his symptoms they treated us as a level 1 head injury....that means we got SPEEDY service (and probably an extra high bill.) As soon as we had sat down in the waiting room they called us back. The fun began with lots of questions, vital signs, and then an ordered cat scan, and nausea medicine. They wrapped Harrison up like a little burrito so he would stay still for the CT. This made him very angry so, Charlie and I put on a song and dance routine to help calm him down....believe it or not it worked and they were able to complete the CT scan pretty quickly and without sedating him. Harrison and the staff in the CT room were thoroughly entertained. An hour and a half later- results were negative and we were free to leave. The final diagnosis was a concussion and we were to observe him closely for the next 24 hours. The doctor believes Harrison did have a seizure after the fall- but apparently that is fairly common with a big hit to the head. All the doctors and nurses assured us we did the right thing by bringing him in and we definitely slept better knowing he was going to be okay.

As horrible as last night was, I took a lot away from it. This is our second hospital experience in 2 months. First with Harrison's ear tube placement last month and now this. Both experiences have really confirmed a couple of things for me.

One- we are unbelievably blessed. There are so many other people fighting such bigger battles; kids with chronic illnesses, kids with cancer, kids whose parents aren't involved or divorced, the list goes on and on. All in all our little family has been healthy and Charlie is the most involved husband and father I know. He and I are such a team and I am loving sharing this journey through life with him- in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.

Two- Prayer is so powerful and God is always in control. Charlie and I felt so out of control last night- we had to remind ourselves that God loves Harrison more than we do and that he is taking care of our sweet boy. All we could do was pray and our prayers were definitely answered.

Three- I love my husband. He is such a leader, so involved, and we together are such a team. We were 100% on the same page the whole night as far as what to do and when. He is such a wonderful father to Harrison and such an amazing husband to me. I am so in love with him, and I love love love growing old with him.

Four- No more monkeys bumping their head!!! Harrison WILL wear a helmet everyday until he is 24....no questions asked. Hahah.... ok so not really and I am sure this is not the last ER trip this little one has in store for me- but if it is I am one hundred percent okay with that.

As scary as last night sounds, it was 10x more scary to live. Life is just so precious and it truly can be taken away in an instant. I am hugging my little one extra close today and thankful for this life God has given me.