Where I've Been

I apologize for the disappearing act. When my grandmother passed away, things got a bit hectic. Gram died unexpectedly as she was returning to Maine. It happened at a rest stop in New Jersey. My uncle and grandfather had to finish the drive to Maine and were actually hit by a drunk driver about an hour from home.

For us, we had been scheduled to be in South Carolina for Spring Break, so plans had to cancelled and arrangements to Maine were made. Being the only lawyer in the family, there were things to be handled, a eulogy to write, and just those sad details that have to be handled even in death. I planned to take some pictures and get them posted but it just didn’t happen.

We decided to try to have a few days of Spring Break when we returned to Florida last Thursday. There were some good times, but we have had a week of craziness. I am just going to write it all out because some day I’ll be able to see the humor in these past two weeks. If you are looking for happiness and sunshine, you’d best go elsewhere today.

Thursday morning as we board the plane for Florida, Hubby gets a call. His Mom (MIL) and Sister (SIL) were involved in an accident. Another car ran a red light (witnessed by a police officer) and slammed into MIL and SIL. Both are taken to hospital and the car is totaled. Thankfully everyone is okay – bruised, sore, and cut, but nothing broken. MIL tells us to head onto the beach as she is just going to be at home with SIL.

Thursday night, there is a tornado warning for the beach area. Hubby and I end up sleeping down in kid’s room due to strong winds and my fear of “what if”.

Friday through Saturday are uneventful – swimming and shell collecting are the high lights.

Sunday we pack up to head home. Hew complains of pain in his stomach. Within thirty minutes, he can not comfortable stand. We stop and give him some gas medicine and he uses the bathroom. The pain does not go away. After an hour more in the car with screaming child, we find an ER. Hew is pale, has low blood pressure, and is still in severe pain. An hour and half later, we are taken to a room. The attendant is cleaning the room from the prior patient; he is not wearing gloves. After stripping the bed, attendant reaches for a clean sheet (no hand washing between cleaning and making of bed) and drops clean sheet onto pile of dirty sheets from prior patient. Attendant picks up the dropped sheet and goes to put it on the bed for Hew. Hubby asks for a clean sheet. While this is going on, we are standing in the hallway with a woman who is having a psychiatric episode which includes loud, nonsensical talking and hitting herself. Hew and KK are freaked.

When doctor comes in, he pushes on Hew’s belly and Hew reacts with pain. The doctor then tells us that he has concerns about appendicitis but this hospital has no pediatric doctors and no surgical doctors for children. We can wait for three hours to have test for appendicitis, and if it is positive then they will transport Hew to a hospital an hour away. Or we can leave now and take Hew forty minutes away to a children’s facility. We take Hew and begin the drive. About fifteen miles from the children’s facility, Hew says he is feeling better. We call FIL who is an ob/gyn and he tells us if the pain goes away, it is not appendicitis and says to go home and follow up with pediatrician unless Hew has severe pain again. So this morning’s visit to the doctor has resulted in an unknown diagnosis that could be irritable bowel, intestinal problems, stomach problems, food reactions, or any other potential stomach/bowel/intestinal ailment. We are keeping a food/waste diary and are to return when/if the pain returns.

While I am trying to keep a sense of humor, the past ten days have included visiting hours and a funeral, the writing and delivery of a eulogy, the appointment as the executor of the will, the handling of an insurance claim for an auto accident, a visit to the ER, and an undiagnosed stomach ailment. I need a nap.