Father's Day 2013

...Where to begin? Today started with some grumpy kids, got better with an ice cream cone and boat ride at the park, and ended in the emergency room (everyone's OK now!).

I got up with the kiddos, and we went out to get McDonald's for Andrew. Oliver woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He was mad about everything! Unfortunately, that mood spilled into what was supposed to be a nice breakfast in bed. We took the kids to Chatfield State Park to play at the reservoir, hoping to improve the day. It was fun, but Oliver was still a Grumpy Gus!

It cost $8 to get in, which would have been worth it if we'd stayed longer. We weren't prepared for the heat and sun. Photos from Chatfield:

After a stop at the grocery store, we went home for lunch and nap time. Oliver was in a much better mood after having some quiet time. We went out to ice cream at Bonnie Brae. Their ice cream is so good! We ate it outside, which completes another item on our summer bucket list.

Oliver wanted "pink ice cream."

We were near Wash Park, so we decided to go play and explore. Oliver saw people on boats and really wanted to ride on one. We decided to go try it out without even thinking about prices. I mean, we've rented paddle boats in Evergreen before, and they are $8. We went up to rent one, only to discover the 4-person paddle boat was $30! We got a two person one for $20, and the kids sat on our laps (which was a better idea anyway).

Oliver had the time of his life! This kid is usually so timid and doesn't much like anything that involves risk. He seriously loved the boat ride, though. We got to see geese, ducks, and herons.

These pictures were taken moments before the incident. I'll tell you what happened in a moment...

So, right after these pictures were taken, Oliver ran off on that path behind us. You can see in the photo how the path winds. It winds right into a parking area on the street. When he first took off, I said, "No, no, no." He kept going, which is so unlike Oliver! I screamed bloody murder, "STOP!" Oliver froze and immediately started to cry (he hates yelling). I'm so glad he listened when I yelled, though.

I was embarrassed for yelling (even though I did the right thing) and distracted by Oliver crying. I didn't even notice when I walked into a tree limb.

It was almost exactly my height. It didn't hit me in the forehead but sliced right into the top of my scalp. It hurt so badly. It wasn't like a throbbing pain from when you run into something. It was a sharp, stinging pain that didn't stop. At first, I tried to hold myself together. The pain kept increasing, and I just crawled into the car and cried. After a minute, I got the courage to touch my head. My fingers were all bloody. Andrew drove a few blocks, but when the pain got worse, he stopped to assess the damage. He just saw a cut and blood and told me I'd need stitches. I started crying all over again! I felt what I thought was blood running down my head, but it was clear liquid. Andrew told me it was probably plasma.

We called his mom, who let us know of an urgent care out by her. I didn't even want to drive two extra miles, so we stopped at an urgent care I know of right by my parents' house. I called my dad. The poor guy, I swear. I tried to stay calm, but I was crying and clearly upset and hurt. I told him I'd be there in five minutes, and he said he would come right away. He's the best dad in the world. (I'm sorry for scaring you, Dad. Happy Father's Day!) My parents were already at the urgent care when we arrived. They grabbed the kids out of the car while I went into the urgent care.

The nurse at the reception took one look at my head and said they couldn't treat it there. She said I had to go to the emergency room. I have a high deductible, and so we'd be responsible for any and all hospital costs. Dang it! It sucks to be hurt and also worrying about whether or not I can afford to go get treated. Andrew told me we'll make it work, and so we went.

The people at Sky Ridge were fantastic. I had a nurse, a physician's assistant, and an MD all check on me. The pain started to finally subside after getting shown into a room. It faded from a sharp, stinging pain to a dull, throbbing pain. The bleeding stopped, too. The physician's assistant asked me if it was OK to numb the area. I was confused why she asked. Is there some reason I shouldn't be numbed? Is there a chance of allergic reaction or something? Nope, she just wanted my permission before giving me an injection. Oh, geez, I hate needles. I mean, I put up with them when I have to, but I hate them. I started to cry all over again! I told her I would rather get treated without getting numbed. She told me they could clean the wound out without numbing, but, if I needed staples, they would revisit the idea of numbing my head.

A nurse washed my head with sanitized water. She had to scrape off some of the scabbing to see how deep parts of the wound were. It started to sting again, but it wasn't as bad as before. A doctor came in and checked me out, followed again by the physician's assistant. She told me the wound was puckered open a bit, but it wasn't deep enough to require stitches or staples. I was so relieved!

...and then I realized I'm probably going to get a $500 bill for nothing! Well, not really. I know I am paying for expert opinions and for taking the time of the emergency room. But, still, I can't help but wish I'd toughed it out. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

So, that's how Andrew spent Father's Day evening, and that's how we ended up at the emergency room. We picked up the kids. My little Ollie Bear ran up to me when I walked into my parents' house and asked, "Mom, do you feel all better?" He's so sweet. My head was feeling so much better--just a slight pressure headache and swelling. We went back to his parents' house, where we're staying for a bit. His mom gave the kids a bath, and I took some ibuprofen and rested a bit. We made a quick dinner (and I helped Oliver make smoothies), and then we put the kids to bed.

What a day! Father's Day didn't go exactly as planned. Next week is Andrew's birthday, and I hope to make it up to him then! Happy Father's Day, Andrew, and thanks for taking care of me at the hospital.