Hospitals and Toddlers

I am not a mom, but I am an aunt. It is one of my most loved positions in life. And tonight I had another lesson in the unconditional love I have for my nephew, Ryan. He is 3 ½ years old…and often full of trouble, but usually he is my greatest source of joy and love. He always has a way of making me happy.

Today began like many when we are all vacationing in Coos Bay. By all, I mean everyone in my immediate family, except my brother-in-law who is home in Denver, working. So back to the morning. We started with a fray of breakfast, last minute plans to participate in some last minute clam digging, and the cooking of large quantities of french toast and bacon.

Shortly after breakfast, several of us were headed for the boat basin in Charleston. It was a beautiful day without a breath of wind and there were crabs just waiting for us to catch them. Ryan, Laura, Sadie, Dad and I left the boat dock for a few hours of late morning crabbing. After a few hours of poor luck and a tired Ryan, we headed in for lunch and the hopes that if we left the crab pots out for a few hours we would have better luck.

Lunch was made and eaten. I finally finished one of the birthday cakes for a gathering tomorrow to celebrate the March/April birthday season. Ryan went down for a nap and a few of us went to pull the crab pots. Still not great luck, but I think we finally ended up with ten crabs.

Shortly after arriving home, Ryan was up and the cough that he had developed during the week was sounding worse. He was now complaining of a tummy ache and just not looking himself. Laura gave him Tylenol for a small fever he seemed to be developing and we all got ready for a family dinner at Dave’s Pizza.

Dave’s Pizza was fabulous, at least the amount we got to eat. Shortly after arriving Ryan was showing signs of something that may be more than a cold. Laura called her on-call doctor in Denver and we were off to fill a prescription for an infection Ryan had been fighting before coming to Oregon. Ryan was now reaching a point of complete misery. After filling the prescription and during our drive back to the house, Ryan was now reaching a point of inconsolable crying and his back hurting.

All it took was a call to the Denver on-call doctor and ten minutes of inconsolable crying while writhing in pain…and Laura, Sadie and I were carting Ryan to the Emergency Room at Bay Area Hospital. We spent a few long hours, with chest x-rays, blood tests and an IV. I have never been so scared in my life…ever.

And now it is 130A and I am writing this while in the ER. And Ryan will not stop talking. Laura would love to get some sleep, but Ryan is happy and talkative…and we are thrilled to have the kid we know and love back…even if he will not stop talking at 130A. So far all tests are normal and Laura has been advised to have Ryan checked at Bay Clinic tomorrow. We will be headed home shortly for some much needed sleep.