And then we called 911
I thought the thud of Ms. E falling out of her crib was loud. I thought the bang and scream of #1 when her dresser fell on her was terrifying. And the fear in my heart as I watched N roll down the stairs as I sat right next to her and ending up with a broken leg was the worst I was going to have to endure in my 6 years as a mom.
I was wrong. I am wrong.
Folks, that doesn’t hold a candle to what happened Saturday.
Saturday, Mr. Serious took E upstairs to change her diaper. And just like any other time, set her on the floor to deal with the dirty diaper. And in those couple seconds she decided she didn’t want to be upstairs anymore. She went strait for the stairs.
I was downstairs and heard the noise that sounded like elephants coming down the stairs. I thought Mr. Serious had fallen as he was coming down the stairs. I jumped up to see my sweet girl tumbling down the stairs and scooped her up somewhere between the first and third step.
She was screaming but it was different. And whimpering. Then she calmed down way too soon. Then she just sort of laid in my arms. Not really moving. Just looking around with her eyes and very still. I tried to look her over and she screamed. So I was just holding her and trying to figure out what the plan was. Would we just watch her at home and keep an eye on her?
Then she gave us an answer. She kept rolling her eyes back in her head and trying to go to sleep. I had to keep moving her and coaxing her to keep her eyes open.
Scariest moment of my life. Baby being really still in my arms. Not wanting to move. And rolling her eyes back in her head.
Mr. Serious made the decision and called 9-1-1. I’m glad he was there to do it because I think I was a little paralyzed to make a decision.
About 3 minutes later, a police officer showed up. Right behind him, a fire truck and another police officer. They came in and assessed her. They got her vitals and pushed on her little feet. The whole time with no less than 4 people hovering over her at every minute, she just looked around with her eyes. No screaming that strangers were all in her face. No screaming while they were touching her and poking her. She just starred.
Several minutes later EMS arrived. Because she was being so still and uncharacteristic of herself, they suggested bringing her into the hospital to get checked out.
So my tiny baby went onto a stretcher with a thing that strapped her down and immobilized her. She screamed. Hallelujah! She was acting like a 9 month old. The EMS ladies were very pleased that she did. They wheeled her over to the ambulance and told me I had to get in the front. That was so hard. I know why they had me sit up there. But I had this need deep in the pits of my mom-ness that I needed to be with her. As I was sitting up there I was looking around for something to puke in. I thought for sure it would come but it didn’t.
We rode to Scottish Rite in pretty much complete silence (no sirens or lights). The lady in the back of the ambulance came up and told me a couple times what was going on and at one point E was actually sleeping (which they said was perfectly okay), but that didn’t last long.
We arrived a didn’t have to wait at all. The ER was ready for us in a room with several nurses and a doctor. They checked her over and she was starting to act more like herself. She started screaming when they were looking at her (another relief), but she was hesitant to move her head and neck to one side to follow the light. The doctor had me come up by her head and talk to her and she moved it the other direction. Almost a clean bill at this point, but he still wanted to get a head CT just to make sure there wasn’t anything he was missing. She was so out of it for a while that I was perfectly okay with the double checking.
They immediately got us into the CT and she did so well. I had to help position her head and keep her occupied while it was going (which was less than a minute, I’d guess). Then we were taking to a room to wait for the doctor to get results.
All of this happened right before her usual nap time. She was so tired but couldn’t fall asleep. We snuggled and I turned the phone so she could see herself on the camera (she usually starts smiling and laughing), but she just sort of rested there still not doing a lot.
She didn’t even mess with the monitors that were all over her. She was definitely worn out. And because we didn’t have the CT results she wasn’t allowed to nurse or eat, either.
Finally, the doctor came back and her CT was normal. He said she probably hit her head hard enough to disorient her and make her out of it, but not hard enough for a concussion or to knock her out completely. I was so relieved that she was going to be okay. Seriously the scariest moments of my life! We only had one other thing to do before we could be discharged. She had to keep some liquids down so I was finally able to nurse her.
Instead of it relaxing her, she got her second wind. She was finally smiling (as so was mommy….whew) and started pulling off all of those wires and monitors. She was even trying to stand up in my lap. She was letting me know she was going to be okay.
You’d think with all of the accidents and everything that has happened in our house none would ever happen again, but that’s just it. They are accidents. Thanks to #1, that bookshelf on the wall below is firmly attached to the wall. And this gate? Totally been there all along (just as it was here several days before). Just was one of those times that it would be a quick thing…no need to close the gate.
We’re thankful for everybody that responded so quickly. We’re thankful that we have the ability to go to the emergency room and receive care and services.
We’re very very thankful she’s okay. And of course, whenever we go upstairs now, the gate is immediately closed.
Oh God, so thankful everything is OK. We had a falling incident recently on concrete stairs with Grammy landing on top of him. I had nightmares for days. Even day-dreams where I couldn’t shake from the “what ifs” and “it might have beens”. It’s so hard when you love them so much. I’m sending you both some big {{hugs}}!
Thanks, Lesli. I had the day-dreams, too. Where you just sort of see something happen. It’s so frightening.
Okay I am totally fighting tears right now. I’m so happy your sweet little girl is okay and everyone responded so quickly.
It was so very scary. And, so glad everybody got here quickly!
So, so glad this ended with a smile. I know how quickly my three have had situations occur. You and Mr. Serious get an A+ for responding so quickly.
There is absolutely something about the third child…it’s like they are trying to over-achieve with drama. 😉
Thanks, Ann. I guess it’s the instincts that kick in, because I was pretty terrified.
And, she’s seriously trying to overachieve. It’s going to be a long couple years with this monkey.
OMGosh. My heart was in my throat reading this!
SO glad she’s ok.
Thanks, D. It’s still so scary to think about and believe that it happened.
I am so glad that she is okay! Landry fell down the stairs a couple of moths ago and it is one of the scariest things ever. Now we are constantly making sure the door is closed. We never want that to happen again.
Yes, the gate is a constant source of conversation and all sisters make sure it’s closed now.
I’m so, SO glad she is okay. I’m sure you were so scared. Things like this can happen so fast. xo
Blink of an eye…I don’t even know how quickly it happened.
Oh I am SO HAPPY this story has a good ending. I am so thankful she is ok. These things happen all the time and there are people who don’t get such great results. I just can not fathom that.
We had an incident with Grace falling down our basement steps when she was about 10 months old too. Her brothers were running around the house playing and ran downstairs. Just as I was yelling to them to close the basement door, down Grace went. It was FRIGHTENING. Luckily, I could tell she was more afraid than hurt.
All the horrible things that could happen could keep me awake for the rest of my life.
I am SO GLAD she is okay.
Now if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna go wake up all my kids and give them big hugs and kisses. 😉
Don’t I know it. They will keep me worrying for the rest of my life.
So glad Gracie was okay, too. Why doesn’t that fear of falling happen right away with the little ones?
We’ve been doing a lot of hugging and kissing here since yesterday, too.
Oh my goodness that was one of the scariest things I’ve read in a while! So glad she is ok! I know that helpless, desperate feeling, the worst time for a mom. And then the ultimate, best feeling in knowing they’re ok and acting normal. Kids will put you on an emotional rollercoaster in the blink of an eye! But it makes you appreciate and love them that much more, if thats even possible!:)
Oh it was definitely a roller coaster of an afternoon and I’m so very thankful that she is okay.
So very glad E is ok. That was the worst text message to receive….and to not know anything for a while. I htink she might be a little hard headed like her mommy 🙂
I’m sorry I did that to you….I want to keep you in the know and you knew as much as I did at the time:)
Oh my gosh, reading this just made me sick. Oh how I couldn’t imagine…I’d have been freaking out. I am so thankful she is ok. Those screams had to be music to your ears hearing them after the rolling of the eyes. The things are kids put us through.
Somehow, I was amazingly calm. Well, it wasn’t me it was definitely a God thing.
Yes, the screams were totally music to my ears. She’s going to keep me on my toes.
Oh how scary! So glad she is all right though. Serenity fell going up the stairs when she was learning to walk and her whole body stiffened as she fell. It was like watching a Barbie fall.
It’s absolutely terrifying. And not being able to do anything makes it even worse.
Wow! I am so sorry! So very, very thankful that she is OK. Hugs to you!
Thanks, Julie. I’m so very glad she’s okay.
Omg I am so glad she is okay. I am a panic type of person so I don’t know what I would do my hubs probably would have had to make the call also. Glad she is back to her regular self.
Surprisingly, I don’t think I was panicy…just indecisive. It’s sort of crazy how I detach a bit..I didn’t even get emotional until I was sitting in the ambulance waiting to leave the house.
Ohmigosh – I am so glad she has a hard noggin! And that she was ok – she certainly has a guardian angel!! Give her some snuggles for me. Thinking of you guys!!!
Oh, yes she does! I’ve actually written about our guardian angel before!
I am so glad that your baby girl was okay. Just reading it was okay.
Thank you, Katherine.
We are all so glad she is OK very scarey text. I agree with Aunt Emily, hard heads.
I really don’t know where she gets it.
Oh that is terrifying! I’m so glad to hear she’s okay! ::hugs::
Thanks, Jen!
Oh how I know that fear. SO very glad it all turned out A-OK. Blessings to you and yours dear cousin.
Thanks, Mary. You have lived it way more than any person and mother every should.
Wow, what a scary time for your family. So glad she is ok. I worry about my son on the top of the stairs too. They are fast and can head that way so quickly. I like the picture you have at the end of your post. Smiling baby is what we want to see.
They are so stinking fast. And learn too quickly…and then they don’t forget!
Oh my gosh how scary! I’m so gad she’s OK, but how terrifying 🙁
So very scary! They figure things out way too quickly and then keep doing them over and over.
What a scary experience! I would have probably frozen too in that situation. I’m so glad that everything is ok now!
Me, too. Me, too! Thank you.
SO scary, i’m so glad everything turned out okay!
Yes, so scary.
oh friend, i am so so sorry you all went through this!! both my girls have fallen down the stairs and it is truly heart wrenching. luckily we never experienced the eye rolling and the 911 call – i can’t even imagine!!
so so so happy she was ok!!
The 911 part really added a whole new element of terrifying.
A very similar thing happen to me with Wyatt. He fell down the stairs while riding one of those riding toys. When I picked him up, he rolled his eyes back into his head… wanting to fall asleep. We tried to bribe him with Skittles, anything to get him ‘going’ again but nothing worked. He too ended up in the ER with a CT scan.
(Crazy enough, every single bit of that was covered under our insurance too… now getting a cyst drained – no! ugg, insurance!)
So glad that everything was and is OK!
I was trying everything, too, and it was super scary. I guess the brain has a built in coping mechanism that we don’t learn about.
Haven’t seen a bill yet, but I have a feeling it’s a doozy!
Oh my word! I am so glad that she is alright but so sorry you had to go through all this.
Yeah, I would have preferred to not have to be reminded to close the gate with something like this, that’s for sure.
So so glad that E was okay!! What a scary moment for you!
Thanks, Lindsay…us, too.
Reading this post was so scary! I don’t think I un-tensed until I saw her smile. Wow! So happy everything turned out okay!
Kindness is the best accessory,
Rebecca
Thanks, Rebecca. I don’t think I un-tensed until the next morning when she was all the way herself.