You'd Think I'd Be Over This By Now

I haven't written a post in a few days because nothing has really happened that seemed noteworthy. But Sophie, in a burst of support and inspiration, delivered with the goods and now I have LOTS to write about.

I get my best writing ideas when I'm sick, tired, hurt, or taking care of someone who's sick, tired, or hurt. Sophie got sinusitis late last week, and while technically she was sick, it wasn't enough to write about. Not here in the South, where everybody and their brother get sinusitis. But then, today, after church when the kids were upstairs changing clothes and SM and I were downstairs getting dinner ready, Sophie changed everything. She came downstairs, tripped on her jean cuffs, and fell down the last three steps, hitting her nose, biting her lip, and spouting blood like there's no tomorrow. SM and I took about a fraction of a second to try to interpret the thuds and slamming sounds before leaving skid marks to see who just broke their neck. Rounding the corner, we saw Sophie throw back her head and howl and scream as red went everywhere. SM and I leaped into action, getting wet paper towels and checking to make sure bones or teeth weren't broken. It was one of those Laurel-and-Hardy moments when we were bumping into each other in the foyer. Every time he'd have a bright idea of something to get, I'd say "No, we don't need that" and every time I'd think of something to get, he'd already be coming down the hall with it. Just imagine two bulls in a very small china shop. We were trying so hard not to panic but the sheer amount of blood pouring out of Sophie's face was pretty frightening. We ran back and forth for a few minutes, getting one wet paper towel after another to sop it all up, before it finally occured to us to simply sacrifice a big, clean kitchen towel and put it up to Sophie's face, allowing us time to get her into a chair so that we could fully see the damage.

**deep breath**

You know, I've used Lamaze so much more after delivery than during...it's really very helpful...

So things gradually start to calm down. As dinner was about to boil over on the stove, I sent SM to deal with it while I examined Sophie. The blood flow began to slow down. I gently cleaned her face and hands and was able to see that no teeth were loose and her nose wasn't broken. I had Sophie count slowly and take some deep breaths. I even made a little joke or two that made her laugh and relax. And then it happened. Oh, yes. It came on like a runaway semi. I felt my head start to swim and my stomach start to rise. I handed Sophie the wet rag and casually went upstairs where I stripped off my Sunday clothes at lightning speed, asked SM for a can of ginger ale, and sat down with my head between my knees.

Why is it I can handle a dire emergency but fall apart like a weak kitten when things are actually improving? What's that all about?

When I was in college I was a flag instructor at band camp for a local high school. During the camp a student fell down the dorm stairs and hurt her knee. Since I was an instructor and a female, that qualified me as a responsible adult (HA!) and I rode with her in the ambulance. At the hospital I paced up and down the hallway while the student waited in an exam room. Over the loudspeaker I heard that another ambulance was coming in with a chainsaw accident victim. *Yuk* Before I could move out of the way, they rolled the guy in and I saw exactly what a chainsaw accident injury looks like, complete with orderly mopping up the blood behind the gurney as it rolls down the hall. (I wouldn't recommend it, in case you're wondering.) So I got a full-frontal view of a very horrible sight, but I was perfectly fine. No faintness, no queasiness...nothing. I was just fine. Then I wandered in to check on the student again, took one look at her swollen knee, and just about tossed my cookies and passed out.

So no wonder that I had to get away from Sophie and her bloody nose. I couldn't even eat dinner with her at the same table. It was too much. Every time I walked near her I felt my brain begin to slide right out of my body, and I'd have to go sit down again. To keep her from taking it personally I said, "Do me a favor...don't do that to Mommy again, ok?" and she laughed. She knows me so well. While I appreciate her sacrifice so that I would have a blog entry today, I told her it's really not necessary to try quite so hard. She could take the rest of the day off. Now I just have to pray she doesn't get a black eye. Try explaining THAT to her school tomorrow. Especially when she says she got it "falling down the stairs". That's like "I walked into a door." I don't think it's going to go over well. Wish me luck.