Holiday Traditions & an E.R. Scare

Yikes! Small scare today. After a great week exploring holiday traditions (we covered Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and St. Lucia Day), Em had to go to the E.R. this afternoon. Not because of the holiday lessons, of course, (Fear not...no Michael Jackson-esque heads-set-on-fire scenarios here. Our St. Lucia head wreath had felt candles, thank you very much). No, our drama was that Em had blood in her urine (and lots of pain when she went).

Eeeek!!! Blood from 5-year-old "girl parts" ?!!! Uh, yep ... that sent this mama straight into a tizzy. (Sorry out-of-state business client who graciously agreed to a Sunday afternoon conference call. Meeting ubruptly adjourned!!!). And as "holy shit" as I was in the moment, my husband went even wackier. Our drive to the hospital resembled every bad "daddy-racing-the-pregnant-wife-in-labor-to-the-hospital" sequence you've ever seen (minus the fishtail spin into the parking space). I seriously almost lost my breakfast in the backseat.

Anyway, Em is fine now (and I have to say: a two and 1/2 hour visit to the E.R. at Arnold Palmer? Not bad. Not bad at all. I know people who spent the entire night in the E.R. So, we were in and out, relatively speaking. Plus Arnold Palmer has a play castle and a pirate ship! Hello?! Why don't adult hospitals have those? We get scared, too, ya know!).

Emerson's diagnosis? Possibly a UTI, but more likely a viral infection. Labs will be back in a couple days to confirm but a round of antibiotics is in the works already. Regardless, the experience served up a much needed reminder to be so, so, SO grateful for my normally healthy child. So, so grateful.

Well, time to head off to bed. Em is sleeping in Mama's bed tonight. I'm happy to cuddle her close, even if I do get her elbow in my face most of the night.