The Toothbrush, The Incident & The Flu

(Beware...this is a long story about a very very long day)

Twas the day before we left for Naples...and it was HECTIC in the house...

On Friday morning, I took a shower with the kids so we could all get clean and ready for the day. I got out first and then got Sydney out a few minutes later. I got her ready to go and then Gavin was ready to come out. As I was getting him out of the shower, I heard Sydney screaming like she was hurt. I was in my bathroom and she was in my room. I ran to her and picked her up and blood was gushing from her mouth. She was holding a non-bloody toothbrush. She would not calm down for quite some time. I cleaned up the blood and searched every cavity in her mouth to see what was bleeding. The only thing I could determine was she bit her tongue. She calmed down after 1/2 an hour but that entire time would not let me even THINK about putting her down.

Over the course of the next few hours, she perked up but then out of the blue would cry and need to be held. I gave her lunch and she hardly ate anything. I just figured after the trauma in the morning and being so tired from crying that she just needed to go to bed. I gave her Tylenol and put her down at 12:30. 45 minutes later she woke up SCREAMING. Very uncharacteristic for her. She was violently shaking and screaming like I've never heard before. I tried everything and could not calm her down. At 2:00 I called the pediatrician. I had a very hard time conversing with them as Sydney was screaming and wouldn't let me put her down at all. My pediatrician's office was super unhelpful, rude and informed me that they were closed and if I was THAT concerned I should go to an ER. Wow, thanks for your help. Starting to panic, sweating profusely and now crying I have NO idea what to do. Thankfully our friend Dar was painting in the basement so I ran downstairs to see if he could stay with Gavin who was sleeping while I went to the ER with Syd. Not a problem.

We go to an immediate care place. Sydney cries the entire way there, the entire time in the waiting room and the entire time she gets examined. The dr cannot determine what is wrong. She sees no mouth injury even though when I ask Sydney what hurts she points to her mouth. She asks me if she is just overtired, teething or getting sick. Are you kidding me?! This is not my first child and I KNOW when something is wrong. She told me to give her ibuprofen and wait a few hours but if it doesn't change to take her to a hospital ER. Because of her behavior, something is clearly wrong and they will have the ability to take head CT scans and etc. Holy crap. Now I am freaked out.

Syd and I get in the car and drive to Orland where there is a hospital facility (thankfully not attached to a huge hospital). Sydney cries the entire way there. At this point she has not stopped crying for 2.5 hours. We don't have to wait long and as we are waiting she FINALLY, FINALLY starts to perk up. She even ate a few goldfish crackers and had some water. I even got her to smile. We see a dr who looks in her mouth while a nurse held her down and LOW AND BEHOLD--THERE IT WAS!!! An open gash on the back of the throat--probably the size of a penny. It was the toothbrush...and element I informed each dr, could or could not, be a part of the story. Until that point, I had no idea. It was the toothbrush.

Feeling super relieved and with Syd perking up, I picked up dinner and went home. Meanwhile Gavin and Dar were happily playing pirates while we were gone (thank goodness for friends who are at the right place at the right time)! Sydney ate some cheese quesadillas and some yogurt for dinner. Things were looking good besides the fact we had LOTS to pack still (which I was planning on doing over nap time) and we were leaving at 4 am.

Early bedtime for the kids---quick bath for them both. Syd was out of the tub first and all ready for bed cuddled up on Chad while I finished up Gavin when I heard Chad shout. Sydney had just projectile vomited all over him, the chair, herself, the floor. Disgusting. Back in the tub. Trying to be optimistic, we said, "it could be a reaction from the day she had...no food, swallowing blood, crying for hours." To be safe, we got towels and a bowl. 30 minutes later she puked again. She threw up every 20-30 minutes from 7 pm until midnight.

Chad and I took turns laying on the floor with her sad, limp, pale body while the other one packed. It was miserable. Finally at midnight she stopped. I went to bed and hardly slept...Chad slept with her...and hardly slept. And my alarm went off at 3 am.

At 4 am I gave Syd a quick wash down in the tub....got their clothes on and packed them in the car for the airport. We showed up, exhausted, spent and worried. We were going with two couples and 4 additional kids. As we greeted them in the morning, all I could get out was "Syd has the flu...throwing up all night) as my eyes filled with tears. There was nothing I could do but I felt terrible (and emotionally and physically exhausted)!

But we went....Syd just wanted water...she was done puking but wanted no food and she slept most of the flight and took a 4.5 hour nap upon our arrival. I prayed all night she wouldn't be puking on the plane so I'm thankful God answered that prayer!

So....our first ER trip...and Syd's first really bad flu...all in the same day before vacation. Sigh....it was a very very long day.