Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Having quadruplets the scariest thing? Not anymore.



Having quadruplets is officially no longer the most frightening experience I have gone through.  I came home Monday night to a warm and loud welcome from all the kids.  “Mommy, I thought you were going to die!”  Me too.  This was followed with, “You got new clothes? No fair!”  They didn’t seem as stressed as I thought they would be.

After what may have been serious food poisoning, a virus, or possibly some unknown gastric disease (they are asking for more blood to test today.) I do not recommend eating at Chuck A Rama. 

Saturday night I did not feel like eating dinner and as the pain increased through the night, I could not sleep.  I got up expecting to vomit, but ended up on the floor crying, scared, and having my limbs slowly become paralyzed.   (Apparently, that’s what happens if you don’t breath.) My husband said I was scaring him and he was calling 911.  I said “Yes, do it!”

All I could think of was the kids are going to be so scared and what are they going to do when I am gone, as in what if I don’t get to come home type of gone.  As the paramedics arrived my thoughts quickly changed to, “Oh NO!  I am not dressed!”  The blanket that darling hubby threw over me was quickly discarded as the paramedics checked my vitals and tried to get me to breath correctly.

After a few minutes they offered me a ride, but I insisted I needed clothes on first.  I ended up wearing a jacket and my husband’s jeans partially on, but everything was covered enough.  Then they asked if I wanted to go in the ambulance or in the car.  I felt better thinking I had a choice and chose to drive ourselves.  Hubby ran in and woke up the oldest boy saying, “I’m taking mommy to the doctor.”

We arrived around two in the morning.  I waited impatiently while giving blood and getting ultra and CT scans for the time to be late enough to call someone for help to watch the kids, not really worried because they were all sleeping and it might be possible we would be back before they woke up.  HA! 

At about 7:30, I called to tell Stephen I was not coming home today (Sunday) and he would have to make breakfast and be in charge.  We didn’t have any cold cereal or pop tarts, only about half a loaf of bread so I told him where the pancake recipe was.  By the time someone arrived to check on the kids he had them sitting at the table with a nice perfectly made pancake breakfast with carrots and ranch dip.  What was I so worried about?

The four have a homework assignment to write and draw a picture of something that happened during the week.  We talked about it and they were all more interested in having a play day at a friend’s than they were about me being gone. 

I said, “And I went to the hospital.”  (hint, hint)

“Yeah, that’s when we had our play day!”

Again, what was I worried about?
 
This weekend I gained a new appreciation and understanding for my brother and his cancer.  When I told him about what happened, he said it was very similar to one of his experiences.  He came to visit me and immediately told the nurse to give me a different type of tape on my IV and asked where the room’s thermometer was.  He changed it and we ordered some warm blankets.  I am so glad he was able to take care of me. No one else had enough experience to do that for me.  I never even thought of asking for it.   Sometimes our trials can provide blessings for others.

Of course the other things I learned, or remembered rather, are that I have the best husband I could possibly have, I have an awesome family and neighborhood friends, and my kids are pretty good kids.  I have been very blessed.

What am I going to do about it?  I am hugging my kids more.  I am washing laundry and making new PJ’s!  I am letting my kids help in the kitchen more and, since I watched “Hoarders” for the first time while in the hospital and it sacred my pants off, if I had been wearing pants, I being more diligent in making the kids pick up after themselves.  Not that it is anywhere near qualifying for the show, but let’s just say my kids were getting tired of me telling them to pick it up instead of stepping over stuff.  But what do you expect with the mom gone for a few days?

Cherish your loved ones.

1 comment:

  1. Wow! what an experience. so glad everything turned out ok. and you are fine.

    ReplyDelete