Saturday, April 21, 2007
My Children Need Helmets to be Near Me
Friday afternoon. I pick Tipton up from school. He and his friend, Samantha, are the last two kids on the playground. Adriana (Samantha's Mom) and I decide it is time to leave. We hustle the kids off the playground and start heading towards our cars. I open Tipton's door for him to get in the car, then walk around the back of the car to get Lilli into her seat. I am carrying Lilli. I stepped partway into a hole with my left foot. My ankle twisted and I went down, still holding Lilli. I tried to twist further to cushion Lilli's fall, but still she hit the ground. I heard her head hit the pavement - not a sound I will ever forget. She started screaming. I started screaming. Tipton yelled for Adriana. We must have been making quite a lot of noise, because a woman from the pizza parlor across the street came running out. Adriana (and Samantha) came running back. A man drivng by (the Dad of one of Tipton's classmates) stopped his car and got out. The woman from the pizza parlor took Lilli. Adriana helped me up off the ground. Lilli looked okay at first glance - no blood, no scratches. I had twisted my left ankle pretty bad. I could barely put any weight on it. My right knee was skinned pretty bad, through my pants (which now had a hole in the knee.) Adriana put Lilli into her car seat for me. I leaned in to buckle Lilli up. Her hat had slipped down over her eyes so I pushed it back up. That's when I saw it. Lilli had a knot on her head. About two inches long, 1/2 an inch wide and popped out about an inch. (NOT an exaggeration.) I was pretty unsteady on my feet before I saw that. I started shaking. It was all I could do to say "Adriana." She leaned into the car and looked at Lilli and saw the bump. I don't remember exactly what she said. But I do remember her telling me to breathe. And that she would follow me home. Good thing, because I hyperventilated all the way home. At one point Tipton said "Mommy, is your ankle better? Because you've been staying off of it." Such a little sweetheart! Once home, Adriana got Lilli out of the car. I held Lilli while Adriana held ice on Lilli's head. After a few minutes we could see that the swelling was going down. I put on a DVD for Lilli. She started dancing as soon as the music came on, so I was pretty sure she'd be okay. Then Adriana wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage. Then Adriana started making lunch for the kids while I tended to my skinned knee. After the kids ate, Adriana helped me write out a list of things I needed/needed to know for an emergency over here. Like where our Vardcentral is. (The Vardcentral is the clinic you go to if you're sick.) The numbers for an ambulance and/or taxis. A first aid kit for the car. All things I know/had back in the US. Things you don't even think about until you need them.
Then I called the private doctor to see if I could get an appointment for me and Lilli for that afternoon. (They will speak english to me at the private doctor, not so sure about the Vardcentral.) I got an answering machine. So I called Eva. I explained my situation and she said she'd see what she could do. She called back about 5 minutes later and said that Lilli and I had an appointment for 4:00 that afternoon.
I called Dave and explained what had happened. He was in meetings all afternoon, but said he would be home by 3:30 so that he could drive us to the doctor.
Adriana left around 2:00. She had to go grocery shopping and prepare for guests she was having over for dinner that night. Bless her! I dont' know what I would have done without her! She was having dinner guests, and yet she stayed to help me! What a wonderful friend! (Her and Eva both!!)
Dave got home at 3:30 and we bundled the kids into the car. Lilli's lump still looked pretty bad, and I could barely walk. We got to the doctors office and were seen immediately. He checked out Lilli's eyes and ears and nose and throat and felt around on her head. Then he pronounced her to be fine, albeit with a lump and a bruise. Then he checked me out. I had - wait for it - a skinned knee and a sprained ankle. He said the ankle would probably hurt for about two weeks. I asked if he had crutches. He said no. I asked if I could get crutches at the Apoteket (drugstore.) He said no. He said that I would have to go to the Vardcentral to get crutches. Ugh! He did, however, write me a prescription for pain medication.
So we got back into the car and drove to our Vardcentral. It was about 4:45. The sign on the door said the were open until 5:00, but the door was locked. We rang the buzzer and a nurse opened the door. She said they were closed. Dave and I both looked at the sign on the door again. She said they took their last patient at about 3:45, then stayed open ONLY BY PHONE until 5:00. Lovely. She said we would have to go to the Jourcentral (after hours clinic.) She wrote down the address for us and we were off, again.
We drove around for a while before we found the Jourcentral. Then had to park a block away. (Meaning I had to hobble for a block. Only later did it occur to us that Dave could have dropped me and the kids off and gone to park the car.) We went in and I filled out a form and then we sat and waited. About 20 minutes later I was called to reception. The woman there looked at my form. I explained that I had already seen a doctor, a private doctor, and just needed crutches. She said that I would have to be seen by one of their doctors, because I needed to have a prescripton for crutches. A prescription for crutches???!!!! You've got to be kidding. So back out to the waiting room. For an hour. Then the woman reappears and hands me a pair of crutches and a number. They were able to contact the private doctor (to verify that I needed crutches?) When my number was called I could go up and pay. Ten minutes later I was hobbling out the door on my shiny new crutches. Now, these aren't the crutches I'm used to. I'm used to the kind that go up under the arm and have the little bar halfay down that you hold on to. No, these were like polio crutches. Like the crutch that Dr. Weaver used on ER. They are short and only come up to just below the elbow. A little plastic cuff wraps around your arm just below the elbow. Not the easiest things to use. Rather unstable. But they were better than nothing.
Dave dropped us off at home and I got a DVD playing for the kiddos and some frozen pizzas in the oven. It was well past dinner time. Dave left in search of an Apoteket to get my prescription for pain medication. He ended up at a pharmacy about two blocks from the Jourcentral. He could have gotten the prescription while we were waiting for my crutches! D'oh! It turns out the pain medication was pretty much just tylenol with codiene. Better than nothing.
ALl in all, I am less than impressed with the quality of medical care in Sweden.
It was a very, very difficult afternoon. Dave now says that he's going to get Lilli a helmet to wear when she's around me. He keeps making jokes about me dropping Lilli. My reply is always this "I did NOT drop Lilli. I held onto her all the way down!" If I'd dropped her, she wouldn't have hit her head!
Then I called the private doctor to see if I could get an appointment for me and Lilli for that afternoon. (They will speak english to me at the private doctor, not so sure about the Vardcentral.) I got an answering machine. So I called Eva. I explained my situation and she said she'd see what she could do. She called back about 5 minutes later and said that Lilli and I had an appointment for 4:00 that afternoon.
I called Dave and explained what had happened. He was in meetings all afternoon, but said he would be home by 3:30 so that he could drive us to the doctor.
Adriana left around 2:00. She had to go grocery shopping and prepare for guests she was having over for dinner that night. Bless her! I dont' know what I would have done without her! She was having dinner guests, and yet she stayed to help me! What a wonderful friend! (Her and Eva both!!)
Dave got home at 3:30 and we bundled the kids into the car. Lilli's lump still looked pretty bad, and I could barely walk. We got to the doctors office and were seen immediately. He checked out Lilli's eyes and ears and nose and throat and felt around on her head. Then he pronounced her to be fine, albeit with a lump and a bruise. Then he checked me out. I had - wait for it - a skinned knee and a sprained ankle. He said the ankle would probably hurt for about two weeks. I asked if he had crutches. He said no. I asked if I could get crutches at the Apoteket (drugstore.) He said no. He said that I would have to go to the Vardcentral to get crutches. Ugh! He did, however, write me a prescription for pain medication.
So we got back into the car and drove to our Vardcentral. It was about 4:45. The sign on the door said the were open until 5:00, but the door was locked. We rang the buzzer and a nurse opened the door. She said they were closed. Dave and I both looked at the sign on the door again. She said they took their last patient at about 3:45, then stayed open ONLY BY PHONE until 5:00. Lovely. She said we would have to go to the Jourcentral (after hours clinic.) She wrote down the address for us and we were off, again.
We drove around for a while before we found the Jourcentral. Then had to park a block away. (Meaning I had to hobble for a block. Only later did it occur to us that Dave could have dropped me and the kids off and gone to park the car.) We went in and I filled out a form and then we sat and waited. About 20 minutes later I was called to reception. The woman there looked at my form. I explained that I had already seen a doctor, a private doctor, and just needed crutches. She said that I would have to be seen by one of their doctors, because I needed to have a prescripton for crutches. A prescription for crutches???!!!! You've got to be kidding. So back out to the waiting room. For an hour. Then the woman reappears and hands me a pair of crutches and a number. They were able to contact the private doctor (to verify that I needed crutches?) When my number was called I could go up and pay. Ten minutes later I was hobbling out the door on my shiny new crutches. Now, these aren't the crutches I'm used to. I'm used to the kind that go up under the arm and have the little bar halfay down that you hold on to. No, these were like polio crutches. Like the crutch that Dr. Weaver used on ER. They are short and only come up to just below the elbow. A little plastic cuff wraps around your arm just below the elbow. Not the easiest things to use. Rather unstable. But they were better than nothing.
Dave dropped us off at home and I got a DVD playing for the kiddos and some frozen pizzas in the oven. It was well past dinner time. Dave left in search of an Apoteket to get my prescription for pain medication. He ended up at a pharmacy about two blocks from the Jourcentral. He could have gotten the prescription while we were waiting for my crutches! D'oh! It turns out the pain medication was pretty much just tylenol with codiene. Better than nothing.
ALl in all, I am less than impressed with the quality of medical care in Sweden.
It was a very, very difficult afternoon. Dave now says that he's going to get Lilli a helmet to wear when she's around me. He keeps making jokes about me dropping Lilli. My reply is always this "I did NOT drop Lilli. I held onto her all the way down!" If I'd dropped her, she wouldn't have hit her head!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
What did Lilli get for her birthday? Anitbiotics!
My baby is two years old. How did that happen? When did that happen? Where is that sweet smelling little bundle that I brought home from the hospital?
Poor Lilli, though, she did not have a very happy birthday. She'd woken up Monday night with a fever and coughing. I called the doctor first thing Tuesday morning. The first appointment they had was Wednesday at 9:45. (I cannot tell you how much I miss the US medical system - never thought I would say that...) So I take her on Wednesday and the doctor prescribes something for the pain/fever and something for the cough. He said that if she's not better by Friday, to call and he will phone in a prescription for antibiotics. The cough medicine knocks her out. She spent most of Thursday asleep. Friday morning comes and she is no better, in fact her fever and cough are getting worse, she hasn't eaten anything all week and isn't drinking much. I call the doctor and he prescribes the antibiotic. Poor little thing - just what every little girl wants for her birthday - antibiotics. She was too sick to go to Little Gym. She didn't even want to eat her birthday cupcake that night at dinner.
Dave and I gave her a sandbox for her birthday. It's shaped like a boat. And the lid has roads and 'channels' and a bridges that you can roll cars/boats around on. Tipton gave her some sand toys. She was too sick to play in her new sandbox.
Poor Lilli, though, she did not have a very happy birthday. She'd woken up Monday night with a fever and coughing. I called the doctor first thing Tuesday morning. The first appointment they had was Wednesday at 9:45. (I cannot tell you how much I miss the US medical system - never thought I would say that...) So I take her on Wednesday and the doctor prescribes something for the pain/fever and something for the cough. He said that if she's not better by Friday, to call and he will phone in a prescription for antibiotics. The cough medicine knocks her out. She spent most of Thursday asleep. Friday morning comes and she is no better, in fact her fever and cough are getting worse, she hasn't eaten anything all week and isn't drinking much. I call the doctor and he prescribes the antibiotic. Poor little thing - just what every little girl wants for her birthday - antibiotics. She was too sick to go to Little Gym. She didn't even want to eat her birthday cupcake that night at dinner.
Dave and I gave her a sandbox for her birthday. It's shaped like a boat. And the lid has roads and 'channels' and a bridges that you can roll cars/boats around on. Tipton gave her some sand toys. She was too sick to play in her new sandbox.
Sleepless Nights
We had a very long night last night. Tipton was up at 11:30 because he needed to pee. Then Lilli woke up around 1:30, screaming. I went in and got her out of the crib and rocked her for a bit. Then when she'd fallen back asleep I put her back into the crib. About 10 minutes later she'd wake up again, screaming. After the second time, D got up with her. He did the same thing I did. With the same results. The next time, I changed her diaper and offered her some water. She did not want the water. So I put her back into the crib. I laid her down and told her it was time to sleep. She screamed. I left and closed the door. After about 5-10 minutes she calmed/quieted down. Then about 10 minutes later she started screaming again. I waited about 10 minutes, then went back in and offered her some more water. Again she did not want it. I laid her back down and told her it was time to sleep. She screamed. I left the room and closed the door. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) At one point she started calling out for "Daddy! Daddy!" I'd had enough. It was around 4:30 in the morning now. I gave her a dose of motrin and made her drink a few sips of water (all without ever taking her out of the crib.) Then I laid her down in the crib and told her it was time to sleep. She cried and whimpered for another 20 minutes or so. Then my alarm went off. Lilli woke up, screaming, at 7:00.
All I can think of is that she is "adjusting" to daycare. So much stimulation (after only having me and Tipton for company.) I guess her brain just won't 'shut down' to let her sleep. I don't know. But I hope it stops soon. I got more sleep when she was a newborn.
All I can think of is that she is "adjusting" to daycare. So much stimulation (after only having me and Tipton for company.) I guess her brain just won't 'shut down' to let her sleep. I don't know. But I hope it stops soon. I got more sleep when she was a newborn.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
4:36 AM
Tipton comes running into our room...
Tipton: Mommy! My nose isn't working! "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
I reach for a tissue.
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, still running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, still running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Tipton stops running and says: Nevermind. I fixed it.
And goes back to his room.
Tipton: Mommy! My nose isn't working! "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
I reach for a tissue.
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, still running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Me: Come here Tipton.
Tipton, still running back and forth at the foot of our bed: "sniffle sniffle sniffle"
Tipton stops running and says: Nevermind. I fixed it.
And goes back to his room.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Easter Holidays
Tipton had the entire week before Easter off from school, and also Easter Monday. And we've had all sorts of fun and excitement.
On Monday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. He learned to play 'balloon tennis.' His new favorite sport.
On Tuesday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. In the afternoon Eva came over with her kids. Her youngest is about Tipton's age. We all had fun playing with hot wheels cars and playing games (Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Cookin' Cookies.) Only Eva's oldest spoke/understood english but we all still had a good time.
On Wednesday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. In the afternoon Samantha came over. The kids played outside while Adriana (Samantha's Mom) and I sewed. She used my sewing machine to make some curtains.
On Thursday the kids and I went to the grocery store. I bought some plastic tennis rackets. Tipton and I played balloon tennis with a pirate balloon that I'd bought for his birthday. Lina came over in the afternoon to knit. She played some balloon tennis with Tipton, then we knit while the kiddos watched a video. Then she played some more balloon tennis.
On Friday - Dave had the day off! We drove around and found a good field for kite flying. Lilli fell asleep while the guys were flying kites (all that fresh air and sunshine was just too much for her!)
On Saturday we took the train in to Copenhagen and met up with Aunt Jenni. She changed 'lines' and is now flying into Copenhagen. So we should be seeing a lot more of her! We walked down to the pedestrian mall in Copenhagen. Jenni bought some flowers and strawberries. We ate lunch at McDonalds (of course, with two small (very picky) children where else would we eat?)
Sunday was Easter. The Easter bunny was very good to the kiddos. Lots of chocolate and tons of plastic eggs hidden all over the living room. Tipton also got a pirate figurine on a pirate horse. Lilli also got a knight on a battle horse. Those have been the coolest toys. We spent most of the day watching videos, eating chocolate and being lazy. Lilli was the first to break into the chocolate. She grabbed Tipton's chocolate bunny and started eating it from the bottom up. I guess some of the foil had torn, so she just started munching away. Tipton was upset because it was his bunny and he wanted to eat the face. So I wrestled the chocolate bunny away from Lilli and cut off the head for Tipton. Everyone was happy. Later than morning Tipton and I dyed Easter eggs. I baked a small ham for lunch, with mashed potatoes and bread. It rained all day, so we didn't get to play outside.
Monday - it rained all day. So another day trapped inside with a giant basket full of candy and two small children. Dave had the day off, and spent most of the afternoon napping on the daybed in the living room. In the morning we went to Toys R Us, to check out sandboxes. That's what we're giving Lilli for her birthday. The girl LOVES to play in the sand. The kids and I watched some videos and went grocery shopping. Lilli is still not napping, so she was really, REALLY grouchy in the evening. She ended up going to bed around 6:30, with no dinner (she wouldn't eat, we tried.) She woke up around 10:30, coughing/barking like a seal and crying. Uh-oh. I'd heard that cough before. I called the doctor first thing this morning and the earliest doctor appointment I could get was for 9:45 tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure she has croup. Not what a little girl needs right before her second birthday!
Tuesday, today. Tipton is back to school today. Another dreary, rainy day. But a little sunshine is coming our way - Aunt Jenni will be back today! She's going to take the train in to Malmo. We'll pick her up from the trainstation, and then the fun begins! Not sure what we'll do. Maybe just hang out at home. Maybe we'll go to a few toy stores - need to get Lilli some sand toys to go with her sand box (the sand toys will be from Tipton.)
So that's what's been going on with us the past week or so.
On Monday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. He learned to play 'balloon tennis.' His new favorite sport.
On Tuesday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. In the afternoon Eva came over with her kids. Her youngest is about Tipton's age. We all had fun playing with hot wheels cars and playing games (Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Cookin' Cookies.) Only Eva's oldest spoke/understood english but we all still had a good time.
On Wednesday Tipton went to Little Gym camp in the morning. In the afternoon Samantha came over. The kids played outside while Adriana (Samantha's Mom) and I sewed. She used my sewing machine to make some curtains.
On Thursday the kids and I went to the grocery store. I bought some plastic tennis rackets. Tipton and I played balloon tennis with a pirate balloon that I'd bought for his birthday. Lina came over in the afternoon to knit. She played some balloon tennis with Tipton, then we knit while the kiddos watched a video. Then she played some more balloon tennis.
On Friday - Dave had the day off! We drove around and found a good field for kite flying. Lilli fell asleep while the guys were flying kites (all that fresh air and sunshine was just too much for her!)
On Saturday we took the train in to Copenhagen and met up with Aunt Jenni. She changed 'lines' and is now flying into Copenhagen. So we should be seeing a lot more of her! We walked down to the pedestrian mall in Copenhagen. Jenni bought some flowers and strawberries. We ate lunch at McDonalds (of course, with two small (very picky) children where else would we eat?)
Sunday was Easter. The Easter bunny was very good to the kiddos. Lots of chocolate and tons of plastic eggs hidden all over the living room. Tipton also got a pirate figurine on a pirate horse. Lilli also got a knight on a battle horse. Those have been the coolest toys. We spent most of the day watching videos, eating chocolate and being lazy. Lilli was the first to break into the chocolate. She grabbed Tipton's chocolate bunny and started eating it from the bottom up. I guess some of the foil had torn, so she just started munching away. Tipton was upset because it was his bunny and he wanted to eat the face. So I wrestled the chocolate bunny away from Lilli and cut off the head for Tipton. Everyone was happy. Later than morning Tipton and I dyed Easter eggs. I baked a small ham for lunch, with mashed potatoes and bread. It rained all day, so we didn't get to play outside.
Monday - it rained all day. So another day trapped inside with a giant basket full of candy and two small children. Dave had the day off, and spent most of the afternoon napping on the daybed in the living room. In the morning we went to Toys R Us, to check out sandboxes. That's what we're giving Lilli for her birthday. The girl LOVES to play in the sand. The kids and I watched some videos and went grocery shopping. Lilli is still not napping, so she was really, REALLY grouchy in the evening. She ended up going to bed around 6:30, with no dinner (she wouldn't eat, we tried.) She woke up around 10:30, coughing/barking like a seal and crying. Uh-oh. I'd heard that cough before. I called the doctor first thing this morning and the earliest doctor appointment I could get was for 9:45 tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure she has croup. Not what a little girl needs right before her second birthday!
Tuesday, today. Tipton is back to school today. Another dreary, rainy day. But a little sunshine is coming our way - Aunt Jenni will be back today! She's going to take the train in to Malmo. We'll pick her up from the trainstation, and then the fun begins! Not sure what we'll do. Maybe just hang out at home. Maybe we'll go to a few toy stores - need to get Lilli some sand toys to go with her sand box (the sand toys will be from Tipton.)
So that's what's been going on with us the past week or so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)