Right now, I’m
sitting in the ED at Primary’s. Thursday
night, Aaron started coughing up blood.
Yeah, blood as in bright red, fresh, frank blood. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to make this
mama take notice. It seemed to resolve
over the night, but was replaced by some thick yellow junk. Then this morning (Saturday) about 5 a.m. his
nurse came to get me. He was having it
again. So we made the decision that he
needed to be checked out.
The good
news is that he wasn’t in trouble. He
was using a little more oxygen, and his heart rate and breathing were a little
higher than normal, but nothing we couldn’t support. So I got up and finished the work files that
absolutely had to be done and got ready to bring him up here.
Now, mid-day
at Primary’s, we’re kinda looking at him like, “and why is it that we came?” I mean, you’ve never seen someone happier and
smiley-er than he is right now. And I don’t
know what it was about the x-ray machine, but something sure was funny! He was not just smiling and giggling. He was outright laughing, so hard that he was
setting off his alarms. The two techs
and I kept chuckling at him, because it was just impossible to keep a straight
face. I wish I’d had my camera in my
hand to get a picture.
When we came
back to the room, the lab tech came in.
She’s probably most kids’ least favorite person. She’s the pokey person. IV’s, finger sticks, owies. But when she poked his finger, he just
grinned at her. When she’d pause to wipe
his hand and get a better hold on it, he flirted more.
The
attending said it has been a rough week in the ED as far as patient morale and
satisfaction goes. But Aaron seems to be
helping everyone around just smile some more.
He’s not fully himself. He’s
still using a bit more oxygen than he’s supposed to,(but he is still within our
“at home” limitations”). But so far, his
x-ray looks good and his demeanor is great.
And it may be telling that the smiles and cheerfulness started in earnest
as we walked back into the ED where all these individuals who see hurt and sick
and scared children work.
So maybe,
today’s task is to help Aaron give back just a little bit to some of those who
have given him so much. I hope he makes
their day a little brighter.
I am filled with acomfort, I am
exceeding bjoyful in all
our ctribulation.
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