Concussion

My babies are all sleeping now. I took a few extra minutes to sing to them, laying in bed with Kate, and hold Rachel Lee's hand while she dozed off. It was a peaceful way to spend the final moments of their waking day. It was nice. I cherish moments like this, especially after crazy moments like we all experienced this afternoon.

I picked Hannah up from school. It's teacher appreciation day at school next Thursday and as room mom (I was somewhat roped in...) I needed to coordinate a group card and gift (I was actually asked to do this in an email...). So, I was explaining to an Indian mom what Teacher Appreciation Day is since it was not a National holiday on her calendar, when another mom came walking up holding Hannah. She said that Hannah fell and "it was a bad one." I thanked her for bringing me Hannah, passed off my card duty onto another mom, my co-room mom who just had a baby and is somewhat preoccupied, and tended to Hannah. I got an ice pack from the office and iced her head on the walk home. I carried Rachel Lee in my Ergo since Hannah said she didn't want to walk home today - fair enough, I thought.

When we got home she climbed into bed and started to fall asleep. It then dawned on me that I probably should not let her sleep until I was sure she was okay. I enticed her with a show and she said she was too tired to get up, but I made her get up and she slumped down on the couch. I looked at her head, which was bruising, not swelling, and had a scrap on her eyelid. I asked her how she felt and she said, "Not good." I gave her some Tylenol in case she had a headache and set her on the couch with a show. I Googled head injury and the internet seemed to say that vomit, loss of consciousness and amnesia were a concern (you, think??) but that most head injuries did not need medical help.

That's when the vomit started. And then she stumbled back down the hall towards the couch. She flopped on the couch and said she was tired. Then she only responded to my questions with moans and groans while her eyes were shut even after I told her "This is not a game. I need you to open your eyes and talk to me." Nothing but moans. I called Kaiser and a screening nurse asked if she had slurred speech, so I asked Hannah to say, "I am five years old," which she then repeated, "I am four years old" with a droopy left side of her mouth and not really forming the words well so she sounds somewhat slurred. I asked her to do it again, looking at me, and saying five years old, so she did, "I am five years old" still slurred. Kaiser told me "Hang up and call 9-1-1 immediately."

Now this is the second time Kaiser has told me to call 9-1-1, once when Hannah was had a high fever and was breathing hard and now, both times I was debating whether to take her to the ER or just wait a while. (No one had to tell me to call 9-1-1 when Rachel Lee had her seizure). Instead I called Jeff, who happened to take the car to work today, and he immediately came home and took her to the ER. He was here rather quickly, and the whole time I was talking to Hannah, keeping her awake, prepared to call 9-1-1 if something worsened.

At the ER they examined her and recommended a CAT Scan. Hannah held very still for the scan and she even reported to Jeff that it was "fun." The doctor said the scan came out looking good, so there was no internal bleeding and she could go home suffering from a concussion and nothing more. PRAISE GOD!

Hannah is home now and needs to take it easy the next few days. It was so scarey this afternoon, and I am so blessed to have so many people pray for Hannah and me when things got stressful. I posted on Facebook, asking people to pray for Hannah and I received text messages from my sister Jenna, Jeff's brother Luke and sister in law Erin, a call from my mom, and then this is what was said on Facebook:

 h is in the er getting a cat scan after she fell and hit her head at school. please pray for her...
Jenny Wallace McFadden oh no! let us know how it goes!
Heather Ashe will do! Oh dear mamma, praying for you too.
Stephanie Ernster Sending prayers!
Linda Hobbs Lazet Will do. I had one in October when I hit the deck here pretty hard. They aren't scary or painful, but she'll be unhappy at staying still.
Jodi Weideman Sexton So sorry! Hope she is ok!
Ivy Berkowitz Bowles ‎((hugs and prayers))..
 Melissa Macauley hope all goes well.
Joanna Hopewell Nichols oh my post when you know something
Shannon Padrick Magana ‎:/ Praying for your sweet girl and you!! Tikva Peace Praying for her!
Nickand Danielle Janssen Praying!
Lindsay Malloy Morgan Praying for Captain Hannah!! :)
Bebe Frank We are!
Sarah Nichols Murry thanks for all your prayers and thoughts...CT scan looks good so she is just told to take it easy. drs say it is a concussion so she needs to rest but we are so thankful it's not more serious!!
Shannon Padrick Magana Great news! Thank you, Lord!
Roxana Loa Perdue that's scary! so glad she's ok.
Connie Morgan Nicholson I'll still be praying for her. Glad she's ok!
Sarah Nichols Murry thanks everyone!! it is so neat to have so much support...what a crazy day!
Christine Nichols Morgan Just getting this; oh no! So glad she is okay. Debbie had a bad fall when she was really little and we didn't have insurance. It's scarey.

What a blessing it is to have community, near and far. And even more, what a blessing it is to have peace of mind and a healthy daughter. It really makes those dishes sitting at the sink and the laundry piled up next to me on the couch seem less important than taking time to lay with my daughters as they fall asleep.  

Thank you Lord for slowing me down to see the really important things in life. And thank you for protecting Hannah.