911

On Sunday morning I made my first, and hopefully last call, to 911.

It was 9:00 am, we were almost all ready for church, we were actually going to be on time, and Richard was on his flight home.  I was in the bathroom putting on my make-up and I knew that Bridget was in there with me.  The last few days she had been climbing on Marshall's potty, but I had never stopped her, seeing as it is so close to the ground.  Well, while climbing on it at 9:00 am on Sunday she fell off and smacked her head on the tile floor.  She immediately started screaming and I quickly picked her up.  I was cradling her in my arms and I was walking in to the living room to get her binky and blanket, the two sure things that calm her down.  As I was getting them I thought to myself, "Wow, I have never heard her cry like this."  Right after that thought went through my head she immediately stopped crying (not even a whimper), went completely limp in my arms, her face got pale, and her breathing became quick and shallow.  By this time I was sitting in a chair and I had her binky, which she wasn't taking.  Her eyes kept opening and closing, but she wasn't moving, and she wasn't responding to me.  

I immediately remembered our friends, the Rowans, whose daughter passed out a couple of times after a hard hit to the head.  Thanks to this memory, I wasn't too panicked, but still very nervous.  I was sure she had just passed out due to the pain/crying so hard/head trauma.  

My next thought was that Richard was not home, and because he was on the plane, he was unreachable.  

So, my next logical thought was to call 911.  I just wanted some medical reassurance to help me know if she should go to the hospital.

So I placed the call.  My voice was a little shaky, but as soon as I told dispatch that I had a 14 month old who had just passed out after hitting her head, they immediately transferred me to the closest fire department.  As I retold the story the second time I was more calm.  Within three minutes an ambulance and a fire truck pulled up.  

During all of this Bridget had been passed out for just about a minute.  She took her binky shortly after she came to, but she didn't make any noise and she didn't move at all.  I was still holding her in the same position when the paramedics came in and do you know what she did when they walked in the door...she lifted her head up and waved.  Unbelievable.  But, believe me, I was thrilled and very relieved to see her do that!  

The paramedics were so nice even though I told them I'm sure I overreacted.  They said I made the right choice to call them.  They stayed with us for a while and looked in Bridget's eyes, ears, felt her head, tested her reflexes, and tickled her.  By the time they left she was walking around and seemed to be fine.  They told me to look for signs of a concussion, but fortunately she was just fine.

When Richard got home that afternoon he frequently looked in her eyes, felt her head, and asked her to do some simple things she knows how to do.  She passed every test he gave her.  She didn't sleep very well Sunday night (she has had a cold), but we were always both so relieved to hear her cry every couple of hours! 

I am also happy to report that Bridget has not gone near Marshall's potty since Sunday morning.  :)