gross-eries

Yesterday, I got a call from the kids' school, just as I was gathering my cookie baking ingredients, saying, "come quick! Rachael is in pain and can't walk!" She did manage to walk to the car, and we set off for the ER. A little insight into my state of mind..we wanted to take her to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as it is the best around...but I had to check with her as we were on the expressway..."how old are you?"-- "seventeen, Mom."-- "right, okay."

She was in the worst pain of her life and was writhing and also becoming nauseous. When I arrived at the hospital, I got caught on the big circular drive that is new and takes you all around the whole complex. I had to go around TWICE before I could find the entrance for the ER. And you know what happened. She tried to open the door, but we were approaching a bus on her side, and just didn't have the clearance, especially for our car's huge doors. I gave her my jacket, but the explosive nature of the, ahem, event, was not to be contained.

Once we FINALLY got inside, she was triaged fairly quickly, but was unable to even be still enough for a temp. reading. Unfortunately, everything from that point on went on slow motion. She was in a wheelchair, clutching at herself, moaning and writhing around for a good twenty minutes while the desk people studied points over our heads. It took another two and a half hours before they got a small dose of morphine into her. In the meantime were some pretty harrowing moments. She rolled, pounded, cried, moaned, and I just patted her arm and stroked her hair and cried. Sometimes I would call the nurse just to remind them of her agony.

Her boyfriend came to sit with us, and graciously bought me a slice of hospital pizza, not too bad! and was spared the worst, as she was returning from the ultrasound when he arrived. He gave her his shoes and he left with us in socks. It was about 25 degrees outside. 

Once the meds took hold, and her head cleared a bit, her first words were, "I have to get my portfolio done"! (She is applying to art colleges, and is trying to get all the required stuff in by Dec.15th for early decision). Good grief.

After all was said and done, they never really had a firm diagnosis, but one of the things on the table was an ovarian cyst. The sudden onset and resolution seemed to fit, because once the morphine wore off, the pain was gone. Her older sister had this exact scenario, minus the pain med, and it all seemed to add up.

So--today! Here is what I am doing.

                                                            the aftermath in the car.

                                                  and Rachael, getting a little R&R.

and my secret weapon. well, okay not exactly secret, but it seems to be doing the job in the car and the clothes. The car may actually be a multi- step process, say, until sometime next year.



When she wakes up I plan to tell her she should fare pretty well in childbirth someday, as then, at least, the pain subsides off and on, and after that she will be blessed with a little gift from God, just as I was seventeen years ago.