Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Girl that Goes "Bump" in the Night


"Mama, really, I AM FINE. I JUST WANT TO GO HOME" Whoozyerkid (pictured above trying to look pitiful) exclaimed as I attempted to spoon her on the gurney in the ER hallway.

And really, she was fine, with just a little forehead bump threatening to get downright goose-eggy. It's just that earlier that night she thudded out of bed resulting in a red bump and an "only Mommy can soothe me" cry and that whole Natasha Richardson thing just put me on high alert. She was beautiful, in the prime of her life and said she was "fine", even laughing her fall off. She refused medical attention for at least an hour and then... well, we all know the story.

So--two weeks ago it would have been an ice pack and a kiss and back to bed with her. But Friday night it was a paranoid trip to the E.R. "We're definitely seeing an increase" in hand-wringing moms bringing their head-injured kids to the Walnut Creek Kaiser ER the admitting nurse told me.

Would this episode qualify me as a Munchausen by Proxy case?

No. Thank God I came to my senses. Two hours after the incident at 1:15 AM my child was fine and I was quickly working through my basement stash of bribery toys sans birthday presents. With the threat of a restocking expedition looming it was time to bail. Compliment Whoozyerkid on her new Barbie purse next time you see her.