Christmas Eve 2001

I don’t know why, but tonight I have been thinking of Christmas Eve 2001.  Eric was not yet two and had been up the night before crying all night long.   I was able to get a sick call visit and he was diagnosed with a double ear and sinus infection.    My little guy was not feeling well and had not yet come to appreciate the bubble gum flavor of Amoxil.   
My siblings were all here to celebrate Christmas.   We had a big dinner of ham, scalloped potatoes etc.  I sent Joe, the girls, my mom and siblings all off to Christmas Eve Mass.    Eric was quiet and I started to clean up dinner and was picking at the ham.    

Suddenly and I mean all of a sudden, I was so incredibly sick.  It was the start of the worst stomach bug I have ever had.   By the time they came home from Mass I was barely able to make it from the bathroom to my bed.   I had tucked Eric into bed and was getting sick when I heard him retching.   Fortunately, Mass was over and reinforcements had arrived.  

Funny thing was earlier that day one of my siblings was doing their laundry and told me we were about out of laundry detergent.    Joe was able to bring it home from work and thank God for the heads up.    All night long my sister Kathleen and Joe ran up and down the stairs with dirty laundry from Eric and then from Liz.   

At 4am Christmas morning, Joe told me he had called the doctor and the three of us were going to the ER.   My head wasn’t on straight when I tried to fight him and tell him I was too sick to leave!    He and Kathleen loaded the three of us and buckets into the car and Joe brought us all to the hospital.  

They called the kids to the pediatric wing and I sat in the waiting room willing myself not to get sick.   I was called back and started the first of three IVs of fluid.   I heard a call over the PA system for the nurse for Lemoine to call.   Then I heard my nurse call and say there are three of them here, which one do you need.    I knew I was okay but one of my babies needed me and I couldn’t be there.   

At 7 am my mom whisked in.   My sister had wanted to let her sleep some before calling her.   She arrived as the second IV was flowing and I needed to know how my kids and Joe were.    Off she went to find out.    

We were discharged later that morning and spent a very quiet Christmas hugging and snuggling on the couch.   Eric has lost a substantial amount of weight for a little guy in 24 hours and needed a follow up on December 26th.  

Joe had to go to work so though I was shaky, we loaded in the car to the doctor.   The doctor asked who had called her in the middle of the night because that guy was truly panicking.    That guy was my husband.  That was the guy who always stepped back and let me handle all medical.    That night though, while in complete panic, he took charge and took care of each one of us.   That is the guy I married.   He is the guy who will stand up and take care of each one of us even when he isn’t quite sure how.