Tips you MUST READ to be prepared for an emergency!

2

jctileLast January, I was startled to hear screaming coming from my girls bedroom. It was that scream that every mother dreads, the “something really is wrong, I am not faking, I need my Mommy” animalistic noise. Bolting up the stairs, I knew this was bad and panic started setting in. Even before getting to the scene of the accident, my thoughts began to race about the trip to the Emergency Room.

  • My husband is in Mexico and we do not have an international phone plan.
  • It is 9:00 p.m. and I have two other children to deal with during this crisis.
  • I am alone. I hate blood. I am not the best person in this situation! In all other medical emergencies my husband, a doctor, has taken the lead.

I bolt into darkness, switch on the light and see my daughter with her mouth open wide but now with no sound. It is the sign of severe pain as she gasps to gather enough air in her lungs to start the gut wrenching screaming again. Without any sort of medical knowledge, I immediately diagnose that something is broken at her left wrist. The hand just dangles, the whole wrist area is crooked, and her hand and fingers are totally not the same color of the rest of her body! This is an emergency and there is no time sit and collect my thoughts…I just have to react!

IMG_1673

 

I learned so much that night. They are all obvious tips, but are things you can prepare ahead of time and have ready to go if this ever happens to you!

  • Have a list of trustworthy family, friends, sitters/nannies, and neighbors at your fingertip! Make sure to have a conversation with these individuals to let them know they are your “Emergency Contact” person in case something happens at your home. They make every employee at any workplace have an emergency person to call. Have one for your home too!
  • Know the hospitals in your area that specialize in emergency pediatric care. Plan ahead and know how to get to those hospitals. Ask your pediatrician for his/her recommendation and experiences. We also have a list of specialized pediatric emergency rooms in a prior post here.
  • Things you should have in your purse at all times: an insurance card and list of each of your children’s daily medications. My daughter takes several medications for allergies and I was expected under the stress of the situation to recall it all! I now have a list for all 3 of my kids so I am prepared. I also have a spare cell phone charger in my purse. I am a mother of 3 and need to be able to check in on my other children, update family members, and communicate with other specialists to schedule appointments if needed.
  • Keep calm! Your child needs to stay as calm as possible, and they are following your lead. Get ready to push the stress down deep. You must keep in the tears, anger, frustration, and any other emotion that could challenge you to lose focus. Instead, start distracting your child as best as possible. We played “I Spy,” spotted letters and numbers, and listed our favorite princesses. I now have some simple card games in my purse to help me with this phase. The toughest part was keeping a positive attitude while being honest with my daughter. Is it broken? Oh yes! Is it going to hurt? Yes, but the doctor’s main goal is to make it better. Do I have to get a shot? Yes, but I will hold your hand!
  • Finally, after the cast is put on, follow up appointments made, and the angel is rested, it is time to discuss what happened. I believe it is important to review the situation leading up to the accident or incident. If there is something that needs to be fixed in the house to prevent a situation, fix it! If it was foolish playing (like in my incident), a conversation about the situation needs to occur. A review of expectations for future behavior needs to be established – all of this followed up with more hugs.
  • Last thing: Love that child, Laugh about it after the initial pain is gone, and Live on! Trust me, it may not be the last broken bone. In the case of our 3 kids, bones #6 and #7 broke that night!!!

Do you have tips to add to the list? What did you learn from your emergency room visits? Comment below. 

 

Previous articleHow to Support Your Divorced Mom Friends
Next articleDo You Know What To Wear for Family Photos?
Jenny Castle
Jenny Castle has loved living in Arizona for the last 7 years with her husband, Erik and three children (Ava, Olivia and Vaughn…plus Magnus their Yorkiepoo). Jenny occupies her time as a stay at home mother. She is constantly on the go to golf, tennis, music lessons and prides herself on her chauffeuring skills. In her spare time she is always looking for a Date Night with the hubby, Girls Night Out, movies, and any reason to socialize! At home Jenny likes to put together puzzles with Olivia, listen to books written by Ava, and play super heroes with Vaughn. On the off chance the remote is in her hand you will most likely see a reality TV show on….she is a confessed reality show junkie who loves the drama!

2 COMMENTS

Comments are closed.