I HATE hospitals!

I repeat... I HATE HOSPITALS! Needles, blood, the smell of disinfectant, people sounding like they are dying, thinking about germs every time you turn the corner, worrying, doctors in no hurry, trying not to think about what they are doing to who ever you are there for... I hate everything about them!

We have been three times in the past two weeks! Let me explain a little further. I had NEVER... NEVER been to the ER (for me or anyone else) before I met Tyler. Call me lucky, call me fortunate, call me stupid, whatever... we just didn't go, you waited until the doctor was open. Also we weren't crazy kids who did things like set up two trampolines and jump over a fence!

Whatever the cause, I survived 18 years of my life without stepping foot in an ER or having any hospital stays. Now that I've met Tyler, I've been 4 times for him, 7 times for Mallori, 2 times for myself, and 1 for Jace. A little ridiculous don't you think? I do!

To make a long story short... Here are our trips listed out..

1. A couple of days after the hurricane, Tyler stands up under a carport at Sean's and finds the flag pole bracket. After a consult with about 3 EMTS, we go to ER. Result: 2 stitches
2. Jace runs after a ball in his room (why were we throwing balls AND running in the house?) Lands on the first two fingers on his right hand with them bent. We think nothing is wrong, just hurts, but he keeps crying... very unlike Jace. The next morning, both fingers are bruised across his middle knuckle. We take him to the doctor who sends us for X-rays. Jace's favorite part of the day was getting to see his bones! Result: Nothing broken. Just give him Motrin. Which we didn't have to do for the tough little booger.
3. Tyler calls me at work and completely freaks me out. (Just ask the girls in the office!) He is having his headaches again, a sharp pain right above/behind his right eye. However, the room starts spinning, his ears are ringing and popping, he falls if standing up and vomits and his face goes numb. Result: About 6 hours in the ER with a cat scan, lap results, and the threat of a spinal tap, they tell us to go see his doctor tomorrow at 1:30.... in case you missed it.. they didn't do ANYTHING! No medicine for the nausea, nothing they can do for the ringing in the ears, no pain meds for the headaches, not even something to knock him out until tomorrow. GGRRR not only did we waste who knows how much $$$$ but we wasted an entire day and no answers! In case you can't tell, I'm FRUSTRATED! Apparently, they can't even do an MRI in ER without admitting you....

On a happier note, Mallori had her first soccer game and practice and enjoys it. She was upset about her daddy being sick because "he can't been my coach.. he's sick." I'm hoping he's OK by then baby!

Lessons Learned from Ike

• Tree frogs (the little green slimy ones) will stick around and cry for water even during a torrential downpour and 100+ mile winds.
• Little boys are hard to entertain without electricity.
• Mommies can substitute for electricity.
• Big boys are impossible to entertain without electricity!
• If disparate enough, you can shave your legs in a mud puddle. Just listen for cars passing by!
• 5 adults, 1 kid, and 2 dogs can live in two rooms of one house for a week off of a generator.
• 3 year old little boys can teach their 70+ year old great-grandmother how to use a flashlight with great patience.
• My family needs to work on our vocabulary. Throughout two games of scrabble the longest word was "Tattoo."
• Love bugs love the smell of gasoline!!!
• You can cook gumbo, rice, pancakes, eggs, and bacon on a fish fryer.
• Air mattresses are made for two people.
• Little boys think air mattresses make good trampolines.
• Fans work wonders!! Especially if there are two old women snoring in the room with the AC.
• Emergency room waits are shorter when 70% of the town is evacuated.
• Cops do not really enforce the curfew, as long as you don't look suspicious.
• Little kids and grandmothers do not understand the concept of electricity. They will ask you a million times if they can do something just to hear you say "That works on electricity..."
• You're best bet for a hot shower is to befriend someone with a gas powered hot water heater.
• If you aren't friendly enough, you can take a hot bath by boiling a pot of water on a fish fryer and combining with cold water.
• Dogs can chew off the wires of a generator.
• I can get spoiled to working from home easily... very easily!

On a side note, I posted some of my pictures from the hurricane here. Let me know what you think. We didn't have any damage to speak of. Jace's pirate ship docked in the front yard, loosing pieces along the way and his sandbox lid ended up in the road in front of the neighbors house. Our outside AC unit was almost knocked off of the cement block but it slid back into place without a problem and seems to be working! We were very lucky! God was definitely looking out for us!

Ike

We have decided to ride this one out. More of a lack of decision that forced us into the decision! I'm not waiting forever in traffic. We'll take our chances here! Thank goodness we don't have any trees close to the house! I'll update as things go on... so hang on... Here comes Ike!!