A scarey day!!

Hello :)))

*** THIS IS REALLY FOR MY RECORD....DON'T FEEL YOU HAVE TO READ THIS NOVEL***

Back home again now with loads of washing and packing away....Kindy Christmas concerts and end of year activities, make - up swimming lessons to be had since we missed one last week, getting over a 24hr bug and my day today started like this.

Up at 4.30 (yep!) getting a few things like some washing started and some odd jobs done before the boys get up, getting DH off to work....planning a great day with my two boys....I was going to finish some washing, ironing (boring I know!!) and then we were going to do lots of Christmas craft, make presents and do cards for all Riley's Kindy friends and teachers....well none of it happened!!

Well I managed 2 loads of washing and while just starting to peg the 2nd load out, Riley come around from the back of the house, screaming...and I mean screaming, like the one where your heart stops beating...saying 'I've been bitten' over and over mean while lifting up his shirt to reveal to me...2 puncture wounds on his back!!!! I did not hesitate..washing stayed outside unhung in the basket, I got both boys inside, trying to calm Riley down and ask him what he saw and what he did....of course he was in pain and couldn't clearly tell me. 

(and no..Emerald hospital does NOT look like this...lol!!)

I phoned ahead to the emergency and they were waiting for Riley.  I am forever thankful that my dear sister met me at the hospital and took Finlay for me....I was scared....totally scared I had no idea what to expect.  I didn't see it happen, I didn't go a check out the back for what it was...my number 1 priority was my little boy...  Riley needed every person to hold him down...he was petrified...10 drs and nurses standing all over him, getting the snake kit and testing the wounds.  He just kept calling out for me, shaking, screaming...I was doing all I could to keep it together while trying to calm him down, and telling him it was going to be all right. 

After 4 unsuccessful attempts to get a vein (due to Riley moving because it hurt, therefore the vein collapsed) to get some blood tests, they decided to use numbing cream and do it that way.  So while that was doing its job (numbing the area), he calmed down, the nurses bought him some colouring pencils and book...I talked about this that and everything, trying to take his mind off it....

It was then that we found out it WASN'T a snake bite but what was it???? No one really knows....All I can say is was a huge relief...I know that snakes don't usually bite that high up on the body but my boys love to zoom their trucks around on the concrete path and when they get to the grass they like to 'crash' (as boys do) and roll onto the grass.  All I could think of was that he did this and rolled onto a snake...

Now we do live in town...we don't live in the bush but we do side onto a boundary fence, which on the other side of the fence is a vineyard and then on the other side of the house is a vacant block which much to our disgust is not kept neat and tidy.  Ever since we moved in and the neighbours said they have seen 8 brown snakes in 3 years, I have been teaching the boys to look every time they step outside...always have shoes on (!!) and if they see one, run as fast as you can back inside and tell mummy. Since the floods last year, there are alot more snakes around this summer, so you can never be too careful I reckon...

Well getting back to the hospital...can I just say how much I LOVE the small town community and the care they have for each other....I had a complete stranger come up to me and said she heard my little boy screaming so she went out to Toyworld and came back with some toys for Riley...I mean I was floored...I cannot thank her enough for being so thoughtful and caring...it really helped in keeping him distracted.

So in the end, a vein was had, the first of many bloods were taken and we were told we were being admitted to the ward for a 9 hour observation with a possible overnight stay.  He is getting on okay but at 5pm his blood tests were still showing a rising in his muscle value (?) if you are a nurse or dr you might understand.  So until they lower (they are taking blood every couple of hours) he stays in hospital.

I am sorry for typing this all up...thank you if you got this far in reading, I don't really expect you to...I was just typing this up for my records.  Think I will have to scrap this story!

I am also very, very glad that the drs and nurses of A&E took this seriously and did everything possible to make the experience less frightening for Riley and also not once did they make me feel silly for taking him to the hospital...you just never know these days.

So that was my day....how was yours????

I am dying to scrap...its been 2 weeks... but family needs must come first! Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things soon!

Take care
xx