Day 41 – Monkey bars

When I wrote yesterday about adapting my schedule to my family and work on a daily basis, I had no idea what was in store for today… The happy ending you should know up front is that my 8-year-old daughter is going to be fine. The beginning of the story was when en route to my 1 p.m. client meeting her school called to say she had fallen on the jungle gym at recess – landing on her back and head from an uncertain height.

I have received about a dozen calls from the school secretary in three years ranging from stomach aches and wet pants to fevers and rashes. But the monkey bars call was the one I dreaded most and just knew I would get one day. At first, they thought she seemed okay. Her head hurt, but I talked to her and she was okay going back to class. No need to panic or cancel my meeting. Then the second call came saying her head was really hurting now… wrap up meeting quickly with my very understanding client… head toward car and get the third call saying Anna started throwing up. Panic!

With Scott about to board a flight home from Albuquerque, I could only fly on the interstate to get there asap while trying to calm the thoughts racing through my head. At some point during the 30 minute drive I called the pediatrician who said to get her to the ER…drive faster. Policeman will have to understand…

Exactly 3 hours and 10 throw ups later a CT scan at Children’s Hospital reported she had no internal injuries – just a concussion that would heal with rest. There is nothing like holding your sleepy, snuggling child in a hospital room and hearing good news like that. All of your hopes are restored, and your nightmares buried away. You count your blessings and want to wrap them in bubble wrap with helmets on for the next 20 years.

Anna came home – only two more throw ups on the way – went right to sleep and got up later for a snack seeming much more like her sweet little self.

And – at 10 p.m. – my husband asked me if I was still going to exercise. Of course not – after a nerve-wrecking day like this? But he and I convinced myself that with two sleeping kiddos why not just do 23 minutes of my stretching show? And – in fact – it was the right thing to do. The stress of today floated away and gave me time to contemplate how fortunate I am.

So yesterday, when I was at the school for a meeting and my daughter’s lunch break – nothing happened. I work from home, and I can be at school in exactly 3 minutes. But when I have one of my 6 meetings of the year outside of my neighborhood, an emergency strikes. Ironically, I turned down a part-time job today that I’ve been contemplating for a week. It would have required me to be in a downtown office at least 2 days a week. I just couldn’t do it. Among other factors, I’m not ready to give up the flexibility to be at school in a flash if I need to be. And sure enough, today – with its happy ending – was the sign of a very right decision.