A Penny For Your Thoughts...

So I have written in the past about when the kids get to come visit me at work (in the ER) and most of their visits are welcomed, and are for fun! The other night Cole paid me a little visit as a patient.

It was a Friday night, and a full moon. The ER was hoppin' with ambulances, most of which were psych's. Robert was at home getting things ready to take the kids over to their friends' house for a sleepover when Paige came running up to him and told him that Cole had swallowed something. Robert JUMPED up (as he describes it) and ran upstairs to find Cole standing there, 4 years old, all innocent and sweet. He wasn't choking. Wasn't having trouble breathing. Didn't appear to be in any distress what-so-ever. It was a huge relief for daddy, so after he caught his breath and let his heart rate slow just a bit he was able to ask Cole what he swallowed. "A coin," Cole said...

Robert had already told me he was going to stop by with the kids on their way to the sleepover so I could kiss them goodnight. So when he text'd me that he was on his way I thought nothing of it. Then he text'd "Call me."

"Can I bring Cole in to see you?" he asks.

"Sure, we are not that busy at the moment." I answer.

"OK, cause.... he swallowed a coin." He says.

What would a normal, non-ER nurse mom do? How would she react?

I say, "Is he breathing OK? Wheezing? Drooling? Coughing?"

"No." he says. OK, whew! So I start laughing.... "Sure, bring him on in!"

Thanks to the awesome team that I work with, Cole was able to get a full doctor's examination and an x-ray. We were able to see the penny, in all it's glory, happily settled in the first section on his bowel. I breathed a silent sigh of relief and then explained to Cole why we don't eat money! He has never done anything like that before in his life! And after all the attention he got in the ER, I don't think he will do it again anytime soon!