Bees bees everywhere

Half way through dinner last night, I realised that Jordan had what looked like bites on her arm. On closer inspection, I realised that they weren't mosquito bites but something worse. It was all over her arm. And when I flipped up her t-shirt, I realised that entire back was welted and red and swollen. It looked like a pink patchwork of mosquito bites.

My heart stopped when I saw that. I knew what hives were. I knew they were a reaction to something she had ingested. I knew it could get worse in moments. Of course, I had to contend with remarks like "oh, maybe it's just a lot of mosquito bites", "maybe it's Hand Foot and Mouth!" to "Maybe she's just hot!" while I tried to figure out whether to wait for the paediatrician to open or to rush her to the ER. Honestly, if I wasn't so pre-occupied with trying to figure out how to get Jordan to help before the reaction became more serious, I would have hit someone.

A phone call to my brother determined my plan of action. He'd worked in Paeds emergency before so he knew exactly what to do. I'm also thankful that he's got the most calm and bo chap voice in the world because there's nothing worse for a mother to hear anxiety in a physician's voice. He confirmed what I thought. Hives. He confirmed the need to go to the ER. So, armed with that, we bundled her off to the ER.

Of course, the girl couldn't care less that she had a flustered, fluttering mommy around her. She was just happy to have broken out of routine, her dinner being forgotten and left on the table and her being able to go out with mommy. Thankfully also, the wait in the ER was short and the doctor gave me instructions on how to treat the hives while I wrestled with a little squirmy worm who wanted to yank and pull at all the wires and stick her fingers in electric points.

Being in an ER is frightening because you are confronted with all the things that could possibly happen to all your children. The boy who's entire hand, especially his thumb, was bandaged, the girl who was doubled over in pain and crying, another boy who was on a gurney, half conscious and being rushed somewhere... Not. Funny.

I am thankful Baby J went home with me and her hives settled through the night even though we still have to watch out for it flaring up again. I am once again amazed at how mommies don't drive themselves crazy with worry about all the things that happen and can happen to their children. For me, it's double the worry. But like Packrat constantly reminds me, that's why we need faith. That's why we commit our children to God. That's why we need to realise that it's an endeavour larger than us and that a Higher Being is in control. That's why we pray.

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