Nope, not ER as in the television show.
I wish.
ER as in last night we had to go to the ER. It was my first ER trip as a mother. Around 4 PM last night I was making a few phone calls and Ronan started making a gasping sound. Since we've had to call 911 once already for him choking (back in Septmeber) I don't take gasping sounds lightly - in fact I kind of panic.
I picked him up and listened. Everytime he tried to take a deep breath he would gasp. We gave him a drink of water, incouraged him to cough and I monitored him closly. He was acting fine and wasn't turning blue or anything but he kept making the sound, like he was occasionally gasping for breath. I listen to his lungs and he seemed to be breathing into his belly so that worried me.
After about 10 minutes Seth and I decided that, although Ronan was up playing and laughing, the gasping sound wasn't going away and we just weren't sure. So we bundled up the kids and drove to town. We first checked at our ND's office but she had gone home for the night so we proceeded to the ER.
We were the only ones there and the nurses didn't take us seriously since Ronan was acting fine but my heart was in my throat. I'm always nervous about those places. I answered all their questions.
No, we don't vaccinate.
No, we don't have insurance.
No, we don't qualify for Medi-Cal because my partner is a day laborer.
His regular doctor is Donnalee Hart.
No, she's an ND.
No, he wasn't born here, he was born at home.
Can you actually look at my baby now?
The nurses checked him out and then observed us like hawks until the doc came around to check him about 15 minutes later. We knew that they were "observing" us. How we were interating with our children - do the children have any injuries - that sort of thing. Ronan ran around smiling and laughing and he didn't make the sound the whole time we were there.
The doc listened to his lungs and looked in his ears, throat and nose and declared that he seemed fine and was probably just making a new noise for fun. The doc then signed out our chart and told us if he develops a fever over the next 4-5 days then we have to bring him back for lung x-rays in case he did suck something into his lungs.
He glanced over our chart and said, "Is he up-to-date on his vaccinations?"
"We don't vaccinate." I said again.
"Oh, good." He said and told me where to sign the chart. I signed us out and we went out for Pizza to take our minds off the ER.
I can't help but go over and over the whole ordeal in my mind. The nurses seemed really judgmental and not cool with our obvious "hippy" lifestyle but the doc seemed easy going and open minded. There are so many horror stories of hospital employees calling CPS, Seth and I were so scared but we really thought Ronan was choking on something.
This event was yet another confirmation for Seth and I that we are safer practicing our natural parenting lifestyle here in Mendocino then anywhere else. At least we have the chance of encountering open minded people in that situation. How would be visit an ER in Utah? We would be scared out of our minds.
The good news in all of this is that Ronan is Ok and yes, he still makes the sound but at this point we figure it's just that - a sound. It's really sad that when I have to go to the ER I'm nearly as worried about CPS and paying the bill then I am about whatever is bringing us to the ER in the first place.
