Regardless ...
My girlfriend called this afternoon. She's an ER nurse. They've just moved back into town. Her son (not quite two), fell and hit his head at their new local pool. When he woke up from a nap, he was vomiting and not focusing well with his eyes.
She called me as she was driving him to the hospital. She had left her husband (a doctor) at home with their daughter, who is almost five (I also used to nanny her when she was just a little baby). Because they have the one car, he was stuck at the house.
After finding out at the hospital they'd be doing a CT Scan, he asked if I'd come and get him, take him to the hospital to meet up with his wife and son, and take his daughter.
But of course.
I drove over to their house, about a ten minute drive, and gave him the keys. He drove us over to the hospital, ran a few red lights and I might've learned some new curse words in Cuban. After dropping them off and taking their daughter back to my house, I had some time to pause and think.
And I thought of my baby brother.
When he was three, we were at our local pool. There were two pools side by side. One for the 'big kids' (damn elusive deep end!) and the other had more shallow end, and a slide attached. I remember being in that pool, but on the wall farthest from the slide. I have a vague memory of my mom in the pool, at the bottom of the slide. And I have a vague memory of my baby brother (who was so physical for his age) climbing up the ladder of the swimming pool slide.
Except, my brother missed the top rung and fell all. the. way. down. He landed flat on his back, and cracked his head. My mom has said that getting out of the water was the slowest thing she's ever had to do. And someone yanked me out of the water from behind and turned me away. I remember screaming for my brother.
In a flurry of activity, the local amublance came by, whisked my mom and brother away, and I was stuck in a car with a woman I didn't really know.
And so in my backseat was sitting this little girl who I knew so very well, but didn't really remember me at all. And I needed to make her okay, remembering everything I'd felt when I was just about her age.
My brother couldn't be stablized, so they were never able to take him Flight For Life to Denver. He went into a coma and stayed that way for three days. When I was finally able to see him, I gave him his treasured beat-up brown teddy bear that played "Twinkle, Twinkle". When he saw me, he said my name (well, his butchered up version of it anyway) and I remember breaking down. God.
My girlfriend called to tell me the CT Scan looks alright, but he has a small skull fracture.
Any or all good wishes you have to send would be good. And prayers. Whatever it is you offer, offer it up.
And how is my brother? He's still here. He had some trouble following the accident. He couldn't see things just right. Had trouble reading. The words would go up and to the right. I'm hoping against hope this isn't the same. It can't be the same.
Good thoughts, people.
Labels: baby brother, flashback, news
