Rachel's teacher invited me to participate in a class field trip yesterday. The field trip was to the Macon Grand Opera House to watch a play based on the book authored by Judith Viorst called, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." I had no idea that the title of this book would be applicable to my day too. And, Anna's.
Actually, the play was enjoyable. And, even after living here for many years, I had never attended a play or show at the Macon Grand Opera House. The only non-enjoyable part was the bus ride to and from Macon. Imagine yourself locked in a small room with 100 very loud 5- and 6-year-old children. This is what it is like riding in a school bus. I told Rachel's teacher that if they really wanted to torture prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, they would record this sound and play it to the prisoners all throughout the day and night. I developed a whole new respect for school bus drivers. They are either deaf and/or have the patience of Job.
And, it was interesting watching the teachers prepare everyone for the trip. Before we leave our home to go out, we are always telling the girls to use the restroom prior to leaving the house to avoid potty runs once we arrive at our destination. I have two children that I have to do this with. Now, multiply that times twenty. And, having twenty children tell you "I don't have to go." And, I heard the Parapro telling them, "Please try and go. There is no bathroom on the bus." It's like having twenty children to care for throughout the day. Truly, teachers aren't paid nearly enough money.
After spending the entire day with Rachel and her class, we took the girls to gymnastics in the evening. After we got home, Rachel was eager to watch her new Enchanted DVD. The girls requested popcorn so I made some. However, I don't cook it in the microwave. I cook it the old fashioned way....with oil, popcorn kernels, and a pot on the stove top. However, as soon as I brought the bowl of hot popcorn into the living room, started the movie, and sat down, Anna asked for a fruit roll-up. I asked her to have some popcorn instead and that I would get up in a few minutes to get a fruit roll-up. I just wanted to sit for five minutes to catch my breath after a long busy day. Jeff was out roller blading so he wasn't around to assist. Anna then decided she could not wait and proceeded to the kitchen to climb onto the counter tops to reach the upper cabinets herself. And, here is where my day (and hers) goes south. As Jeff once said, if we survive Anna....we'll have lots of interesting stories. And, here is one.
I heard her crying and I ran into the kitchen. She decided to climb onto the counter top on the right side and walk across the stove top to reach the cabinet with the fruit-roll ups on the left side. She stepped onto a hot stove top where I had just cooked the popcorn and burned the bottoms of both of her feet. I quickly put her feet into a pot with cool water to stop the burning but I could not yet determine how badly or exactly where the burning occurred. Yet, every time I removed her feet from the cold water she started screaming. So, I called the pediatrician and they recommended that I bring her to the emergency room at the local hospital. Thankfully, they got her in pretty quickly after we arrived. But, again, she would scream when her feet were removed from the water. They applied cream and wrapped her feet in bandages but it took a shot of morphine to calm her down. I imagine the trauma of the burn coupled with a hospital and the fact that it was way past her bedtime contributed to Anna being in such a state of panic. I was happy that they gave her the shot to relax her. She quickly fell asleep and after monitoring her for a while longer, they sent us home around 11 pm. They determined that her burns were second degree.
This morning I brought her to the pediatrician for a follow-up. He thought the burns were between first and second degree in different areas. Luckily, she didn't burn the entire bottoms of her feet. And, since the skin on the bottom of the feet is thicker than other areas of our body, this helped her to some extent. She has been able to walk for short periods by using the heel of one foot and the tippey toes of the other. She is by no means able to go to school or walk around independently for long periods. We have to change the foot dressings twice daily and we'll have to go back to the doctor on Friday to have her feet re-checked. Here is a picture of Anna taken today with her bandaged feet right before our afternoon nap (we both needed a nap).
It never occurred to me until now to put things down lower--a snack drawer, cups, etc. You know...easily accessed at a child's height. We've always gotten everything for them if they could not reach it. I'm going to set up an area down low with snacks and cups that is within easy reach so they aren't so dependent on us to get everything that they need and to discourage any future climbing on cabinets. However, I don't think either child will even think of climbing on cabinets after this experience. I just wish this had occurred to me sooner. And, like other parents, I'm left wishing that I had just gotten up to get the fruit roll-up like she asked. Hindsight is 20/20.
I'm thankful the burns weren't worse. And, I'm even more thankful that Anna doesn't appear to be in significant pain today. We were very fortunate.
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