for part 1, go here
when the transport from wolfson's arrived, titus was asleep on my shoulder. we woke him and they put him in a neck brace. then we moved him onto a gurney and they began to strap him in. i was already somewhat familiar with the process (since we have done a transport before), so i knew that the ambulance they used for these things was basically an ICU on wheels (and thus incredibly intimidating to look at). because they were preparing for the worst, they needed to give him an IV (in case they needed to administer any medications during the drive).
up to this point, titus had been really quiet. aside from one moment of excitement while telling the big boys about his CT scan, he had really not said much- not to me, not to the doctors. he allowed them all to do what they needed to (which is pretty normal for him, but a little astonishing to all of the people working with him, as most two-year-olds are a little fussier than him). but when they stuck him with the IV needle, he lost it. strapped down to that gurney, he screamed and cried while i stood by, holding his hand and whispering to him that it would all be over soon and that he would get to watch "robin hood" while he was driving. once the IV was in, i signed a few papers and they were on their way.
i gathered up our things (and the baby) and started to the van. when it was clear that i was not sure where to go (the ER is a bit of a maze, and i hadn't been paying attention to how we came in), a nice hospital lady (who had been checking in on us and helping with the boys) spotted me and offered to lead me out. and then she said something really nice (who remembers what it was) and i fell apart. in the hospital hallway. and the nice lady hugged me as i composed myself.
once to the van, i called steve. he was finished with work but still in ponte vedra (which was closer to jacksonville than where i was), so we decided he would head straight to wolfson's to try and be there when titus arrived. jonah and i picked up some lunch for me (it was three and i hadn't yet eaten), stopped by the house for a few things, and got back on the road.
when i arrived at the hospital, titus was in a room in the wolfson's ER and was sound asleep. steve had made it just in time to see him off the ambulance. it had been a tough trip for titus (emotionally) and he was so happy to see his daddy! i brought him his "baby" (a purple stuffed penguin), and got the first smile i had seen since the accident (and my mama heart was so full!) my mom arrived shortly after me and then our friend kayla as well (in case we needed help with the baby).
almost immediately, i was approached by a DCF investigator for an interview. i spoke with her for a moment in a corner of the hallway, explaining the incident, answering her questions. she interviewed steve and my mom as well. she attempted to interview titus, but he would not wake up for her. later, her supervisor came and re-interviewed me, and together they explained that the investigator would have to come out to the house to speak with gabe and ezra and to inspect the pantry and look around the house. all of this was a bit more than i had expected.
finally, the new ER doctor admitted titus into a room and we were brought upstairs where he would stay overnight for observation. they were optimistic that his injuries were limited to the temporal fracture and possibly a cut in his ear or eardrum. nothing too scary. nothing terribly emergent. but they wanted to make sure other injuries didn't present themselves as the night went on.
at wolfson's, no siblings under the age of 6 are allowed (which is, of course, ALL of titus's siblings), and since i am still nursing jonah, that meant that i would not be the one to stay with titus. steve prepared to stay the night and my mom and i said our goodbyes and headed back to st. augustine. shortly after we left, steve's parents arrived, and during their visit, titus perked up and ate two bowls of macaroni and cheese and drank a bunch of sprite. it was such a blessing to talk to him on the phone that night and hear how much better he already sounded!
at home, shortly after getting gabe and ezra into bed, two police officers came knocking on the door. they took some pictures of the pantry and had me write out the story of the accident for their records. after they left, we all went to bed.
in the morning, the DCF investigator come by. she took a tour of the house, writing notes along the way, had me take a drug test (which i obviously passed), and checked out the pantry. then, she explained that her supervisor would not let her leave until we devised and implemented a plan to keep titus out of the pantry. my father-in-law (the best!) ran to the hardware store and put on a lock.
steve and titus spent the day at the hospital cuddling and watching movies and playing in the toy room. after lunch, i left gabe, ezra, and jonah with my in-laws while i went to visit (with sarah in tow!) and relieved steve for a moment so that he could get some lunch. it was so good to see titus very much himself, bounding all over the room with the gift shop balloon and eating way too many of the oreos that sarah had brought him. we cuddled in the rocking chair and watched a movie for a bit until it was time for me to get back to feed jonah.
shortly after i arrived home, steve texted me that titus had been discharged and was headed home! we prepared to eat dinner (brought to us by friends!) and celebrate ezra's birthday while the grandparents were still visiting. gabe and ezra were so happy to have their brother home and it was such a relief to have him back with us. before dinner gabe prayed a prayer of thanks for titus's safety. then we all enjoyed cake and ice cream before sending the kids to bed.
in all of this, God has been so good to us. as always, we have been so blessed to have our community come around us in support and care for our family. sometimes i am so amazed at how well we are cared for by God through them.
and although the DCF stuff was intrusive and a bit overwhelming (they are, after all, perfectly capable of removing your kids from your care, and that is a bit terrifying, even for someone who has done no wrong), i can honestly say that God has used this experience to remind me to draw near to him and to trust that he loves my children and my family more than i do and that he will care for all of us. and as has been the case many times these last years, he has given my yet another way in which i can empathize with the people who are struggling around me.
titus is fine, in fact, he was running around, playing with his brothers immediately (and was encouraged by his doctors to do so). at church the next day, he was strutting around telling everyone, "i climb to get the raisins. i fall and i broke my hair!" we are so grateful that God protected him and that everything was, as it always is, perfectly in his control.
when the transport from wolfson's arrived, titus was asleep on my shoulder. we woke him and they put him in a neck brace. then we moved him onto a gurney and they began to strap him in. i was already somewhat familiar with the process (since we have done a transport before), so i knew that the ambulance they used for these things was basically an ICU on wheels (and thus incredibly intimidating to look at). because they were preparing for the worst, they needed to give him an IV (in case they needed to administer any medications during the drive).
up to this point, titus had been really quiet. aside from one moment of excitement while telling the big boys about his CT scan, he had really not said much- not to me, not to the doctors. he allowed them all to do what they needed to (which is pretty normal for him, but a little astonishing to all of the people working with him, as most two-year-olds are a little fussier than him). but when they stuck him with the IV needle, he lost it. strapped down to that gurney, he screamed and cried while i stood by, holding his hand and whispering to him that it would all be over soon and that he would get to watch "robin hood" while he was driving. once the IV was in, i signed a few papers and they were on their way.
i gathered up our things (and the baby) and started to the van. when it was clear that i was not sure where to go (the ER is a bit of a maze, and i hadn't been paying attention to how we came in), a nice hospital lady (who had been checking in on us and helping with the boys) spotted me and offered to lead me out. and then she said something really nice (who remembers what it was) and i fell apart. in the hospital hallway. and the nice lady hugged me as i composed myself.
once to the van, i called steve. he was finished with work but still in ponte vedra (which was closer to jacksonville than where i was), so we decided he would head straight to wolfson's to try and be there when titus arrived. jonah and i picked up some lunch for me (it was three and i hadn't yet eaten), stopped by the house for a few things, and got back on the road.
when i arrived at the hospital, titus was in a room in the wolfson's ER and was sound asleep. steve had made it just in time to see him off the ambulance. it had been a tough trip for titus (emotionally) and he was so happy to see his daddy! i brought him his "baby" (a purple stuffed penguin), and got the first smile i had seen since the accident (and my mama heart was so full!) my mom arrived shortly after me and then our friend kayla as well (in case we needed help with the baby).
almost immediately, i was approached by a DCF investigator for an interview. i spoke with her for a moment in a corner of the hallway, explaining the incident, answering her questions. she interviewed steve and my mom as well. she attempted to interview titus, but he would not wake up for her. later, her supervisor came and re-interviewed me, and together they explained that the investigator would have to come out to the house to speak with gabe and ezra and to inspect the pantry and look around the house. all of this was a bit more than i had expected.
finally, the new ER doctor admitted titus into a room and we were brought upstairs where he would stay overnight for observation. they were optimistic that his injuries were limited to the temporal fracture and possibly a cut in his ear or eardrum. nothing too scary. nothing terribly emergent. but they wanted to make sure other injuries didn't present themselves as the night went on.
at wolfson's, no siblings under the age of 6 are allowed (which is, of course, ALL of titus's siblings), and since i am still nursing jonah, that meant that i would not be the one to stay with titus. steve prepared to stay the night and my mom and i said our goodbyes and headed back to st. augustine. shortly after we left, steve's parents arrived, and during their visit, titus perked up and ate two bowls of macaroni and cheese and drank a bunch of sprite. it was such a blessing to talk to him on the phone that night and hear how much better he already sounded!
at home, shortly after getting gabe and ezra into bed, two police officers came knocking on the door. they took some pictures of the pantry and had me write out the story of the accident for their records. after they left, we all went to bed.
in the morning, the DCF investigator come by. she took a tour of the house, writing notes along the way, had me take a drug test (which i obviously passed), and checked out the pantry. then, she explained that her supervisor would not let her leave until we devised and implemented a plan to keep titus out of the pantry. my father-in-law (the best!) ran to the hardware store and put on a lock.
steve and titus spent the day at the hospital cuddling and watching movies and playing in the toy room. after lunch, i left gabe, ezra, and jonah with my in-laws while i went to visit (with sarah in tow!) and relieved steve for a moment so that he could get some lunch. it was so good to see titus very much himself, bounding all over the room with the gift shop balloon and eating way too many of the oreos that sarah had brought him. we cuddled in the rocking chair and watched a movie for a bit until it was time for me to get back to feed jonah.
shortly after i arrived home, steve texted me that titus had been discharged and was headed home! we prepared to eat dinner (brought to us by friends!) and celebrate ezra's birthday while the grandparents were still visiting. gabe and ezra were so happy to have their brother home and it was such a relief to have him back with us. before dinner gabe prayed a prayer of thanks for titus's safety. then we all enjoyed cake and ice cream before sending the kids to bed.
in all of this, God has been so good to us. as always, we have been so blessed to have our community come around us in support and care for our family. sometimes i am so amazed at how well we are cared for by God through them.
and although the DCF stuff was intrusive and a bit overwhelming (they are, after all, perfectly capable of removing your kids from your care, and that is a bit terrifying, even for someone who has done no wrong), i can honestly say that God has used this experience to remind me to draw near to him and to trust that he loves my children and my family more than i do and that he will care for all of us. and as has been the case many times these last years, he has given my yet another way in which i can empathize with the people who are struggling around me.
titus is fine, in fact, he was running around, playing with his brothers immediately (and was encouraged by his doctors to do so). at church the next day, he was strutting around telling everyone, "i climb to get the raisins. i fall and i broke my hair!" we are so grateful that God protected him and that everything was, as it always is, perfectly in his control.
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