The day I fogot my phone number

This afternoon, Connor ate many crackers at once and read a book.

Tonight, Connor cried. And I don’t mean, he cried for a few minutes because he was sad our long weekend was coming to end. I mean, he cried for over an HOUR. More than SIXTY minutes - with only a couple of pauses. That's three thousand six hundred seconds --- of crying! He was completely inconsolable during that time. This has never happened. I lost my mind. At first, I thought he was just a bit over-tired when we started getting him ready for bed (though we were doing this early, noticing he was a bit tired). But then, it became obvious it was something more than that, though what it was, Ed and I have no idea.

Connor and Ed went outside to catch a few last moments of outdoor time before the long weekend was coming to an end. I drew his bath, and when Connor came inside, he started crying. After refusing his bath (a nightly ritual that he usually revels in), I tried to read him some books (the second part of the nightly ritual that he usually loves) – but he would have none of it. Instead, he cried. And then we got down to business nursing – the final activity that he normally loves. And when I say, the final activity Connor normally loves, I mean it. Tell him he can nurse, and the kid actually throws his little body at my chest, smiling, panting, laughing. It is, for him, the definition of happiness. (Perhaps the reason that this weaning thing is not going well.)

He nursed a bit, actually drank a few ounces from a bottle, and then perked up momentarily. I thought he wanted to read books, and we read 1.5, and then the crying started again. And it wouldn’t stop for more than a few moments. He cried, he pointed outside, we went outside, he cried some more. He pointed downstairs, we went downstairs, and he cried. Ed could hear the distress and came to offer support (thankfully!), but still, the crying continued. Finally, we decided to give Connor some Motrin, because he really seemed to be in pain. And then it hit me – MY SON'S APPENDIX MUST HAVE BURST AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS CRYING UNCONSOLABLY. I decided we should go to the ER RIGHT AWAY, which prompted Ed to think maybe we should hold off on the Motrin. But then Ed thought maybe we should call my brother-in-law for an over the phone consult (not that he’s a pediatrician, but he is an ER doctor). He was working, but my sister was prepared to offer advice. Give him the Motrin, she said. Apparently doctors in general are not impressed when someone brings their kid to the ER and haven’t even offered the simplest of medicines. Call the pediatrician, was her next piece of advice (along with trying to work out gas from his tummy in case that was the problem). Note, earlier in the day Connor farted so loud and so long that I thought it was Ed. Connor is a very small person to be having man-sized gas.

We shot the Motrin in his screaming mouth. He gargled, but eventually swallowed. The crying continued. I called the pediatrician’s office, and the crying continued. It had been over an hour now, I had lost my mind. The answering service asked what number the pediatrician should call, I told them “I don’t know. I can’t remember my phone number.” This fact alone is amazing. I REMEMBER phone numbers. Ed often calls me RainMan when he needs a phone number. I still know the phone number of almost every airline from back in the day before the internet (yes Connor, that is how old your mama is) when one had to call each airline to figure out the price of flights in order to get the best deal.

Luckily, Ed had not forgotten our phone number (Ed is a very smart man and he hadn’t realized yet that our son’s appendix had probably burst - so he could still think like a rational human). He relayed this important piece of information to me, but it sounded like many foreign digits to me and I wasn’t certain he had gotten it right. Our pediatrician called back within moments (hey, Ed does know our phone number!). The pediatrician could hear the crying in the background. He asked a few questions, complimented me on giving Connor Motrin, told me to wait an hour (apparently he was not concerned that my son’s appendix had burst) and then the crying stopped. Connor passed out, naked, on Ed’s chest. We were greatly relieved – though the crying was still ringing in our ears. We were able to tape a diaper on him, put his pajamas on him, and Ed took him up to bed. Connor was completely asleep.

Tomorrow, we will go visit the pediatrician. Apparently Connor might have an ear infection (this would be his second), which could be why he hasn’t been drinking much (too painful), which has caused him to have trouble pooping, which could also be painful. For now, though, the crying has stopped, and I’m pretty sure I know my phone number. I am really sure I’m glad Ed was home, because this was a task that needed at least the two of us (plus my sister and the pediatrician via phone).

Elaine