Notfall Kinderspital

Sunday morning started out just like every other. A little chaotic.  Joe was trying to rehearse the German he had practiced so he could conduct in Sacrament meeting.  I was getting all of my stuff together for Young Womens.  Kate happened to be teaching that day, so I was helping her make sure she had everything she needed, and then I was at the piano practicing the songs I was supposed to play on the organ that day.  Joe and I kept calling out to the boys to make sure they were getting dressed, brushing their teeth and finding sock and shoes.  Mack was still in his jammies.  We don't dress him until absolutely necessary.  Did I mention he refuses to use bibs?  It's been at least 6 months, so all of his clothes are really lovely after every single meal.  I yelled to Jake over my shoulder while practicing a German Hymn I had never heard of before. 

"Did you take your grass pill???  Take your grass pill!!!"

A little background.  We found out earlier this year, surrounded by such green, lush, beauty, that Jake is horribly allergic to grass.  You can't escape it here.  It's one thing we LOVE THE MOST about where we live.  But, that makes it a bit tricky for Jake.  So, this summer, we followed the allergist's advice and have been trying to desensitize Jake to the grass allergy by giving him little bits of the grass every day in pill form.  He has to take them every day for 3 years. 

We had been doing fine for 3 weeks.  This morning, something went awry.  All of the sudden, while I'm sitting at the piano, I hear Jake say, "Mom, I can't breathe." What?!!!  There can be some melodrama at times, so no one jumped up from what they were doing.  I continued playing.  Joe continued repeating his German phrases.  

"No seriously!!  I CAN'T SWALLOW!!!"  And then he was at the sink, unable to swallow and his voice was changing and he was scared.  I was too.  We went into hypermode and threw everyone in the car and raced to church.  Now I say that, because church is right next to the Notfall (Emergency Room) for the children's hospital.  (We accidentally parked in the Notfall parking lot on our very first Sunday in Switzerland, not knowing what that meant.  We got in a bit of trouble.) 

Joe raced Jake over to the emergency room and I took everyone else into church.  I was accompanying a musical number that day for Susan on the piano, and I figured after I got through the organ and piano, I could run over and see Jake.  

Joe was giving me updates as quickly as he could.  Epi-pen was given and Jake was starting to feel a bit better.  SCARY.  Sweet boy.  They wanted to keep him overnight to monitor him.  I hadn't spend the night in the hospital for anyone but me!  So, Joe stayed with him while I went home and got the kids settled and then I arrived for the afternoon/night shift.  

The nurses were so nice and tried their best to speak to us in English.  We got a good laugh that "Jack" would be staying in room 24.  

Something I noticed right away was that there is zero privacy when sharing a room.  Cyril was in for a tick bite.  He was right across from Jake.  No curtain or anything.  So when his visitors arrived, they came over and shook our hands too.  Kind of funny.  

 Jake and I actually got in some really good QT.  It's not often that we are both just sitting with zero distractions together.  So, we decided to play some cards.  We talked, watched a little TV, played some cards--I taught him solitaire so we could start playing double solitaire-- one of my favorites--thanks to Nans.  

 And after a long night of no sleep for me, but a pretty peaceful setting, Joe got the kids off to school and then brought Mack over to me so he could go to work.  Mack was beyond thrilled to see Jake AND take a ride in his cool bed.  

Thank heavens it was a happy outcome.  Jake now has an epi-pen.  There is a shortage of epi-pens in CH right now, so I told him he is not allowed to have this reaction again ;)  We have figured out that he has to take an antihistamine 30 minutes before he takes the grass pill.  If he doesn't, we could land ourselves back at Notfall.  I don't really want to do that again.  He told me he wouldn't mind spending the night again--I think he liked the one on one time.  I agree.  I could have a do-over of that too.  But we can arrange that somewhere else!!!