September 22, 2015
It was a Thursday night, and we just finished putting the kids to bed. I ran to Trader Joe’s for a couple of things I needed the next day. It had been an exceptionally long day and I was so looking forward to drinking a cup of tea in front of The Real Housewives of New York City. At the same time that I walked in the door at 7:45, my 4 year old son was walking into the kitchen (he was supposed to be in bed). He says, “I have a bead in my nose.” AWESOME………….(can you hear the sarcasm?) I was so angry. I got out the otoscope and tweezers and started at it. The bead wouldn’t budge. Ah ha! – Our doctor’s office is open until 8 on Thursdays. Perfect, we’ll be home in 20 minutes. I can still have my night. I grabbed him up (only wearing a night time diaper) buckled him in the car and drove to the doctors office. It was pointless. She said, “I don’t have the tools to get it out.” Now I was really angry and super frustrated. This is not an uncommon thing for kids to do, so why don’t doctors have tools in there office to address this? And as an aside, pediatricians should also have tools to get wax out of our kiddos ears. I don’t want to go to the ENT just to get wax out of an ear! Ha! We headed home and called a family friend who is a pediatrician. I thought she might have tools at her house. Nope. Nope. Nothing. So now we know that the ER is our next stop. I’m waiting for my husband to step up and volunteer. Nope. Nope. Nothing. (Later, I find out the Michigan football game was on). Now I’m angry on top of angry. We get to the ER and my son says to me, “Mommy, we don’t have to hurry anymore.” That’s when something hit me and everything shifted. My whole body relaxed and I surrendered to the experience of what is happening right now. I took a deep breath and realized this is NOT a big deal. The tea can wait, the T. V. can wait, but my relationship with my son is happening right now and I want to embrace that. I remember that I create my life. My son creates his life. This situation has all been created by one of us or the both of us, so that we have some time together. It had been a long time since the two of us connected. So now, I’m in and out of being angry and being present. After all, it’s practice not perfect! I really want the anger to go, but I’m holding onto it for some reason. It’s almost out of habit. With the anger out of my space I realize that I’m really enjoying this time I’m having with my son. We are hanging out together, just the two of us, and that doesn’t happen very often. He is talking non-stop and with two sisters around he usually doesn’t get much in. I’m loving every minute of it. The Physicians Assistant came in the room and started digging in his nose. There was lots of sneezing, but nothing was moving. The nurse helping the PA mentioned how his son did this when he was small and how they almost had to go to the OR. What?!? I thought to myself, “OH hell no, we are not going to the operating room!” It was just not an option as far as I was concerned. So, when the PA suggested I blow into his mouth in hopes that that would push the bead out, I was all in. She held down one nostril and with high velocity I blew into his mouth. The bead shot right out of his nose. IT. WAS. AWESOME. The bead that came out was huge, not the kind or size I’d thought he’d shoved up there. Then he let out a huge burp and felt a little nauseous. All was good now and we were on our way home. I didn’t care anymore about having tea and watching T.V. I was happy he was okay and happy to have the memory of this experience with him. So, if you are ever in a bead and nose situation or something of the sort, save yourself a few hundred dollars and try the “blow method.” But of course, first call your doctor before you do anything. The most important thing I took away from this experience was a reminder to practice being present, because truly…….. The present is a gift!
