Through the mill

Isn't that a saying or a phrase? We've been "through the mill"? If not, let me pretend it is. :)
It started a week ago today with Ingrid getting her flu shot at her 15 month check-up. (Sidenote: Her stats were great! 21.2 lbs, 31 inches tall, above all her milestones :)) She hated her visit to the doctor like I knew she would. She's not apt to strangers touching her, looking at her, or even coming remotely close--like within six feet. So I knew it wouldn't be a picnic of a visit. But that was all fine and dandy compared with the aftermath of her flu shot. She got a deep cough Monday night while she was sleeping. It progressively got worse accompanied with a runny nose and weak little eyes. Then came the diarrhea. Bless her heart. I woke up Wednesday night hearing her mumbling around on the monitor. Walked into her room to be knocked out with the smell. She had it everywhere. I felt so sorry for her. She's continued to have diarrhea every day since. She's been on pedialite and popsicles and a bland diet. I'm so thankful she has loved her pedialite, so we haven't had to worry about dehydration. This upset stomach and all the diarrhea has caused her to get severe diaper rash. Rasied, red, blistered, and painful. Friday night was the worst. She cried every time she would even think about going to the bathroom. Screaming and crying for at least twenty minutes at a time. I felt so, so sorry for her. Saturday was supposed to be our annual trip to the pumpkin patch with the Halsteds but we didn't get to go since Ingrid was still feeling so bad. She had a great night on Saturday and woke up on Sunday seeming much better, so we headed up to the patch. We had a great day together but had to get back for Derek to shoot a video. He was supposed to shoot some footage for a cycling video to promote a benefit race in the area. He headed out with the guys around 5:00. Ingrid and were just settling down to supper when I got a call from him at 5:38. I struggled to get my phone out of my purse and for some reason it panicked me. I felt like I really needed to get this call. I saw it was Derek and he told me he was headed to the hospital because he'd had an accident. His voice was very calm--too calm--I could tell something was really wrong and I panicked. He couldn't tell me what was wrong with him, just that he was scared and loved me. I wanted to stay calm in front of Ingrid, but it was a struggle and I can't say I did a great job. Glenda came over so I could get down to the hospital. I had calmed myself down by then but when I saw him through the window in the triage I lost it again. His whole face was covered in blood and swollen on one side. He had on a neck brace and was being strapped down to a body board from head to toe. It was the scariest sight of my life. I had to sign him in and get the paperwork done before I could go see him. I learned that he was riding in the bed of the truck filming Chad over the top of the cab. His body was braced against the cab and his legs were spread touching the bed on both sides. But when the truck went around a corner a little too quickly, it threw him out of the truck. His body landed on the pavement with such force that it busted his head open in the back and gave him tremendous amounts of road rash on his face, arm, shoulders, and entire back. The guys who were with him were so shaken up that they could scarcely talk. We were all worried about severe damage. The doctor ordered several CT scans and he was taken back very quickly. I couldn't stay with him in the room since I'm pregnant and had to wait in the hallway while he was scanned. They lasted thirty minutes but it seemed like hours. I'm so thankful that we have family who live in the same town as us. I can't imagine if I would have had to have Ingrid there with me, or no one to come up to the hospital with us. Through the power of prayer and God's sheer grace, all the scans came back clear!!! No brain bleeds, no brain swelling, no skull fractures, no neck injuries---NOTHING. The doctors said it was miraculous and we know it truly was. We are so thankful to be surrounded with family, friends, and co-workers who are all believers and know that prayer is so powerful. Derek is very, very sore to say the least. He ended up with five staples in his head wound. The cut by his eye--which was really more of a deep hole--was too close for stitches, and they glued it closed. The rest of his body will just take time and neosporin to heal up. Once again, we are so thankful Derek is okay and appreciate all the prayers more than we could ever express. Yes, we've been through the mill this last week, but we are all going to be just fine!