I Want My Nickel Back!

Remember what I said about never having a dull moment around the Olachia household? Well, if it weren't for the curve balls thrown our way we wouldn't have any excitement to talk about! So last night the four of us were at home, relaxing after the big family turkey dinner. Life was good.

Then suddenly at 11:44 PM Micah came running in our bedroom, tears streaming down his face, crying. He was panicked, overwhelmed, afraid. The next words came out like a bolt of lightning: "Mom, I swallowed a nickel!" My response was: "You did what?" I called poison control like a crazy woman next. Their response was: "He did what!" Then I called Johnny. His response was : "He did what!" See the pattern here?

My poor baby was terrified. His tears kept coming and his words were like a knife through my heart," Mommy am I going to die?" That was it, I sank like a rock in a very deep river. Johnny was out at the store, so he was driving home like a mad man. He came though the door and started scanning the living room floor. He just couldn't believe our nine year old son could have actually swallowed a 5 cent piece.

Next I picked up the phone and called the doctor. It has been 7 years since I have had to call after hours, but if ever there was a reason this was it! The nurse chuckled, I couldn't blame her. I was talking about a 9 year old, not a 4 year old. I explained that he had tripped and in the process the nickel in his hand had ended up in the back of his throat and he had swallowed. Yes, it was crazy, nutty to be exact but the truth was I couldn't depict it any better than if it were in a movie. She told me not to let him eat or drink anything till the doctor called. Our food? It was left and forgotten about on the table till morning.

By the time the doctor called ( it really didn't take long at all) Micah had calmed down. Johnny was still out in the living room shaking his head, looking for the missing piece of change. He was on his hands and knees, pulling up furniture, all with a flash light in his hands. Comical to say the least. First thing out of the docs mouth was, you guessed it: "He did what!" Next Dr. B told me to have him sit still and give him some bread and water.( My mind raced as I saw Micah sitting in a jail cell, wearing black and white stripes while I handed him his bread and water.) He said to watch him and hope he didn't toss his cookies up.That would be a bad sign to say the least. His advice following was just to keep an eye on him through the night and bring him in for X-rays in the morning. So I got the kids down and returned to our room, passing Johnny on the way as he still searched in vain for the missing nickel. I just shook my head and went to bed.

We kept our word and took Micah into the office in the morning for his X-rays. After a bit I heard the doctor giggling. He called to us to come into the other room where Micah's X-rays were front and center. Sure enough there was the nickel, bright, round and stuck in his tummy. Poor Johnny just lowered and shook his head while laughing. So now we have to watch his stools. Yep you heard right. We have to stir through our nine year olds' BM's.( Found a hanger for the task. Yuck!) Gotta love it! The Doc said if we don't see the nickel pass, we will have to take him back for another X-ray. If it's still there you ask? Surgery, plain and simple. Lovely thought there. I just can't stop thinking about our trip to Philly over the holidays. If it is still sitting there pretty in his little tummy will the metal detectors go off? Can you just see that? --Bing, Bing. "Ma'am step away from the child". I can just imagine security, lights flashing, people running, my son on the floor at the bottom of the pile, guards shouting 'secure the child' and of course my hubby on top of the guards completing the pile. Joshua would be standing there mouth wide open on the floor in shock. I on the other hand would have my hands balled into fists running full speed ahead screaming "charge!" . We would all go to jail. Like I said, never a dull moment around these parts.

Life is full of these uncharted, unplanned, yet amazing moments when things you never thought possible happen. My life with Breast Cancer, my auto immune complications, diabetes have all been unplanned. But they have also been surprisingly helpful too. No, they haven't been fun or easy lessons, but they have given me a sense of humor, and a better sense of who I really am as both mother and wife. Without each crazy moment life offers us, where would we be? How could we appreciate the good times, or understand how the complicated twists and turns life throws our way could benefit us ? I am not just a breast cancer survivor, I am a mother, a wife and a living breathing open book for all to read. I live for these moments, these surprises that come wrapped up in the cracker jack box. Without the harsh, scary moments we could not completely enjoy the triumphs, the humor and the laughter of life's good times.

All I can say now is," Hey Micah, I want my nickel back!"

Christina