The $100 Sneeze

It was a typical night at home when I called Marty, who was about an hour and a half away from home in Richmond.

Me: We have a problem.

Marty: What is it?

Me: Jack shoved sausage up his nose.

Marty:  Patty or link?

Me: Patty.  It was broken up in to pieces.  I've already pulled out two big pieces the size of pencil erasers, but I think there is more up there.

Marty: Why would he do that?

Me: I don't know.  Maybe he was protesting the vegetarian sausage I made.  Who knows why Jack does half the things he does.  I have a call in to the pediatrician's office.

After talking to the pediatrician, who is awesome and called me right away, it was decided that I should take Jack to the Emergency Room.  I was never worried that Jack would be alright, but I hate going to the Emergency Room.  We have never gotten out of there in under 8 hours and it was already 8PM when we left the house.

This time I took him to the other hospital in town that has a dedicated pediatric emergency room.  Every time I had to say, "We're here because my son shoved sausage up his nose."  I was torn between embarrassment and wanting to giggle.  At least everyone I talked to had a bit of a sense of humor about it and many of them reiterated Marty's question regarding the type of sausage.

We filled in all the paper work and I paid the co-payment of $100, which seemed a little steep, but what am I going to do, say, "Never mind.  Leave it up there."  We went to the exam room and while we waited for the doctor Jack had a high ole time turning the television on and off.  The doctor examined Jack and explained that there was in fact still sausage up his nose.  To her credit, she said it with a straight face.  Then she explained that they would thread a catheter up his nose and at the end of it they would blow up a little balloon which would be pulled out bringing the obstruction with it.

Even though it seemed that Jack was engrossed with the Goofy movie he was watching, he must have been listening, because as soon as the doctor left the room he proceeded to have a massive sneezing fit.  Out came a bunch of sausage.  When the doctor returned, I explained what happened and asked that she re-check Jack's nose.  Sure enough, in true Jack fashion, he had taken care of the problem on his own.

So we were out the $100, but on the upside, we were only there for 2 hours, a new family record.  I am glad that Jack didn't have to go through the discomfort of having the catheter procedure, but should he do this again, I am going to have him sniffing pepper to make him sneeze before we go anywhere.

Comments

[Tracy]

We cannot come even close to competing with this one.

[GG at VB]

The darling little Imp strikes again. Jack looks unphased by the entire event. What a guy!

[Mayhem]

I am laughing out loud at this! Oh man... What a kid!