It's My Birthday and He'll Limp if He Wants To

Well, the blog made the Google alert for the college when yesterday I mentioned Brigid's run-in with Burghy. My colleague, who subscribes to the alert, let me know my blog made it. Alerts keep an eye out for key words, in this case, the name of the college.

Yesterday we all went out to Applebee's for dinner to celebrate my birthday, which is today, and Margaret's glowing report card. It was cold, cold, cold last night. And it was cold in the restaurant, too. We had a great meal, although Brigid was a little fidgety and fussy, even after eating two (!) hot dogs. We decided we'd go over to the mall to visit Border's and walk around a little because it was still pretty early, even for a school night. Margaret and Patricia were walking ahead in the parking lot, Jack had Brigid on his shoulders and I was bringing up the rear pushing the stroller when we all kind of started to jog to get into the mall faster (remember, it was cold). Well, we're trotting along when all of the sudden, I saw Jack take a bad step. He didn't trip and his foot didn't slip. He just had a sudden and immediate reaction to pain and took a couple limping steps. I helped get the baby off his shoulders and he said he felt something snap in his calf. We managed to get into the mall and out of the cold and got him to sit down on a bench. His calf was painful when he put weight onto the leg. He said he wasn't going to be able to walk around the mall but needed to use the rest room in Border's. As we headed into the store (right next to the mall entrance) he suggested he go to the emergency room. Now, for anyone who knows Jack and knows if he were to suggest going to the ER, something really must be amiss. So I wasted no time bringing the car around and getting girls back in. We dropped them off at the house. Brigid seemed perfectly happy to go along with her sisters, who were going to get her in her PJs and put on a movie for the three of them to watch. I brought Jack over to the ER, expecting a long, drawn-out procedure. But they sent us over to fast track after initial triage.

We were taken right away for vitals, and they found a room for him. I had been pushing him in the wheelchair because it was that painful for him. Good thing, because when we were finally seen, they determined he had a pretty bad pull and gave him crutches to stay off his feet. He needs to be re-evaluated at the end of the week if the pain hasn't subsided.

He managed to get in the house and we elevated his leg, iced it and had him rest. He's off today, but he's gimping around after the baby. We're supposed to get a pretty good storm tonight, so we're hoping it's another snow day if only for the help and respite the two other girls at home would give. He teaches tomorrow, so we'll have to figure out how to get him to class (I'll drive him) if classes aren't cancelled on campus.

Brigid, meantime, cooperated beautifully by sleeping through the night, waking up about 6:30, which was fine because I had to get up this morning to get the girls off to school (usually what Jack takes care of while I have the baby in bed). BB didn't go back to sleep, so she was up earlier than normal, but she was in a good mood. That's always a plus. But by lunchtime, Daddy reported that she already figured out she's faster than he is with the crutches and made it to the cat's food and water dishes twice before being hauled away. She's nothing if not persistent.