I have had severe emetophobia my entire life. Panic attacks, crying, screaming, running, hyperventilating, you name it. This is important to the story. Why the hell did I choose to work with children?
So, Bosslady went to her party around 4. Mama Bear is on her business trip so Ocho is weepy and sobbing about how much he misses her, etc. I get him all settled down and I make dinner. Grilled cheese!
DH comes over after the kids have eaten and are in their jammies. We did a few Halloween crafts and then Halloween bingo (everyone won!), and these activities took the better part of two hours. DH goes home and I get the kids a snack and everyone is gonna go watch movies in their rooms afterward.
WELL.
I dole out the snacks and everyone is at the table munching. Peep spills a cup of water (which, admittedly, I should have given her a cup with a lid, but she didn’t want one because she wants to “be a big kid” and who am I to argue with that?). She starts whimpering because she thinks I’m going to punish her (of course I’m not!) and Echo starts laughing at her. See, Echo laughs at the other kids when they are in trouble which is both annoying and super rude. This is a known issue with him, he does it at school too, so I reprimand him. “Echo. That’s not nice. We don’t laugh at people when they spill things.” He immediately bursts into tears (which usually happens when he is spoken to in any tone that isn’t sugary sweet). I explain to him that it’s okay, just please tell Peep you’re sorry and we’re all set, Nanny isn’t mad, etc. He says he’s sorry.
I didn’t realize he still had food in his mouth.
He takes in a huge post-sob breath and immediately begins gagging. (Chewing isn’t his strong suit. I don’t recall the exact diagnosis he’s been given, but he has significant mental issues). I FREEZE. I don’t do vomit, oh god what do I do?
Miss Independent, god bless her, yells “GO TO THE BATHROOM, ECHO!” He’s retching and gagging and spitting and you can just hear that he’s about to vomit. I’m still frozen and I don’t know what to do.
He throws up in the bathroom doorway.
Upon seeing this, Ocho has a seizure.
Ocho is triggered to have a seizure when seeing blood (as well as some other environmental things) but he has never reacted this way to someone puking.
He raises his head after approximately six seconds and beings SCREAMING. (This is normal post-seizure behavior for him. Unfortunately, Mama Bear is the best one at calming him down and she’s like 3000 miles away or something right now.)
Miss Independent, again, to the rescue. She has Echo put his head over the toilet in case he gets sick again and yells at all the other kids (who are disgusted or also screaming) to go sit at the table.
I pull Ocho into my lap to try and soothe him. He’s rocking and yelling “Mama Bear Mama Bear Mama Bear” and nothing I can say will help him. He needs a distraction.
So I FaceTime DH. Thank god for DH.
The non-puking kids gather around my phone as DH shows them our dogs and things around our house. He’s pleasant and keeping them busy.
Echo did not vomit again. It was just because he was choking, or at least that’s what I hope.
(TO BE CLEAR I know the Heimlich maneuver as well as other important first aid techniques. He was able to breathe, he was safe, just going to vomit. If he was in danger, I am capable of helping and have in the past.)
Echo said his belly felt good and he wanted to go downstairs and watch TV with Conductor and iKid. He’s sleeping soundly with a giant Tupperware bucket next to him in case he is sick again.
Ocho, satisfied with his facetime with DH, settled down. He got his CBD oil and medications and is watching TV downstairs with Miss Independent and Worrier Princess.
I was somehow able to pick up the solid bits with a paper towel, use different towels to get the rest of it, scrub the floor with two different cleaners, febreeze, and take out the trash.
I did not cry. I did not run. I shook like a leaf but I took care of everyone.
This is a huge deal for me.
Bosslady texted me from her party to check in. She offered to come home after I told her what happened because she knows how I am with sick. I told her no. I’m fine.
I am fine.
I can’t believe that I feel fine.
xx
ladylexapro
- Paper towels
- Clorox Wipes
- Febreeze
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