Worst Day Ever

As many of you know, yesterday brought to life one of the worst nightmares for a parent: kid gets into prescription bottles. I naively always believed that child-proof meant exactly that...child-proof. I don't leave my medicine laying out all over the floor, I don't leave it in Jaxon's room. I am responsible with it...or so I thought. I will continue to blame myself for yesterday for a very long time. To know that the only reason your child is being buckled onto a stretcher and put in an ambulance is because YOU made a mistake.

Jax and I were all set to go to Louisiana for my grandmother's wedding when some scheduling conflicts arose. My bag was still packed (meds inside) at my closet. I had planned on unpacking everything and putting everything away in the morning, but passed out with Jax while watching Cars in his room. After waking up some time around 10, I rolled into my bed and went to sleep. At 5, Jax wakes me up with "Mommy, I spilled my Skittles!" I looked behind him and noticed some things had been pulled out of my bag and that his light was on, so I got up and followed him. What I saw on his floor made my heart stop panic rush in: skittles, tic tacs, and pills. All mixed together. Some in a pill bottle. Some in the desk chair. Some under his bed. I asked if he took any, he said no. But how could I be sure? There were sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and pain pills all on his floor. Was I really supposed to take a 3 year old's word for it? I pounded on my dad's door and called 911.

The paramedics got there within two minutes and were great with Jaxon. After we got to Gwinnett Medical, they called Poison Control and given the meds that were in his room, even if he had ingested them, the only thing they told the docs to do was a 6 hour observation. His stomach was not pumped, no blood work, no tests. Just sit and wait.

After the waiting time was over, we were released. I still didn't feel comfortable. Still scared. Still worried. Got home and he passed out for another 4 hours. Woke up acting drunk. Fear rushed over me all over again. He couldn't stand on his own, walking was out of the question, his eyes would roll around, and his speech was slurred. He was breathing fine and his heart rate was normal. I was told that those are the big two to watch over...the rest was just his little body getting through the sedative effects of the pills.

It's now the morning after and I am relieved to see him back to the mess-making, constant talking, little boy he is. I am completely ashamed and guilty over what happened. I know I did nothing intentionally, but those bottles had my name on them. I am his mother. I am supposed to protect him. I am not supposed to set the stage for pain, fear, or worse. The main reason I am making this as public as I am (here and on Facebook) is to hopefully convey to other parents of small children that "child-proof" doesn't mean shit and don't let your children see where you keep your medicine. They are smart little things and remember everything. They are so curious and inquisitive and innocent.

I had a horribly scary day yesterday. I hope that because of this, someone reads this and prevents it from happening in their home. Most of you may even reply "Well, that would never happen in my house because I'm not that dumb as a parent." I didn't think I was either.