While visiting son number two, the brothers were fishing and giving each other 'advice'. The wife was playing with the two young boys ages two and three and a half at the water's edge some distance away. They were playing and jumping up and down laughing and she was taking pictures on her phone. It was innocent and natural. She turned to look at her husband and he looked at her from a distance and yelled, "The BABY!" she turned to see her youngest going under! He had stepped off a shelf no one could see and was going under! HE was struggling to stay up. She tossed the phone jumped in and grabbed him as he was relaxing into the water.
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He was unhappy. Fortunately, he hadn't taken on any water. He didn't cough or spit. He was seconds away from a horrible end of the story. His dad told me they were going shopping for vests for the boys. This is Florida and we are never far from open water. I fussed at my son about how you are supposed to start a story with, "Everyone is alright."
Then, he told me his poor wife was walking back to the house when she felt her foot was warm. When she finally looked to herself, she had a puncture wound on the bottom of her foot. She called the walk-in emergency care her insurance covers and they told her they were closing. The next day she was more wrapped up in being thankful her child had not drown to think of herself. That is when I lost it!
I hate being the mother-in-law that butts in or gives motherly advice that is not solicited, but, sometimes you have to fuss at other people's children! After all, I know her medical history with her pregnancies and I really do sometimes know what is best! I fussed because a foot wound and anyone who has a history of diabetes in the family should know a foot wound left untreated can be death to a diabetic.
Seriously, I asked her, "If you don't take care of yourself, who is going to take care of your children when you are dead? The mean grandma or the one who means well?" And, I threw the fact that her father is a doctor right in her face. There is no excuse to risk death when you have insurance, and you know better. AND, she couldn't remember when she had her last shot. (note: she had not had a booster in almost seventeen years!!!! grrr!!)
In a country where sepsis has been forgotten, where tetanus is the name of a shot you got as a kid, where plagues no longer plague us, we are shamefully careless with our health. Most adults in this country forget to get their booster shots as they are no longer being dragged to the doctor by their mothers!
All this talk about prepping and putting away rice and beans, and fuel and water, making med kits and bug out bags is just fine and dandy, until someone dies from a cut or a scratch. Get your shots up to date.
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| http://www.cdc.gov |
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