Monday, July 23, 2012

Whiplash, Vomit, & My Mother-in-Law

(written Wednesday, July 18)

Yesterday was one of those exceptional days.  While driving on the 101 Freeway, we were rear-ended, driving around 30 mph.  Getting in a wreck with your kids in the car is an entirely different headache then when you're alone.  This was my first time getting hit on the freeway (fortunately) and what was scarier I think than the actual impact was trying to get out of the way without getting hit again.

First of all, thank goodness we are all fine, and other than some tears and a wrecked car, there was no permanent damage.

In the moment immediately following the crash, the kids both started crying because the crash made a loud noise, and the dog was thrown from the front seat to the floor.  (If anyone has whiplash, she's going to have it the worst because she was given the biggest jolt.  Poor Coco!)  My maternal instincts were to go to my babies (2 1/2 & 8 months) and hold them, telling them they're fine and every thing's going to be fine.  But of course you can't do that on the freeway.  So they continued to cry...

While on the phone with 911, a tow truck driver came to "rescue us" as Joaquin says.  We finally get from the fast lane to the shoulder on the right side, both kids are sobbing, and of course now I have to get out to exchange information with the Toyota truck driver that hit us.  And both kids are still crying...

The rest of the story is not that exciting...I was in shock, the kids were still crying, I would tell Joaquin "everything is fine," and then he would tell Devereux "Everything is fine, Roo.  Don't cry...." through his own tears.

When we finally arrived back at home in Pasadena, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and try to relax, or maybe even soak in a tub, but that clearly wasn't going to happen.  I had to put aside my own shock and nerves and tend to making sure they were happy and feeling comfortable again.

Once the kids were in bed around 8:00, I felt relieved that I would finally be able to relax.  Quickly I learned that wasn't going to happen.  One of them was up every hour, including Joaquin coughing so much around 11:00 pm that he threw-up all over the place....

My mother-in-law is visiting because Kiko is at the air force base, and while she was great and trying to help, of course all he wanted was Mama in his middle-of-the-night coughing/vomit fest.  Awesome.  I no sooner got him cleaned up, back to bed, and then it was Devereux that needed attention.

Anyhow, the rest of the details are nothing exciting; just gets chalked up to one of those parenting nights where Mom doesn't sleep.  A lot of things change when you have kids.  Your reaction to a fender-bender is no exception.  Again I am so glad we are all okay...and now I am rocking a mini-van as my rental car until our car is fixed.  Jury is out about how I feel about the mini-van, but it definitely gets the job done for now...