A Day I'll Never Forget

It was a romantic vision. We were set to wake up at 6AM, walk around the corner to the polls right at 6:30 to beat the crowd. Kids in tow, watch Mommy and Daddy vote, remember this.

At 5AM the coughing started. Seth lay on the floor in the hall, "I feel like I'm going to throw up," he cried. And cried. And cried.

Riley woke up at 6:00, and I still held out hope we'd all have the voting experience together. She went into the bathroom, and knowing we were in a hurry, couldn't go. Nothing worse than hurrying her. Even if you don't say a thing. Major freaking out ensued on the other side of the bathroom door.

Todd got up, and began getting dressed. I went downstairs to get our voter registration cards and they were not where I'd put them weeks ago, to keep them safe.

I began to freak.

HT said we just need ID.

ARE YOU SURE?
ARE YOU SURE?

I went back upstairs, opened the bathroom door, and screamed at Riley, for screaming,

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU PEE OR IF YOU DON'T, BUT STOP THE CARRYING ON! ZIP IT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE OF THIS!"

Miraculously, she stopped. I shut the door, and soon heard the sounds of tinkling.

I scooped Seth up and slid down the wall, holding him, as he hacked up a lung.

Todd was downstairs looking for those cards, but came back up.

"Why don't you just go," he said.

"No! You go. If I get over there and they say I can't vote, I'm going to go out of my mind. You need to go first and find out."

He went.

Seth barfed all over himself, and me.

Riley to the rescue, she got him a new shirt and towel.

Todd got back less than one hour later, victorious. Just our ID's. Nothing more needed.

Riley and I headed off to the polls. On the walk there, she started to freak, and began trying to pull me back toward home. She was afraid she might see some of her classmates, and afraid she might be shy. Don't ask me to explain this. I can't. It happens all the time.

For the second time today (before 8AM) I yelled at her,

"Riley! Mommy has been looking forward to voting for a long time. PLEASE do not ruin this for me."

She sucked it up and walked along beside me.

She hid behind me as we walked into the voting room. She buried her head in my chest when the volunteer asked if she wanted a sticker. Thank God the line was not long.

Intently, she watched me fill in the ballot.

She fed the ballot into the slot.

She picked out a cupcake at the bake sale that was going on there.

We walked home.

8:30AM, Seth was still throwing up.

Noon, I called the doctor and she was booked.

2PM Seth was not looking good. I took him to a walk-in clinic and the NP got out a book to read about upper respiratory infections. I knew more than she did. She did not even take his temperature.

3PM, I called my mom, (a very seasoned nurse) and put the phone up to Seth's throat so she could hear him breathe. I told her I heard crackles in his lungs.

"Go to the ER," she said.

HT was working 'til 11:30PM. I was on my own.

3:30PM, I carried Seth into the ER, he was unresponsive, even when I pried his eyes open. Riley followed behind me, carrying his shoes, his jacket, and a bag of toys to keep herself entertained.

4PM HT showed up in the ER, never more attractive. His boss covered for him.

Albuteral, chest x-ray, more vomiting. PNEUMONIA! He has pneumonia. Antibiotics,IV fluids (hysteria upon insertion), hours of Sponge Bob. Riley almost flipped out on the IV team when they got in the way of the TV, but we were able to reign her in.

8:30PM Home.

9:00 Put Seth in tub to wash off puke.

9:30 Kids in bed.

9:50 MSNBC said Obama got Ohio!

11:00PM. The election was called.

12:00AM We brought the kids downstairs to watch Obama's address. Seth cheered. Asked who the guy with the "peach" skin was(Biden). Riley promptly fell back to sleep on the couch and would have no memory of being woke up. Obama's win was news to her this morning.

Seth is okay.

Riley got through a very crazy day(with her very crazy mother).

Todd showed up.

Obama won.

The people win.

Life is good.