Texas Deb and the iPhone Detox Part IV through VII

Texas Deb and the iPhone Detox Part IV through VII

So, the last few days have kept me from writing and for good reason. 

On Saturday we prepared for Josie’s birthday party.  The cake was gorgeous, we found a back up indoor location because of the nasty weather.  Everything had been organized and arranged.

She was so excited.  She wanted to set out her Paw Patrol themed decorations and spread out the tablecloths.  It was just her and I doing the prep at the church building before her party and I was so pleased to share that special time with her.  I loved being the one to witness her squeals as the bounce house arrived and that she had the whole church gym and bounce house to herself for a while.  It was just so special.  I think 6 is such a fun age and she gives it a different spin because she’s the girl and gets excited and dramatic in a way the boys never did. 

She blew out her candles, ate some cake and opened a lot of cool presents like a dino-dig paleontology set, a cowgirl gun and holster and a wild adventurer backpack filled with binoculars and a flashlight.  She got awesome gifts from the avenger shirt she wore to school today to Paw Patrol backpack I can’t hardly get her to put down. 

I’m really truly grateful for how wonderful her party was and how much she enjoyed it.  When it was more than half over, she scared me in that way that always shake me to my core. 

As of now, officially, all my kids have had a head injury that had to be patched up.

There are signs in the church gym posted that say no climbing on the basketball goals.  My kids are reminded at EVERY Wednesday night dinner to NOT climb on the basketball goals.

They know this, yet, for some reason, they are so alluring, those tall white metal bases, they immediately forget that rule.

Josie was of course, climbing on the large metal base of the goal with her cousin.  I heard her screaming from across the gym and ran (as well as I could in my dumb dorky surgical shoe) to her.  Now, Josie is often dramatic and will scream and yell for just about any conceivable reason.  She’s a really good reason to tell the story about the boy who cried wolf but as soon as I saw her face, I knew she was really hurt and scared. 

She was screaming, telling me that she was bleeding and I asked her from where.  That’s when I saw all the blood. 

Now, most people know that your scalp bleeds like nothing else even if the injury is small.  We’re talking puddles and pools here.  I rushed her into the church kitchen and while she gripped me with all her strength, I tried to figure out what happened.  She had slipped and put about a three-quarter inch gash in the back of her head. 

Everyone was helping to my Paramedic brother in law to a new friend I had just met as my husband and I checked her out.  I think she freaked out more because everyone was fussing over her and her screaming didn’t stop.  I checked her pupils to be equal and reactive then her ears and nose for leaking cerebrospinal fluid and asked her questions.  We gathered cloths from the kitchen and my husband pulled the truck up to the entrance.  We were helped into the car and I held my girl in my lap trying to hold pressure to her little blonde head. 

We got her very quickly to the children’s ER down the road.  It was traumatic and scary for her.  It was traumatic and scary for me.  Holding down my child as she screams, and a nurse and doctor try to close a wound in her head is not my idea of a good time. 

My sweater was soaked in blood.  My hands were bloody.  I had a good dose of adrenaline pumping through me. 

We got her patched up and while we did, all our family and friends cleaned up up the whole party set up and some waited around to make sure she was ok. 

Ice cream treat in hand she strolled back into the church building in her jeans and hospital gown, her blood-soaked hair twisted up into the hair clip I had worn in my hair that day.  She seemed so strong and resilient. 

I tell you what I’m grateful for.  That could have been much, much worse.  She could’ve cracked her skull or gotten a concussion or any number of much more terrible injuries.  God really protected her.  On the much shallower side of things she did finish the bulk of her party before it all went south. 

I’m also very grateful for my husband.  It’s been a while since I’ve witnessed how good he is in an emergency, how solid and sure.  He got us to the hospital quickly and communicated with all the family helping and I didn’t even have to do anything except hold my girl.  He made her laugh with latex glove tricks and got her to watch Paw Patrol on his phone.  I really needed to see that side of him; to be reminded of the kind of person he is.  His relationship with Josie is such a tender, beautiful thing. 

Between party prep and head injury drama on Saturday I was wiped out.  We had a family movie night and for the most part I completely let my phone be a part of the backdrop and enjoyed my people.  I enjoyed them in a way I hadn’t done in a while and it felt important and soul reviving. 

With me still sick and Josie with staples in her head, the kids and I stayed home from church on Sunday.  We made it until noon until anyone showered or got dressed.  I made cinnamon rolls and took a nap.  It was glorious and still only one Facebook post because I wanted to share that Josie was doing well and that our friend’s cake was a big hit. 

The weekend flew by but not in the usual way.  I was soaking up being around my kids and husband. 

Yesterday I had an appointment with an allergist because as I said before I was on my third sinus infection of the year.  Turns out I’m now on my fourth.  The CT scan of my sinuses yesterday were impressive and not in a good way.  They are so blocked, where there is supposed to be black cavity on the CT image there is only cloudy grey, and the doctor said she didn’t know how I was getting by day to day like that.  Hmmm.  I’m not really sure but I’m glad there’s actually something to address.  I got to the ENT on Thursday for surgery evaluation.  I’m on a large amount of steroids and really strong antibiotic. 

Today I went to Physical Therapy for my toe.  Honestly, I was thinking it was pretty darn ridiculous to go to a physical therapist for my toe.  I mean, it’s a toe!  There are nine others for Pete’s sake.  Anyway, I found out that Dr. didn’t order physical therapy just for my toe.  I have a history of hip and foot issues and they were concerned that being in the dumb shoe, my history and where the break is needs further attention and therapy. 

Now all of that might not seem like it’s relevant to my iPhone detox but believe me, I’m going somewhere with this.  These past few weeks have been so frustrating.  There have been so many little things come up that I want to rant and rave and complain and whine. 

I put down my phone this past week and tried to be intentional with my time. 

I had really expected that I’d be more productive with this little experiment.  I think because of all the unusual things that have happened to us lately there’s not a good way to measure how much more productive I was and maybe as far as tasks that got done, I didn’t do much more that before. 

I have found I have more patience.  I have more patience with people and am quicker to give grace and that includes my husband and kids.  I’ve found that I am expressing myself better.  I’m more organized and I’m finding it easier to get through daily tasks without getting distracted. 

More than anything I feel like I’m focusing on what’s happening around me and not turning my attention inward as I stare at a screen. 

I’ve learned that my kids sometimes feel like they’re competing for my attention and not with their siblings or my work outside the house.  They feel like they’re competing with my phone. 

I think that’s my biggest take home point and why I’m going to continue to limit my phone use and be intentional with my time. 

So, maybe all these past posts were completely boring to you.  After all, you had to listen to a lot of mom and wife humdrum that we all go through.  None of it was particularly spectacular in subject matter or writing presentation but I would encourage you to see the smart phone and social media as a potential addiction.  I would suggest using it in moderation and with great care.  The same kind of care you’d use with prescription pain medicine or alcohol.  I’m serious.  It screams nasty habit and I want to part of it especially if it takes time and attention away from the things God has given me to care for. 

Coming up more actual touchy-feely and opinionated blogs as well as recipes, I promise!

Much love to you.  Hug your babies and look them in the eyes when they talk to you. 

-          Texas Deb