annie swallowed a round cell battery yesterday
like for a watch….
i called the dr. and got voice mail.
then i called back 20 min. later and they said "call poison control".
so i get out the phone book and i feel nervous because i have to call poison control.
i call the number in the phone book….ring ring ring….
"Thank you for calling 1800 FREE SEX, if you are a man looking for a woman press one….."
are you kidding me?!
i try again. yep….more sex.
then i call the number under it.
a woman answers "hello?"
i said "uhhh….is this poison control?"
"no…their number is close to ours…its' 5376 not 5476 or is it? is it 0000 or 8000? try that. don't give up."
click.
what the what?!
so now i have started to cry.
i call 911.
i said "my daughter swallowed a battery. she's fine. my dr. said to call poison control but i can't because it is not poison control, it's a sex line.
can you please give me the number for poison control."
"yes….1800 332 6633….do you need an ambulance?"
"not that i know of…thank you."
i call the number she gave me.
dead line.
no dial tone.
then i hang up and try again.
"beep beep beep…we're sorry this number is not availble in your calling area"
WHAT?!
i was about to scream.
i call the dr. back and tell the poor recptionist all my problems.
finally they let me talk to a nurse.
and she says "just watch and make sure she passes it."
and that sums up my day.
do you think i will EVER get this shop open??
today is lauren's birthday.
and early release from school.
and the furnace is being repaired.
and i have to drive an hour to get a yellow fever shot.
i am trying to keep it together…and get sleep…and exercise…and not eat every sweet thing in my kitchen.
i read chapter 9 of Crazy Love yesterday.
very humbling.
then i listened to one of frances chan's sermons to pull me out of my pity party.
more humility.
that's all i have to say about that.
(ps: i love our doctor's office…i just hate voice mail…but i completely understand it in every way)
****edited the 800 222 1222 number you are all sharing with me….IS the sex line.
i tried it twice. at least yesterday it was….WEIRD ***********
Amnah - Hilarious!! The sex line, not her swallowing the battery! Awww, sweet crazy life.
Courtney - My son almost had surgery for this last year!!!!!!!!!! This is VERY SERIOUS and has to be removed surgically if she can’t pass it within 4 days!!!! Please advocate for you child!!!!!!
I will be praying that she passes this quickly!!
Tammy - Did she pass it?
We thought my son swallowed one a couple years ago, there is actually a number for just battery poisoning. As someone earlier posted, the concern is that it gets stuck in a pocket in the esophagus or stomach and then it eats away the membranes.
Everyone should check this out and become educated-
http://www.poison.org/prevent/battery.asp
I had no idea how serious it was at the time. We got a complete xray which was negative. Never did find the battery. But the poison agency called back 24 hr later to check on him.
Please, please be sure it has passed or go in for the xray right away.
Sending you lots of hugs and prayers.
christi - oh no, it sounds like you had a nutty day! if it makes you feel better, the national line number is a porn number for me too — from a 310, 424, 949 and 202 area code. yes, we have too many cell phones in our house with two people. in our defense, one is a land line, one is shutting down at the end of the month and one is for work. hang in there! i think a rainbow cake might be in order!!!!
Dana D@BoysMyJoys - Oh, my! What a crazy and stressful day! But now that you’ve put 800-FREE-SEX on your blog, you’re probably going to get some wild spammers! Oh, no! 🙂
gina - I used to work at a mental health insitution where the teens swallowed batteries of all sizes on purpose. As long as they pass- no problem and I’m sure with that size she’ll be fine. You just have the fun of sifting for a while. 😉
I am a little anxious to get my hands on a pillow, but I’m trying to practice patience. 😉
maribeth - hahaha! oh, the life of a mommy is never boring!
Secret Mom Thoughts - Frustrating. Glad she is ok.
Jen R - I am glad she’s okay! We had a Vick’s vapor rub eating incident last year and our poison control made us go and sit in the ER for 4 hours. It’s so scary!
Elizabeth - Please take her to the ER and get an x-ray done!!!
Joanna @ The Casa - I keep checking back to see if you decided to follow up on the suggestions here to have x-rays or go to ER. A leaking battery can be very dangerous. Please keep us posted.
Barb - Ugh! I thought I was having a rough day, but yours…yours takes the cake. (Oops! Sorry to bring up cake.) Hope everything smooths out soon. Hang in there!
Kelly - Oh Meg! Don’t worry about the shop and hang in there girl! I loved the person’s comment about Satan attacking when we do something for God’s glory. What good perspective. Kelly
Becca Parker - I am so sorry about your day, every Mom has em. Please let us know how Annie is doing, she is such a cute kid. My daughter and I can’t wait to see what she wears next. Such and individual sense of style. We went to Target and I bought myself some Annie socks. When I held them up my daughter knew exactly who I meant when I said “Annie Socks!”
Kacey - Rough day! Glad Annie’s ok. How totally weird about Poison Control! I’ll have to check the number we have on our fridge…
Deep breaths!
Martina - My childhood best friend swallowed the inside workings of a digital watch. (It had gotten wet so she opened it up to breathe on the insides to dry them. Breathed in too hard I guess.) I’m pretty sure she had to go to the the emergency room to get her stomach pumped.
So how do you watch for a battery to pass anyway?
your cool friend Cheryl - Well, at least you know how to get through to the sex line when you need it. Have fun waiting for the battery…
Melissa Gruber - oh no…i hope she is okay…the story did have me laughing…the sex line is just to funny!
hope your day is going better…have a great weekend!
Valley - yOu aRe BeAutiFul!*!*!
What I would give to have your talent/life (not in a weird way)!!***wink!
Hang in there!!
We will all still be here when you get your store open….waiting like sharks! lol
Sarah @ Dream In Domestic - I don’t know anything about swallowing batteries, so I hope what the nurse told you is correct. What a horrible day. I hope everything gets better! You and your family are in my prayers!
Beth Ann - So sorry to hear about your bad day. it is a little funny though… just think when she is 18 and you are remembering the time Annie swallowed a battery and all you could get was a sex line…
you didn’t finish the story… did she poop it out?
Immyyas - Happy Birthday Lauren. Poor Annie… hope you find the battery. Hope today goes better… good luck with the Yellow Fever shot ouch!
elizabeth - i am a Pediatric ER/ICU nurse. I work in one of the largest Childrens hospitals in the country. Been there 25 yrs. You need to get an xray. It has to be confirmed that it has passed through to the stomach. It sometimes gets stuck in the esophagus and then she can end up needing surgery. (A Scope to retrieve it) My son swallowed a dime and they xrayed immed for that. Dont want to scare you but you never know how much experience the person on the other end of the phone line has.
Becky - That was fun to read…although I know it was NOT fun for you! But you wrote it in a way to make the rest of us laugh!
Becky
(friend of Cassie Burback)
pambuller - i had that number memorized when lucy was littler. one week we called it 5 times. but never for sex. 🙂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!!! i hope your day rocks!
kat - Oh my goodness. That is a lot of stress to deal with for sure! Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, the shop will eventually get opened, even if it doesn’t happen until sometime next week, that is OK!!! You’ll still sell all your wonderful things and keep your sanity in tact too. Have a great weekend, I hope you can relax a bit and enjoy it. 🙂
Britt - Meg, the exact same thing happened to me about 2 years ago. A friend swallowed a lot of tylenol and another friend called me asking what to do. I googled the number and gave it to her. 1 minute later she calls back yelling “THAT IS A SEX LINE!” we tried it multiple times, same thing.
Everything worked out OK on our end and we all laugh about it today. The sex hotline that is, not the poor decision to swallow a bottle of Tylenol. That obviously isn’t funny.
Diana - Forgot to say last night… HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAUREN!! Hope you have a FANTABULOUS HAPPY DAY!!
{Not sure what to tell you, hon… I had several people help me test that number today and we all get the Kansas Poison Center.}
Courtney Walsh - Dude. That sucks.
Especially on a day when cookies cannot calm the beast. I’m sorry. I so understand. I had the rottenest day yesterday, though digging through poo to find a tiny battery would seriously bum me out even more than my little pity party.
I am praying for you a better day today… and you know when your shop opens, everything will sell out in seconds. So, no pressure on the WHEN.
🙂 Breathe in. Breathe out.
Laura Phelps - Oh Meg
I feel your pain, fear, anxiety…all of it.
These are the days where I literally throw my hands up to the skies and say, out loud,
“Really, Lord? REALLY?????????????”
The song Jesus Take the wheel comes to mind…
I play this song LOUD when I feel like I am no longer in control, and am overwhelmed…
which by the way, is like, um…every single day!
I’d bring Lauren a cake if I could…but I know you will whip out something grand, and all will be good.
It will be fine.
The shop will open.
Annie will poop out that battery.
You will throw it away and buy another one, cuz it will be gross.
Then you will have a glass of wine snuggled on the couch and LAUGH about it all.
You will.
Until then, though, I will pray for you.
hang in there
we need the crazy days to fully appreciate the calm and peaceful ones.
xo
Valerie - Today is my bday, too! I’m honored to share it with such a fanastic and beautiful young lady!
Valerie
Laurie Blaswich - Hi I am new to blogging. I just sent around a email alert, just last week to all my friends. It was about a little girl that swallowed a small TV remote control battery. The battery was stuck in her esophagus and was corsive. Yikes . . she is fine now, thank goodness.
Hang in there! What a scare.
Stop and visit sometime 🙂
amy - oh my dear friend, what a time you’ve been having. take comfort in knowing that everyone is here for you, all these kind ladies who comment and watch for you. we are all sending you lots of love and prayers for annie to get that battery through her system, for you to get through these complicated and busy days, and for life to settle back into it’s normal rhythm. i hope lauren has a happy bday!
don’t worry about the shop. in the mean time, we’re still listening.
Christy - I would take her to the hospital. I just read a story on CNN, I think last week where a little boy died from the same thing. The acid leaked into him. SO sad. I don’t mean to scare you, but better safe than sorry!
Stephanie - Oh my goodness. My prayers are with you and your little one!
Jackie - I can’t believe they told you to wait for it to pass. I’ve heard it can be VERY dangerous to swollow those kind of batteries. Please, Meg get another opinion, or take her to the ER.
Beth - wow. I’ve heard about close numbers and how that can be annoying, but that’s downright dangerous! I hope it passes quickly so you all can put it behind you. scary!
Susan - Holy Crow! What a wild ride. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger” right? My son had a similar incident, but it was a dime that he swallowed. I did the doctor call and the ER. The doc in the ER handed me a “toilet hat” and a bundle of tongue depressors and said I had to wait for it to pass. Thanks a lot kid. Why me?
Heather - http://www.poison.org/prevent/battery.asp
I did poison control online…check this out, k?
~Heather R.
Cori - Deep breaths, this to shall pass. I hate the swallowing thing. There was one week when I felt like I called poison control 3 times. Enjoy Lauren’s birthday!
Anna - DO NOT wait for it to pass. My nephew put one up his nose and the acid leaked and he had damage and had to have surgeries. It can be Highly dangerous if the batteries leak
http://www.poison.org/prevent/battery.asp
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - Oh my gosh! That is too hilarious. Poor baby…my Big Chick, when she was a toddler got a hold of an Ibuprofen bottle and drank half of it. The safety lid wasn’t on tight enough. I about freaked out. I called the poison line and they told me to just give her lots of water and watch her for lethargy etc… Amazing how you can drink the practically the whole bottle and that’s all they tell you. To this day I have never told my mom. I didn’t want to hear disapproval in her voice. You know how being a new mom you are just so hard on yourself.
Anyway hope your day goes smoothly. You have your hands full right now. Think thin thoughts…that should keep you out of the candy jar:)
Kimberly - How is that watching for the passing of the battery going? Motherhood is so glamorous isn’t it?
Jamie - sounds like a very bad dream where you are trying to make a call and just can’t!!
Jamie - I have also had to call poison control and had trouble too! One wrong number, I didn’t get a sex line though, then when I finally did get through to posion control I got a totally unprofessional gal who could care less about what I was calling about. It is ridiculous!
I hope Annie is battery free in no time!
michelle - you poor thing! but, thank you for making me laugh this morning… at your expense. xoxo
Julie Wriston - I hope your daughter is OK. Kids do crazy things, don’t they! Hope life settles down for you soon.
Lindsay Thomas - I think you deserve a spa day … Perfection.
I hope Annie is ok and passes that sucker! And I hope Lauren has a fab birthday and I really hope you get your shot because I don’t think you want Yellow Fever – does not sound good.
Just start laughing. Make yourself laugh and eventually you will really be laughing. A good laugh can turn everything around … and the spa. 🙂
kelli - that is something crazy! i would be in tears too! you are a trooper.
happy birthday lauren! and happy birthing day megan. have a great day celebrating the baby girl who made you a momma 🙂
carissa... brown eyed fox - Crazy… with a capital c.
i could imagine your panic & frustration… my word.
and annie… pass that battery! 🙂 dear Lord… help her.
you have SO much on your plate.
you know…
everyone will be thrilled when you do get the shop ready.
don’t worry about that one bit!
sending my friend meg some happy… loving prayers today.
and… hAppY biRthdAy Lauren!
Sheryl - Meg,
When you do something, ANYTHING, for God’s glory Satan attacks. This is an excerpt from a book I’m currently reading.
“We allow the enemy to win a victory every time we let interruptions keep us from listening to God.
I begin my quiet time, but then the phone rings and I answer. Satan cheers.
I wait until the end of the day to listen to God, but then I find myself too tired to stretch my spiritual earlobes. Satan applauds.
In the stillness of the morning, I lean my elbows on heaven’s windowsill to commune with the Lord, but then I decide to read my e-mail first. Satan laughs.”
Your interruptions may be different each day, but be prepared for war because Satan is attacking and will continue to do so. Your stories are dear to my heart because I went through a similar situation last year when I was preparing for a mission to Philippines. I am praying for you.
angela - Happy Birthday Lauren!
What a day. What a woman. What a mom. It is true we wear many hats. Pray she is still doing well. Did you get any slepp last night?
Red - I think Poison Control should change their phone number. To one that is not so similar to the sex line.
Are you reading this Poison Control?
Sara W - Sounds like a terrible ordeal – hope today is better.
I have had to call it also and the toll free number I have for Kansas is 800-332-6633.
Hopefully you will never need it again.
Art Cant Hurt - you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
– words of wisdom from christopher robin to winnie the pooh
p.s. today’s chaos will get done. and on a side-note: lauren’s birthday will happen – with or without a ‘tude from her. you will both live thru it. it’s just how we laurens roll. 🙂
Alice - I work in a pediatricians office and the phone # for POISON CONTROL is 1-800-222-1222 for future referrence. Hope you will not need it though.
Sara @ It's Good to be Queen - Wow, that is A. LOT. Isn’t crazy love so good? It will change your life that’s for sure.
My Avery swallowed a quarter last year. fun times. i really enjoyed digging through his poo to look for a quarter every day. and it took TWO weeks to pass the darn thing. TWO WEEKS of digging through poo. yeah. good times. luckily that battery is much smaller so it should go much better for you. 🙂
also, crazy about the sex line…actually that’s just CREEPY.
http://queen-of-the-house.blogspot.com/2009/03/its-funny-now.html
Sarah @ Clover Lane - One day you will laugh…I know though, NOT NOW!
I think we all love you enough that we will wait forever for your Etsy shop…you know everything will sell out in one day anyways, right? 🙂
Glad Annie is ok…Poison Control would have said bring her to the ER and they would have done tons of procedures that weren’t necessary just to cover their butts. Trust me…my pediatrician once told me this…and then told me what your ped told you…just wait, it will come out.
Hope you have a better day.
I’m hanging with you on the sugar…don’t succumb to the evil sugar craving!
You’re awesome.
Melissa - Oh NO!
Girl I’m so sorry. What a day –
I hope she’s alright and you all got some sleep
MM
Staci - Ohhhh MEG 🙁 I’m sooo sorry for the craziness…just what you needed when you are trying sooo hard to give up sugar 🙁 All those things don’t help one bit!!! You’ll be in my prayers today!!!!! And, of course, I hope Sweet Little Annie is okay 🙂
tess s. - i hope your day is better today! i would have cried as well.
jennifer - oh my goodness megan, i am so sorry! what a day!!!
we’ve had our fair share of phone calls to poison control as well. and the frantic trying to find the phone number to go along with it!
on a completely selfish note… i’ve had a super busy week and haven’t been able to be online much and i keep thinking for sure i’m missing out on all the great stuff in your shop. glad i haven’t missed any of the yummy goodness yet.
i’ll pray for annie.
and for you.
hang in there!!!
Jessie - Horrible feeling! I have to tell you my story. My little ones and I were disolving those little tablets where the out side coating dissolves and they turn into a big sponge animal. Well, all of a sudden my 1 yr old eats one. I freak. We just moved to Texas and didn’t have a doctor yet. I call my mom. She says call the hospital, so I do and she LAUGHS! Seriously?! I felt two inches tall and scared. She tells me to call poison control. I have counted the little pills probably 15 times at this point and there are only nine, she ate the 10th. Several minutes have passed so I’m really freaking thinking it’s expanding in her throat. As I’m talking to Poison Control she’s reaching up to hold me and I see #10 stuck to her sleeve. I felt like an idiot, but so relieved.
Don’t feel bad!! I’m glad Annie is okay!
Krista - Please keep us posted about little Annie!!!
Happy Birthday Lauren!
Sounds like you’re having more than your fair share, take it one crisis at a time and you’ll get through it!
sara's art house - Oh no! When Skye opened a bottle of children’s tylenol and popped a few (???not sure how many)I got poison control right away. So sorry it was such a hassel for you….that is an awful mommy moment!!
Cate O'Malley - Gotta love those kind of days, huh? When I was a kid, and my sister was a baby, she swallowed a a small gold locket that had her picture in it. It was mine. I remember my parents waiting for it to pass. Every time I see it in my jewelry box, I can’t stand to touch it. Blech. Glad Annie’s ok! Breathe in … breathe out … repeat. 🙂
A pocket full of posies... - o.k.- I couldn’t resist the irony- the POISON control number leading to a sex line??? think there should be a little more “controlling” of that “poison”!…
just saying!
Blessings! (again!)
Jill
A pocket full of posies... - Oh my goodness! I THOUGHT I had, had a day! But, you WAY topped mine! Hope sweet Annie is all better!… and Happy Birthday Lauren!!!
I hope your weekend is filled with extra special (and uneventful) good times!
Many Blessings!
Jill
Georgia - Arnt us kids great fun! 🙂
My mum had to rush me to A&E once as i swallowed a Pound (£) coin… I was 12 at the time… lol
I had x-rays, and they couldnt see it…. bit odd seeing as i had only just swallowed it.
Im sure Annie will be fine, bless her. She might have extra energy though! lol 🙂 xx
Mike and McGee - Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222. I have them on speed dial. Pathetic, I know, but Meredith ate hand sanitizer once, and then a week later did something else that warranted a call to Poison Control. I forget what it was.
Anyway, sorry to hear about your day. I hope today is a better one!
purejoy - other than the battery/poison control incident, you could have written my blog. hope your day is better today and you get the things accomplished that you need.
sledding looked really fun. (but you’re right, it’s dangerous. some college students were doing it behind a truck… on a mattress… and the rope snapped. the three of them went careening into the bumper of the truck and all sustained tramautic brain injuries… i’m sure your experience wasn’t laced with copious amounts of “liquid courage” and i can imagine your driver was not speeding! here in tenn we see snow so infrequently that people do some pretty dumb stuff)
sorry for the novel. i blurt alot. my bad.
Mrs. - Poor Meg, and t 1AM too. Put on your list…Get some sleep!
Rhiannon C - Here is a website that might prove helpful. I don’t mean to worry you, but I’m surprised your doctor’s office didn’t tell you to get an x-ray immediately. My sister thought my niece swallowed one once and that was the first thing she did. Burns from the battery liquid can happen fast if it gets stuck. Good luck and I hope you “find it” today.
http://www.poison.org/prevent/battery.asp
And the # is 1222 NOT 1212
Kate - POISON HELP 1-800-222-1222
put it on your fridge. Cause what if she had swallowed something really toxic and you needed immediate help???? That is so unacceptable. I would call your local police dept. and let them know – so they can fix that…cause you don’t want that happening to someone else. Sheesh!
Sorry you had such a wild day!
Cathy - Oh my you poor thing.. Write this down..or put it in your cell phone.. 1-800-222-1222 this is the number we use..
La Tempête - Oh no! Hope all is ok.
Tressa Duerr - http://www.poison.org/prevent/battery.asp
I am surprised that they did not insist on an x ray.
My son swallowed a penny when he was young. We had to put his stool in a ziploc bag and smoosh it intil we found the penny. Not my kind of treasure hunting, but I have to say I was so glad when it finally passed. Oh the joys of mohterhood. I hope Annie is well. Tressa
Diana - Oh my oh my! Your poor thing!!
I have little magnets on my fridge STRAIGHT FROM THE LOCAL FIREMEN here in our town… they handed them out during, um, I think Taste of Newton or some such, whatever it was that was on Main Street just this past year, there have been a couple things, so can’t remember… anyway, the magnets say…
POISON HELP 1-800-222-1222
Surely if OUR local firemen were handing all those out, the number is correct. I think you can call one of the fire stations and ask them if that number is correct (I can’t find the phone book or I’d look up the number for you… something like the blue government pages, under city of Newton… “Fire Service”… NOT 911, the other number, LOL!) Or just call the 800 number above and see.
We’ll all be testing this tomorrow, I bet.
Will be praying that Annie is okay.
Will be praying YOU have a calmer day tomorrow… er, today now.
Yeah, we stay up late here, huh. 😉
♥
Erin Kirby - You POOR THING! I can’t even imagine…..
Oh, the crazy things kids do.
I hope Annie is ok.
and that Lauren had a great birthday.
and that you get some sleep and peace?
Poor baby.
Tomorrow will be better! 🙂
Amber - Oh my goodness, so scary!!
You have had ONE heck of a day girl!!
So glad you got to have some time reading Crazy Love & listening to him speak though. Probably helped to balance out the ‘crazy’.
So, it’s 11:32 pm in California. What are you doing up so late!?? You should really get some rest. 🙂
Erica - Wow. That is intense. Just when I think I have crazy days… Is Annie ok?