Kindnessgirl

we just got back from the hospital. josiah stuck a very small lego piece up his right nostril. while this was quite an ordeal, i kept thinking it was kinda funny. we tried desperately to get it out ourselves with the tweezers but the damn thing just kept going higher and higher.

josiah was getting more upset by the second, we finally told him we had to see a doctor and that sent him over the edge. he said he didn’t want to go and just leave the lego there. he kept suggesting other ways to get the lego out, “maybe some water?”. he resisted for almost an hour but the minute he got in the car he seemed totally resigned. we dropped jack off at a friend’s house and made our way to st. mary’s hospital. i told josiah maybe he needed a rescue hero to get the lego out, jorge said his name would be nosy ned. the hospital was very nice and the staff efficient but the lack of respect for josiah was driving me crazy.

“put him up on the table here”

me- “excuse me, what is your name?”

“umm…stephanie”

me- “hi stephanie, this is josiah. josiah, this is stephanie and she is going to help us with your nose problem.”

the whole feel in the room instantly changes. stephanie explains everything and treats josiah like a person. we continue to do this with the next 2 nurses and doctor. he was pretty relaxed until it was time to actually get the lego out. it took 4 of us to hold him down. wow, he is strong. i just kept thinking how i am i gonna help him process this? when he was done he heaved a cry of relief and then threw his arms around me and cried hard. i asked him if he was scared and he just shook his head and cried. i told him i could not believe how strong he was. i was proud he fought so hard, i knew it made it harder but he did what felt right to him and fought with all his little heart. this child is SO compliant on a day to day basis and it made me feel so good to know he has this in him. we just kept telling him how brave and strong he was and by the time we left we were cracking jokes.

“hey josiah, wanna go home and play legos, we can put one in our nose.”

he laughs really hard, “no way jose” he replies. jorge, josiah and i play this game the entire way home. 

man, i totally thought the first hospital visit would be a broken arm or something…i told josiah he has a story to tell now. “i was brave mama.”, he said. “you were buddy, you really were.”