Jack stopped taking a daily nap about 2 months ago. (I think, it is all starting to blur together.) But I am still trying to institute some daily quiet time during that part of afternoon. Today I was exceptionally tired from an over busy holiday weekend, so I put him in his room with great hope that he would actually rest. He was playing in there for an hour and when I went in to get him, I sat down on the floor to tidy up the messes he had made while he was putting his pants back on.
In the middle of his toy mess I discovered one lone button cell battery . I immediately asked him what toy it came from and where the toy was. Instead of telling me where the toy was, he told me this:
"The battery is right here. In my belly."
And I proceeded to freak out.
I demanded the toy the batteries had come, and he produced this light up jack-o-lantern, which sure enough, once held 3 button cell batteries. I kept asking him over and over where the other batteries were, and he insisted they were in his belly.
I phoned David, who called the pediatrician and then was on his way home, as I don't have a car right now.
Then I called my friend Renee and had her keep talking to me while I tore his room apart hoping to find the other 2 batteries. I knew they weren't in that room though. Jack doesn't make up stories, and if he says the batteries are in his belly, I knew they would be in his belly.
Googling only freaked me out more, and at some point the waiting was killing me and I started to cry. We have never had any sort of incidents with Jack, no trips to the ER, and he has never been the kind of kid who puts weird things into his mouth, at least not once he got past 8 months old or so.
Off to the ped we went, then to urgent care, then to radiology, then back to the ped. In radiology I stood on the other side of the wall watching that image of his little body pop up there on the screen, going painfully slow, and sure enough, there was the damn battery.
In his belly.
He swallowed a freaking battery.
Of all the things to swallow, he had to pick hazardous waste? All those years of giving him organic food and milk from cows who aren't treated with hormones and using all natural soap and so on and he swallows a battery.
And now the waiting begins. Unlike a coin, or a bead, or something harmless, that battery has to get out of there and the sooner the better. I have to give him laxatives and hope like hell that thing is out of there in 2 days time.
2 days of digging through poopy diapers. Although the alternatives are much scarier, I am not looking forward to it.
Please God, let that battery come out quickly.
(And double check all of your children's toys to make sure they do not have access to button cell batteries while unattended. I try to be very diligent about that sort of thing, but clearly accidents happen, and those small batteries are the ones that cause the biggest threat to children under 5.)
Eeeekk! I'll say some prayers for Jack (and you and your husband too).
ReplyDeletehoping and praying that the battery comes out soon and he never, ever, ever does it again!
ReplyDeletepoor you - it must have been pure hell.
l
x
Oh my! I always wonder what possesses children to eat things like that. I can only assume he didn't mean for it to go down. Ugh. I hope it passes quickly.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Sarah! That is so scary! I never would have thought about the batteries in toys as being a choking hazard, for crying out loud. Just another thing for parents to worry about! LOL I truly hope that things work themselves out (if you know what I mean) and that it will all be over quickly and painlessly. You poor thing, I'll be thinking about you!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely one to write down in the when-I-have-kids books. I'm totally confident it will come out, & soon. Until then, I'll be sending anti-battery thoughts in y'all's direction...
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I hope it comes out quickly! It's good he told you the truth about it. N. would never admit to doing that. When he was three one day I looked at him and noticed his nose looked wonky. I touched it and could feel something hard. He kept telling me it was nothing and he didn't put anything in there. Of course it was after the pediatrician had gone home. Off to the ER we went. They had a hard time getting it out - it was waaaay up there. I don't know how he reached that far inside his nose! It turned out to be some sort of eraser from preschool. How do you look at an eraser and think, "that would feel good shoved inside my nose."?
ReplyDeleteOr, "I think I'll swallow that battery."?????
Kids. They like to keep us guessing, don't they? :)
I'll be thinking of you. Good luck!
OH Sarah-- I'm so sorry. Despite ALL our careful parenting you're right accidents do happen. Let's hope Jack emptied out soon-- I know he will.
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy! I am saying lots of prayers for you and Jack and that this will "pass" quickly and painlessly!
ReplyDeleteHoly Cow Sarah! Pretty scary -- I hope it passes very soon and that Jack's ok!!!
ReplyDeletetiny and smooth.. This too soon shall pass.
ReplyDeletePoor Mama. I'm sure you must be so worried.
Oh my goodness Sarah, how scary. Please let us know what is happening. Clarice
ReplyDeleteOh Sarah...that's so scary, I hope it comes out fast.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the only bright side is that he told you the truth when you asked him and you were able to react quickly. I hope he passes it quickly for both your sakes.
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing! Wishing you strength and courage during this trying time.
ReplyDeleteOh! I'm so sorry! I can't believe it was easy enough for him to get at! I hope everything comes out o.k.! :) Poor little guy....poor mama!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!!! That had to been a nightmare!! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the battery makes its way out quickly (for both of you)!!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, Sarah! I'm so sorry!
ReplyDeleteWe'll be keeping you and Jack in our prayers. Hang in there Mama!
YIKES!!!! Hang in there you guys! I am SO glad you saw the original battery, that was a "God thing" for sure.
ReplyDeleteMolly
oh Sarah - I'm sorry! Taking your kid to the ER is the worst. Peter got a crochet hook stuck in his hand a while back and we had to go to the ER to get it out. I felt horrible. I hope that Jack works that battery out and all is well soon!
ReplyDeleteI know it will all come out fine in the end (ha ha) and you will have a story to tell at his wedding- but it is positively terrifying to go through it at the time.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest (now 21) came to me one morning when he was about five or so and handed me a nickel. He said, "It feels warm 'cause I kept it in my mouth all night." This is the same kid who swallowed a marble when he was eight. I was supposed to check to see if that passed but he refused to poop in a disposable pie tin and I admit I didn't force the issue- it's still in there for all I know!
OH, how scary. When I was about 8 or 9, I swallowed a straight pin. I remember this drama well. Here's hoping everything comes out (literally) alright.
ReplyDeleteEeek! I hope that your hunt for the battery is over by the time you read this!
ReplyDeleteOh Sarah I hope it is now through his system
ReplyDeleteGood luck
Alison
Oh Sarah, I can't even imagine. I think I would have been hysterical. All I can tell you is that my friends' kids have eaten everything. You can't watch them every single second. Let us know when everything is o.k. again.
ReplyDeleteOh no! You poor thing, that must be so scary! I hope everything clears up quickly.
ReplyDeleteGood night! I'll say a prayer for Jack, and one for your sanity. Keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteGood night! I'll say a prayer for Jack, and one for your sanity. Keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteOh hon, I'm sorry to hear that. At least he told you about it! Here's hoping for a quick removal! And for another I swallowed story - I swallowed the tine of a plastic fork when I was younger and am still living to tell the tale. What goes through these kids' minds?
ReplyDeleteYikes.. good luck! We'll all be waiting for the poop report!
ReplyDeleteI swallowed a penny and bit the tip of a thermometer and swallowed (we think) the mercury. I must have been about 5 or 6 for both and reading your story brought back the look on my mother's face. She was standing right next to me both times. Accidents do happen to even the most diligent. It's scary to be a parent!
ReplyDeleteMany prayers for Jack's (and your) speedy recovery.
Oh my good gravy. I am praying that little battery comes out asap too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry. Laura swallowed a nickel once. Quite a bit of drama ensued, and I spent way to much time with poop and a popsicle stick. We never did find the nickel.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping you guys in my thoughts.
Oh sweetie, I will be thinking of you & Jack and hoping that it comes out quickly!
ReplyDeleteOh my, I will keep you all in my prayers and hope that little battery comes out soon!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! I'd flip out too! I'm thinking about you and I hope it comes out quickly!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you said your Monday was sucking! GAWD! I'm sure it will all work out...literally (sorry, heh). I am sure you wanted to shake him silly and hug him all at the same time. Dang kids. :(
ReplyDeletexo
Oh no! I'm sending positive thoughts you way.
ReplyDeleteOh NO! What a scare- hopefully everyone is fine by now, and the battery is long gone from Jack! Scary...and hopefully never to happen again!
ReplyDeleteblessings,
kari & kijsa
Oh Sarah! I am so sorry. It is no fun to have to worry about that on top of everything else we have to deal with as Moms. I hope he gets rid of it soon!
ReplyDeletethinking about you guys! hoping it comes out soon. so sorry, sarah!
ReplyDeleteOhhh... you poor thing... I hope Jack passes the battery all right..
ReplyDeleteJodie
My son is supposed to have some daily quiet resting time (for my sanity), too, and so I am sorry to hear about Jack. I hope that it passes soon! After reading your plight, I discovered that there is a national battery ingestion hotline 202-625-3333. Something I did not know. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteoh my! I do hope it passes quickly for all of you! I doubt he'll do that again!
ReplyDeleteHopefully by now it has come out to the light of day. Oh poor Mommy...these things are really sent to drive us over the edge. A friend of mine had heart hiccups when her babe swollowed a couple of the magnetic balls in the plastic design game thing...one is ment to be OK but two are pulled together in the intestines and can cause all kinds of damage...This sent me into a spin and we now longer have any of this stuff in our house...not something you can do with batteries I mean they are in nearly everything!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad he could tell you and that you noticed right away. I know that sucker will pop out soon.
ReplyDeleteThinking happy thoughts.....
LA
How scarry. Praying all is well and that it passes out quickly.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nightmare! Hope things work themselves out soon.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sarah - I hope you're having a better day today (how could you NOT)? That is such an amazing story. It's got everything: child who somehow manages to pierce the protective shield his mother has created for him, guilt over wanting a few minutes of peace, a trip to the hospital AND diaper adventures. It almost makes me glad my son is 16. (Almost.)
ReplyDeleteOh for heaven's sake! Poor you and poor Jack. Please keep us posted that it comes out soon.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry! Well wishes your way. I will be looking for your "got the battery" post! :)
ReplyDeleteHow is Jack?
ReplyDeleteSending you and Jack lots of positive thoughts and prayers. I hope this passes for you soon.
ReplyDelete