So, after a great weekend of camping and a week of recovering, Matt spent a few days in Canberra followed by a week of flying in Melbourne. A great opportunity for those pilots in the Army who aren't flying, to actually fly! And... I would never begrudge an opportunity for Matt to fly!
Matt (and the rest of you - you know who you are!), had a wonderful time flying in and around Victoria, through Melbourne to land exclusively on the helipad in front of the Crown Casino. I was excited that Matt could get some flying hours (31.5 in total) and was especially glad when he surprised us and came home early!
However, while he was away, the boys and I had a different story to tell!
Day one and we end up in the Emergency Department at the Townsville Hospital!
We organised to meet my good friend and her mother (who is quite taken by Harry!) at a playground after school, go for a bike ride and then have fish and chips for dinner. A great afternoon was spent by all until it was time to load everyone in the car. Normally a fairly easy task, except of course when daddy's away! So, I have Thomas and Harry strapped in and Zach is also put in the car. Zach decides he would like to shut his own door and leans out to try and reach the handle. The car door is just out from little Zachy's reach so he over balances and lands on the concrete on his head. Not a thing broke his fall on the way down. He bounces once, grazes the side of his head, then bounces again and lands on his forehead. His body falls at a different angle from his head and I see it all happen in slow motion before I can reach him.
My wonderful friend Camille runs back to the fish and chip shop to get some ice. Zachy's head has already come up in a huge grazed lump and he is crying uncontrollably. I am trying not to panic as I keep talking to Zach, who starts to look sleepy and the eyes are rolling, as he loses all colour in his face and turns white. Camille comes back with a huge bag of party ice and we try and keep it on his head (a task in itself). Plans to get to the hospital are being made and calls are being made to paramedic friends of Camille's! I call in our other wonderful friend, Caitlin who not only is a doctor but also lives near the hospital.
At the emergency department we have to get Zach's neck x-rayed. And of course, I forgot to take into account that I am pregnant and cannot actually be near the x-ray equipment. A frightening ordeal for my little Zachy. He was a real trooper but you could see the uncertainty and fear in his little eyes. His way of coping was refusing to talk to any doctors or nurses and when being x-rayed he refused to do anything they asked!
At the end of the evening, Zach was given the all clear and we went home. Caitlin had the difficult task of getting Harry and Thomas home, bathed and dressed into their PJ's. She did a wonderful job - especially negotiating with Thomas who was also refusing to do anything he was asked to do! He was very concerned about Zachy and wasn't going to cooperate unless it involved driving back to the hospital!
Thanks goes to my wonderful friends and Camille's mum who looked after Camille's children so she could help with mine! It was an interesting beginning to a week without Matt!
Zachy was 'out of sorts' for the rest of the week and extra sensitive so there were lots of tears. By Friday morning I was glad to be meeting the other 'army wives' who include, the CO's wife and the other OC's wives. As it turns out, all our husbands were away and we were all ready to sell our children on ebay! I must admit that I was feeling like quite the 'whimp' with Matt only gone for less than a week while Cam, and Karen both have their husbands away for 4-5months!
Anyway, we all had a great morning at the playground and a bike ride along the strand and we enjoyed a well earned cup of coffee at Juliette's cafe.
Friday night was 'sushi' night at Camille's and we enjoyed great sushi (thanks Cam!), great friendship and the kids all played well together. It was a good start to the weekend and a great way to end a difficult week!
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