heads or tails

Yesterday was a busy day...I tried to pack our bags and clean the house before our trip to the Mississippi Coast and even took some time out of the morning to go to the park with my friend Jill and her son. While we were at the park I told Jill how I was hoping for a smooth sailing type of day. I didn't want any injuries or surprises. I just wanted to get finished packing and then have a free morning Thursday to lounge around before a 13 hour drive to Mississippi. Later, Jill and I spoke about a new show I had scene on TV. It is called "Your Child Ate What?" and is about exaclty what it sounds like. It chronicles the stories of families who's children swallowed bizarre objects. For instance, one kid swallowed three magnets and another boy swalled a matchbox car! Unfortunately, I think I spoke WAY too soon...about not wanting any "surprises" and about the TV show. Last night, when I picked Ashtyn up from his Royal Ranger class at church he said to me in a quiet voice "Mom, I had an accident during my class." Immidiately, I thought he had had an accident in the bathroom but I still asked "What happened buddy?" Ashtyn said "I found a money and I swallowed it." I was SHOCKED! I said "You swallowed money?" He nodded. I asked "Where did you get money?" He answered "I found it on the floor." I felt bad for him cause he kept repeating "It was an accident Mom. It was an accident." I think he was embarrassed. I asked him if he had told his teacher and he just said "No. I didn't know what to do." So, we picked Maddox up from his class and headed quickly home. I called my mom and she suggested we dump some change out on the table and ask him what he swallowed. (Good idea Mom!) Ashtyn immidiately picked up a quarter! Oh no! In fact, not only did he just pick up a quarter but he picked through the pile until he found the EXACT quarter he had swallowed..."the one with the tree on the back" as Ashtyn said. Turns out he swalled the Connecticut state quarter. We looked up advice online on what we should do and everything pointed to taking him into the doctor for an x-ray. Brandon loaded Ash up and off they went to the ER...

Ashtyn was very brave and let the doctors "take a picture of his tummy". Sure enough he had swallowed a quarter and it was in his stomach! It looks so huge compared to his tiny little body. The doctor said that in most cases coins will pass through a child's system on their own. We only have to take him back in if he has any abdominal pain or cramping. We are still planning on going to Mississippi today. The doctor advised that we just take Ashtyn's x-ray with us on our trip so that if we have to go to a doctor while we're there we can show them what is going on. Poor Ash. He slept good last night and went to school this morning. Hopefully all will "pass" normally and hopefully Ash will never put a coin in his mouth ever again!!