the [moments] that always happen after midnight

 

[moment 33]

Fairly consistently, if any of my children have an emergency, it happens close to or after midnight. 

I've had children break an arm just before bed - twice. Visits for dislocated joints, for breathing issues, stitches, staples, ear issues, eye issues ... and the list goes on ... somehow end up taking place in the dark quiet hours. 

Just recently I took one of my "other" children to the ER in the middle of the night. During a snowstorm. 

The thing is - the emergency department was quiet. When we arrived, we were the only ones in the waiting room. The patient was seen right away. Their significant other and I sat in the waiting room (as per covid guidelines) and waited. 

The new waiting room is spacious, comfy, and welcoming. It has interesting light fixtures and curved seating. The staff is kind and patient and quick to make notes on charts with the person's correct name and gender if either differs from what is on their ID or insurance card. 

It wasn't long before the patient emerged, diagnoses acquired, emergent symptoms taken care of for the moment. We headed out into the snow for a slightly slippery trip down the hill toward the pharmacy and then home. 

Everything glistened in the falling snow as we headed home with prescriptions and popsicles.