Mondays are evil and what to expect when your kid bumps his head

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - I hate Mondays.

I know, everyone hates Mondays.  But the last two Mondays, my 18-month-old, Zeebos, almost seriously injured himself on each day.  Last Monday, he fell down the steps of the deck in our new yard and split his lip with his teeth.  He now has a fat lip and a fat scab, making it difficult to go out without receiving judgement from non-parentals and knowing looks from those with kids.  The previous Monday, he attempted to climb his highchair but fell backwards onto our shiny tile floor.  The triple-glazed porcelain hides mess well (I didn't mop it the whole first month we lived here) but bangs hard against a little skull.

Zeebos let out a wail and I scooped him up.  An instant goose egg.  As it was probably about his millionth fall, I put ice on it and hugged him tight, happy that my daughter was at my parents'.  Zeebos started yawning and looking drowsy.  Off to the emergency room we went without delay.  I don't know what other parents are told, but I remembered drowsiness was bad for a head injury and that I should not let him fall asleep.  So I yelled "Jingle Bells" at the top of my lungs while driving to keep him awake.  Once we were at the hospital and signing in, he threw up repeatedly on me.  Also not good on my list of informal parenting knowledge I possess in my head.  I was now in tears and very, very worried.

Several hours of waiting in a nice hospital room later, Zeebos woke up from a one-hour nap, looked around the room filled with little lights on screens and wires everywhere and was very excited.  "I fall," he said.  "Yes, yes, you fell," I replied, relieved the nursing staff now had proof that the police were an unneccessary phone call.  He hit himself over the head.  "Boom!  I fall."

And this is what I learned from our sweet nurse Karen and Dr. Shawn about head bumps:

- Keep track if the patient loses consciousness at all (thankfully, Zeebos did not).
- Normal symptoms of a head injury are throwing up and sleepiness.  No need to fight against them.
- If someone hits their head and is tired, they can sleep.  What is important is their reaction when they wake up.  They should be able to recognize you and remember everything.
- Even throwing up a few hours later is expected.  Go back to the hospital if they continue to throw up more than once later on or if they are very irritable.
- It is always a good idea to get a head injury checked out if you are unsure about your kid's reaction or recovery.

Needless to say, little gardening was done the last two Mondays.