Fair Deal

So Tuesday was supposed to be our Family Fair Day...but it didn't exactly turn out the way we had expected. The day before, Ella had been complaining about a headache and spent the entire night throwing up over the toilet. Patrick and I were concerned obviously, but kind of just assumed the poor kid had her father's genes and was suffering from a terrible migraine. Anyway...instead of heading out to the Fair first thing the following morning as planned, I headed right into Wee Care Pediatrics with Ella to get Dr. Kim's opinion on the matter. Turns out Ella had a concussion...that's right...a concussion...the most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury...and do you want to know how it happened?...well, here's the story...on Monday, Ella was climbing on our new wall system in the toy room (that right there tells you...this can't be good) when low and behold, a wooden stacking toy fell on top of her head. Now...since the day that child took her very first step, I would have to say she probably has been one of the clumsiest people I know...smacking into walls, tripping over her feet, and tumbling here and there...but she has always walked away with only some bumps and bruises (some of those bumps a little bigger than others...but still...only some bumps and bruises...unless you count when she was slammed in the door at the Y last year and lacerated her finger...but that's a whole other story.) Then one day, a simple little toy, one that you might think is rather harmless, tips over on her head and the child gets a concussion. I just couldn't believe it.

Because of the risks involving loss of brain function that can accompany a concussion, Dr. Kim decided that Ella must be on restricted activity for the remainder of the week...no running, jumping, swimming and NO soccer. All Ella really cared about though was whether or not Kim would still let her go to the Fair. After much begging and pleading, the "deal" was made that Ella could still be there for family Fair Day...as long as she didn't go on any rides or play any games that involved impact or sudden body movements...she basically was supposed to just sit in the stroller and take it all in.

So that's what we did. Though we arrived at the Fair a lot later than anticipated and the itinerary had to be altered a little but, our Family Fair Day still turned out to be quite special. Between visiting all the animals, sipping 25 cent glasses of milk, chowing down on favorite fair food and sugary treats and catching an evening horse show I would say it all seemed to be a "Fair Deal".