note to lab: a little peroxide should take care of your carpet.

We have an old pair of crutches but Emma is having trouble getting the hang of using them and didn't want to use them at the radiology place. I was going to put her in the stroller but realized once we got there that it was in the back of Billiam's car. Picture me carrying Lydia in the sling, Ben hanging onto me and helping Emma hop across a big parking lot. We were a sight.

Nothing showed up on the x-ray.

Going to have blood drawn was an adventure. Emma was finished with hopping so the crutches were put to use. The place was tiny and packed. Luckily there was one seat left in the waiting room for Emma and after a bit another opened up for Ben, Lydia and me. They were having issues with their heating/ac system. The weather was warm and they had everything turned off but the vents were blasting hot air. Too many people + small space + too hot = stink. Ugh. The staff was snippy but I think I would be too, if I knew I was going to have to be in that place all day long.

By the time we got called to the back Ben was loudly announcing that he didn't want to be there any longer, it's time to leave, etc. I'm sure he was just voicing what everyone else was thinking. Anyway, Emma did great with the blood draw. The girl who absolutely freaks out over a strep test calmly watched the whole thing without flinching.

On the way out there is a ramp and I went in front of Emma to open the door. Then she shrieked, "MOMMY!" in a panicked voice. I turned around and blood was running all down her arm and crutch to the floor. It looked like a massacre. I sat her down, had her elevate her arm, then ran back up to the front and told them I needed gauze right away, that she was bleeding.

The grouchy front desk woman lost her grump and ran out and carried Emma to the back. Luckily Emma is a tiny little thing. Then Front Desk Woman turned to me, her arms covered with Emma's blood and asked me if there was anything she needed to be worrying about. The phlebotomist looked at Front Desk Woman with a horrified face. Nope, but feel free to run whatever extra tests you want with whatever is left over of those three vials of blood. We got Emma all cleaned up, freshly bandaged and one of the women set to cleaning the crutch.

I took Ben and Lydia and went to pull the van up front while Front Desk Woman carried Emma out to meet me by the door. Thank you, Front Desk Woman. I am not one to cry under pressure, but once everyone was in the car I pulled over and just felt like bawling. Her knee feels a little bit better this morning but she still can't walk. What the hell is going on?

I'll call the doctor's office in a little while to see how long it will be before they get the results.