6/15/07

Put A Fork In Me

Somehow. And don't ask me how. I've missed the articles and news regarding Magnetix being recalled.
And Connor just loves playing with his Magnetix.
In fact, last night as I was preparing Miso soup for dinner for Rav & I (I was desperately craving comfort food after the events of last Friday and cramps rolling in), as I'm stirring the bean paste into the boiling water I hear a sound.

A choking sound.

I drop my wooden spoon and run in the direction of the choking sound.
And Connor is running toward me.
Grabbing at his throat.
Red as a beet.
Choking.
That horrible choking sound.


Of course, I panic.
Rav tells me to call 911.
My hands are shaking so bad it takes me what feels like 10 minutes to dial those three numbers.
As I'm doing that, Rav is working on Connor who is still choking away. Not breathing.
After what feels like minutes, Rav gets the culprit dislodged from Connor's airway.
And there on the carpet is a shiny ball from a Magnetix set.


My five year old, all of a sudden feeling the need to put things in his mouth, sets his sights on a magnetic, metal ball.



The ambulance comes and checks Connor's breathing and says he sounds great.

After they left, I think Rav & I finally took a breath.
We both weren't sure if we could eat after that.
Our stomachs were in knots.
My hands were still shaking...again.
And I'm left wondering
What in the hell is going on?


Last week, Connor felt the impulse to try and swim on his own.
And we had a near drowning incident.
This week, Connor felt the impulse to pop a metal magnet ball in his mouth.
And he damn near choked on it.


All I have to say is that I just cannot take anymore.
My nerves are shot.
I feel like I am failing. Horribly.
I've also noticed that his ADHD is off the charts. He is literally bouncing off of the walls.
Thus his impulse control is out the window.


My boy. I don't know what to do with him.

The only thing I do know is that I threw away the whole bucket of Magnetix.
And I warn you...if you have any in your home
Throw them in the trash!!

17 ripples in the pond:

Anonymous said...

Shit, that's scary. If it's any consolation, my son started the house on fire when he was 11. Any help? No?

The important thing is, he's okay. You guys were there. If it was going to happen, it happened at the best possible time.

Take care of yourself, take a deep breath, and give a big thank you to the universe. Your family is okay, shaken but okay.

And I'm sending you a hug:)

Unknown said...

Oh Tabba! I don't even know what to say. I'm so grateful Conner is okay (and yes, we need to throw our Magnetix away, too). I just feel so bad that you've gone through two such serious incidents so close together. All my warmest, most comforting thoughts, wishes and prayers are yours.

thailandchani said...

Geez! It seems to be Connor's week for getting himself in trouble!

Glad you threw it away. I can't imagine what is in the minds of those who dream these things up and then manufacture them.


Peace,

~Ch

Her Grace said...

My heart started beating wildly as I read that, just imagining it. I'm so glad he's ok and I hope the rest of the week is a little calmer.

deezee said...

ouch. too much, just too much. you must feel completely depleted.

sounds like your youngun is stretching his previous limits, feeling a surge within. maybe a blip in the developmental stage that will calm soon.

I send you calm and regeneration...

OhTheJoys said...

You have way more than your fair share. Way more.

Kim said...

Oh my goodness!

I mean, seriously, HOW MUCH can a mom take?

I will pray that your life settles down a little bit. No more scares for you!

joker the lurcher said...

hi. i don't know how but i had missed that your boy had adhd. we have this sort of stuff too. this week was trying to set fire to the house. hope you are ok. it is tough.

carrie said...

Now I feel bad.

Katie swallowed TWO of her brother's Magnetix balls last year (all the way down) and we visited the doc immediately following. I was doing laundry and I had seen her playing with the set but knew I'd get to her and put them away . . . "in just a minute". Her doctor said we were lucky, that the balls were not magnetically reactive with each other (which we knew) and had cleared her stomach and upper digestive system - that they'd find themselves out naturally and all we had to do was wait.

I thought about sharing this story after seeing so many incidents of this happening on the news (where the outcome was MUCH worse) and observing that these toys are STILL for sale in all major retail stores. It blows me away.

But now, I see that my inaction has had a consequence. For if you had read that, maybe you'd have thrown Connor's away. Maybe this would've never happened. God I feel awful. I will post about this next week, in hopes that maybe another child will not be injured, possibly injured, or die from those toys.

Extra squeezes for all of you.

I am sorry.

Carrie

Tabba said...

Carrie: don't feel bad....how could you have known...In fact, it's my own stupidity because going through PlainJaneMom's site I saw that she had it listed as a recall and I didn't even see it.
But I appreciate your concern and thoughtfulness.

And to you ALL...this has been one hell of a week! Thank you for all of your thoughts/prayers/wishes.

flutter said...

Crap! That must have scared the hell out of you, Tabba!

Girlplustwo said...

good lord, tab. you are having a hell of a time lately.

and the universe continues to protect. thankfully.

Jen said...

Shit - RUNNING to throw ours away now. Geeze, when it rains it pours. My mom always says, "This, too, shall pass." And it will for you - hang in there.

Beck said...

Good grief.
And can I ever relate - until about a year and a half ago, The Boy was a complete maniac. We had poison control on our speed dial - he drank perfume, cleaner, shampoo, ate a bar of soap, stuck things up his nose and nearly needed surgery AND nearly fell out of a second-story window.
So yeah. It has this way of knocking you out, doesn't it?

Liv said...

Honey, it's summer, we're frazzled and quite frankly, shit is happening. My D escaped out the back door, managed to let the hound out of the fence, chased it, somewhere along the way stripped and then started crying when he realized the dog was gone, he was naked and out of the house without grown-ups on a busy city street. My heart almost exploded out of my chest.

I'm glad we don't have those Magnetix----our lives have been taken up with removing all of the lead filled Thomas culprits from our home. WTF!?

Anonymous said...

Geez, what a crappy week for you guys! I am so sorry and I can imagine that your nerves are indeed completely shot. Hope that things calm down and become boring for a while!

Pippajo said...

Oh. my. lord.

I would be an absolute LOON by now!

So glad your sweet boy is safe. I don't know how you're going to ever feel comfortable letting him out of your sight again!

You cannot possibly imagine just how many of those Magnetix we have in our house. They are EVERYWHERE! I am constantly steeping on them, vacuuming them up, sitting on them, you name it. The Viking's family keeps giving them to Man-Cub. I think he's gotten huge packs of them the last three birthdays and Christmases.

I had no idea they'd been recalled. Maybe now I can get the in-laws to stop giving them to him.