November 8th 2011

We left the house a little after 5:30 this morning. A long day ahead. Rick had to be at Crestwood by 6 am to have a kidney stone removed. William got bored, nervous, anxious, and scared for awhile. Especially when they called Rick back about 7:45- 8 am. It was like separation anxiety all over again. William was terrified when Rick left his sight even with me soothing him. He can be such a Daddy's boy. They took Rick to the back and had him put on the hospital gown then they gave him some IV fluids. We came back but the kids just got too crazy in the room so I said my see ya later's and gave him a kiss. We went to the Cafeteria for breakfast and ice cream and the kids were so behaved there. Then back up to the waiting room in the kids area and William was wanting to leave SO badly. He doesn't like the hospital at all. Even with Super Why on the TV, Netflix on his ITouch or Rick's IPhone, My IPhone, Crayons, Nintendo DS' and Coloring books with Crayons. Then two little girls came in the kids area. Aspen was between 1-2 years old and her older sister Jersey was about 3-4. They called the girls mom to the back and Jersey had the same reaction William had but her Father wasn't happy. Jersey cried for her mother. Her father said Do you need me to take you into the bathroom if you can't STOP CRYING!. He shook her and told her to stop crying. I moved out of the kid area right outside so I didn't have to be right there with them. But I couldn't leave because I was trying to keep William distracted. She started to whimper and started crying for her mommy again. Her father screamed at her You'd better stop crying your mom is having surgery there is nothing you can do for her. My heart broke for little Jersey. I wanted to say there is so much a child does for their mother you just don't know! She started to cry and her dad shook her again and told her that he was going to take her in the bathroom. I had to walk further away and fight back tears. If I felt violated how did Jersey feel? I am thankful my husband and I have a better way to discipline our children. That doesn't resort to threats and spankings in a public bathroom.
   The doctor called me to tell me Rick was out of surgery and that it would be about 45 minutes before he would wake up. So I just had to wait there for as long as I could stand fighting back tears. 30 minutes later I figured I could go get Rick's clothes out of the car. That would keep us busy and me away from that family.
After an hour we could finally go back into his room and get him.
    He's now resting upstairs in our room. They blasted his kidney stone and sucked out the fragments. They did have to put in a temporary stint :( Poor baby!

As for the discipline. I don't know if he was abusive but because of my history I can't bring myself to do that to my children or think in my head that it is okay to threaten your children when she had a reasonable reason to cry. It reminded me of being at a friends house babysitting her kids. Her 3 year old got out of bed and the room mate closed the hall way door and the girls bedroom door (with my child in the room) and paddled the 3 year old with Skylar present. I was speechless and had words with the father of the child. I try not to interfere with people's parenting or discipline but sometimes my heart just breaks and I have to look away. If I ever saw abuse... I wouldn't walk away though.