Princess and the Pea

A pea up her nose that is. Chloe is such a little stinker. She is obsessed with sticking things up her nose. I've gotten really good at retrieving most things....a series of plugging one nostril and making her mad enough to snort it out, covering one nostril and puffing air into her mouth, or just pinning her down and getting the old tweezers. Last week none of my tricks worked. She had shoved 2 peas up and was attempting a third when I caught her. I was able to get one out, but the second one was so far up in her sinus that I could barely see it with my flashlight.

I first turned to my good friend 'Google' and I was told that she needed medical attention. I called the E.R. and yes, I needed to bring her in....oh great. Apparently there is a risk of it going into her lungs and aspirating....definitely didn't want that.

Of course it was on a day when Dave teaches a night class, so again I packed the girls in the stroller and off we went to the E.R.

It was horrible! The E.R. was crowded and my girls were tired and cranky. I had left a note on our door for Dave to hurry over as soon as he got home. It was 7pm and he got there at 8:30...longest hour and a half of my life.

Dave took Maggie home which saved my sanity and Chloe and I continued to wait for the Doctor. By this time I couldn't see the pea anymore and I thought there was a good chance that she either snorted it out when I wasn't watching or it made it's way down her throat. I told the nurse that I thought it was gone, but she still wanted me to see the Doctor.

Finally at 9:30 we were taken back. The Doctor came in a looked up her nose (which Chloe thought was absolutely the end of her world, oh man she screamed!). He of course couldn't see anything so we were sent home about 3 minutes later.

Another stupid trip to the E.R. I have never been to the E.R. in my life and now twice in one month over weird things that my kids do. I guess I should be grateful that both of trips have been totally fine in the end.

Fast-forward to today....

Chloe was doing her funny little snort that indicates that she has something in her nose. I press on her nostril and pin her down so it makes her mad enough to snort at me and out pops a shriveled up pea. I guess it was just hiding up there somewhere all week. Sick, I know....

I'm not sure what to do with my little snorter. I watch her pretty carefully now when she is eating, but she tries to stuff anything she can up her nose....I don't know why she thinks it's so fun. One thing I've learned is that I'm not taking her back to the E.R. for it, things will work themselves out....and no more peas (or nostril sized food) for Coco.