There are screams and then there is this scream

Never in my life have I heard such a scream as I did in the wee hours of last Friday morning. I don't think I will ever forget it. It was the kind of scream that grabs your attention and demands action before you can even crack an eye to peer at the clock. Just thinking about the scream and describing it is making my heart beat a little harder.

Pat and I could not get our bedroom door open fast enough. I did not even have time to think about what or who we would find on the other side. It didn't matter. Pat was sure that we would find some crazed man with a chain saw chopping up our children. I do remember Pat saying, "Hurry - Go" as he pushed himself out of our room in front of me. And some say chivalry is dead. Not in my house, thank you very much!

We found Nicole sitting on the kitchen island. Screaming and inconsolable. Her limbs were all still attached and there was no man with a chain saw. No pools of blood. Thank you Jesus.

Just as I was wondering if all the screaming was due to her witnessing her brother's murder, Matthew showed up. Thank you Jesus.

The first discernible word we heard was "scorpion". WHAT??? She finally managed to get out that it was in her bed and had stung her, multiple times

Not being a native Texan, I do not know the proper first aid for scorpion stings but that did not stop me from coming up with a course of treatment. I decided that she should rinse her legs in cold water. Not sure where that idea came from but, we decided to go with it. Pat got ice. I guess our not so thought out middle of the night logic was to freeze the pain away.

Pat went to investigate her bed for the alleged offender because that is definitely a mans job, while I tried to convince Nicole that cutting off her toe would not solve her pain problem. Pat found the offending scorpion killed it then flushed it down the toilet for good measure.

One time on an episode of Texas Walker Ranger some bad guys tried to kill a man with scorpions, so I was somewhat concerned that my oldest child would expire on the kitchen counter with her legs in the sink. I googled scorpion sting first aid while Pat tried to console a still screaming and shaking Nicole. I was thrilled to find out that we were on the right track with ice and water. My medical degree from watching Greys Anatomy, ER & other medical shows sure does come in handy at times! In case you are wondering or ever in this predicament, you should also wash the affected area with soap, elevate any affected limbs and apply ice with pressure.

We called the "Ask a Nurse" number that our insurance company provides and she told us to take Nicole to the ER. I really think that is their answer to everything. Nonetheless, we decided to err on the side of caution and took her to our favorite ER. It had been a while since Nicole had made a trip to the ER and it really seemed like a good way to kick off summer break. Good news, she lived and did not get a shot but the bad news is that she is terrified to sleep in her room.

This evening a local pest control company spent 2 hours treating our house and yard for every type of creepy crawly critter. We are praying that it will help all of us sleep better tonight.