Miniature Golf + Long Beach Island + Chevy Lumina + Temper Tantrum = ER

Yup, yup, yup it happened.

It wasn’t pretty.

And it wasn’t funny.

At the time.

But now, of course, it’s hysterically funny and is one of the favorite stories recounted at our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.  “Remember when she slammed the car door on both of us when we were going to play miniature golf on vacation? HAHAHA.”

The silver lining in this story is that it wasn’t me that had the temper tantrum and neither injured child had to stay overnight at the hospital.    Imagine the horror for the kids.  I would def have had a tantrum then.  And if I had to pay for the hotel room and a hospital room…..or two, I would not have been a happy camper.  Or, more specifically, a happy hoteler.

This was the sequence of events:

Kids #2 and #3:  “Mom, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease can we go play miniature golf please please please?”

Me:  “Well, we just arrived at Long Beach Island, but sure!  Great idea!  We can finish unpacking later.”

Kid #1:  “NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo don’t make me GOOooooo! I hate miniature golf!”

Me:  “Of course you have to go.  You don’t have to play, but I can’t leave you here by yourself.  When we’re done, we’ll do something you want to do.”

At that point, we all go out to our Chevy Lumina.  Having a little fit, #1 child grabs the front passenger door handle and with all of her might swings the door open, which happens to hit #2 child in the head.  Hard.  Because she was running to the door.

While this was happening, littlest #3 child grabbed the molding in between the sliding passenger door and the front passenger door to hoist himself up and into the back seat.

After hitting #2 child, #1 child then slammed the door shut, crunching #3 child’s fingers.  And off to the Emergency Room we went.  It was the first time that I have ever appreciated the blue H signs directing injured people to unknown hospitals.

Children #2 and #3 had pretty much calmed down by the time we got there.  I had a washcloth filled with ice on the bleeding egg on #2 child’s head, and a washcloth filled with ice on #3 child’s fingers.  It was #1 child who was screaming and crying the whole time.  Imagine hearing these sobbing utterances in the ER waiting room.  “I hurt my brother and sister. I hurt my brother and sister. I hurt my brother and sister.”  Her horror that the injury to her siblings was caused by her temper tantrum was painful to watch.

A few hours later, all was well.  #2 child didn’t need stitches nor did she have a concussion.  The swelling was totally gone….a month later.  #3 child didn’t break his fingers, but needed splints and bandages that he couldn’t get wet for a week.  On the first day of our week long summer vacation on Long Beach Island.   Now no pool, no ocean.  But we found a ton of stuff to do that made everyone happy, without #3 child going in the water or using his hands.

The miniature golf game that was never to be.