E.R.

Jane continued vomiting throughout the weekend and so yesterday our usually laid-back pediatrician suggested we take her to the Emergency Room. I stayed with Samson while Vicki took sweet Jane to the E.R.

I should note here that I'm not a big fan of hospital/medical dramas. I've spent more than my fair share of time in hospitals and am not exactly in awe of Hippocrates' descendants. [My Dad has battled one form of cancer or another off and on since I was 19, so the proverbial shine is well worn off that apple.] Which is not to say that doctors and nurses (who do the lion's share of the work, in my experience) don't do great work; it's just that I don't see them as heroes the way TV would like me to.

For one, everyone on a show like Grey's Anatomy talks like the people on West Wing, had they majored in biology instead of poli sci and gone to med school instead of law school. Anyone who has ever watched a doctor checking the chart so he remembers the patient's name/illness will be quickly disabused of that fantasy. Not to mention that the whole brooding physician fighting the system thing is as tired as, well, the whole brooding cop/teacher/private eye fighting the system.

In any event, this is relevant because Vicki was sitting with Jane in one of the treatment rooms and was approached by an intern. Said intern asked how Vicki knew Jane's stomach was upset, as in, and I quote: "Did she tell you she doesn't feel well?"

Now I like to think that both my children are, as the man says, above average, but am I the only one who finds it silly than an intern assigned to a pediatric E.R. would ask if a 13-month-old --- who, incidentally, is not exactly "big for her age" --- can not only talk but locate and articulate discomfort? Really?

Vicki is a lot kinder than I am, because I would have said something like "She didn't say it exactly, but I think the haiku she left me on her highchair this morning was pretty unambiguous. [Or at least I like to think I would have said that. I probably would have just stared blankly.]

Anyway, Jane is OK, but she's got a really nasty virus and will just need to continue on a diet of Pedialyte until she stops throwing up, which is hopefully soon. She's already feeling a little bit lighter when I hold her, and it's awfully hard to look into those big blue eyes and see so little of the spark that is usually there.