We started holidays on Friday, original plan was Buck Lake, Ab for a family get together at my husbands Aunt's lakeside house. The plan was to camp in her back yard. She phoned Friday morning to say it was a no-go due to terrible weather. So we decided to go camping at the Battlefords Provincial Campground instead. We took the van in for an oil change and a once over where I work. Turned out we needed tie rod ends immediately. We get the van fixed and the mechanics OK to leave town. We stop at Big Way foods in Cochin, Sk to pick up ice etc. Go to start the van annnnnnnd *nothing* dead starter.
$50.00 cab ride back home, and lucky enough to have a friend come out and at least haul all our crap back. On Saturday my father in law came to town and ended up buying a starter (turns out we didn't have enough money for one) and we headed to Cochin to fix the van.
When we got home, Xander decided he wanted to go out to Grandpas farm, we thought "what the hell, our plans are toast anyways" so off Xander went in Grandpas truck. We followed behind shortly after.
At the farm, things were going well for the better part of the day. Shortly before supper I was in the house with Zoe checking out the pics I had taken on my Ipod. After getting the kid's supper ready I was sitting with Zoe. Then I heard from outside "Wheres Xander?" Instinct took over and I bolted from the house. Everyone else decided to check the area of the pig pen as Xander had been quite smitten with those crazy ass wild boars. Something told me to head for the swimming hole. The swimming hole that my kid didn't even know existed.
Located just past the garden, obscured by tall grass, and over 5 ft deep in the middle. I got to the water and looked, I saw something bob and my heart dropped. I hoped it was just a log, as I got closer though my worst nightmare was occurring. My son was in the water fighting to keep his head up. I am terrified of water that goes past my knees, when I "swim" I'm readdy just wading in the shallow end. This time, I dove, no thought at all except "get him out". I couldn't see shit underwater but as it turns out my dive was right on as I came up right beside him. I grabbed him and held him up while he coughed and sputtered. I screamed for Lincoln because my balance was rather precarious and I didn't think I could actually swim with him the few feet to the edge. Once we were out of the water I pretty much cracked, especially when he looked at me and said "thank you for saving me mommy".
When we got to the house I was hugging my son and crying. Next thing I knew, my husbands step mom smacked me in the back of the head because getting him out of wet clothes was more important than my hug. Needless to say we ended up in a huge argument shortly later about pneumonia caused by wet clothes.... it's not. Wet clothes are not comfy but they don't make you sick. People who get pneumonia after a near drowning get it from water or foreign objects in the lungs, or like I had stated, a virus.
"Why Do Kids Get Pneumonia?
Getting wet doesn't cause pneumonia (sorry, Grandma) - but an infection from a bacteria or a virus does. Most of the time, if you get infected with a virus or bacteria, your body is able to fight it off with no problem. But sometimes it's a really nasty infection that even the healthiest kid has a hard time fighting off by himself.
Getting wet doesn't cause pneumonia (sorry, Grandma) - but an infection from a bacteria or a virus does. Most of the time, if you get infected with a virus or bacteria, your body is able to fight it off with no problem. But sometimes it's a really nasty infection that even the healthiest kid has a hard time fighting off by himself.
As for the prospect of hypothermia, it's July, he likely wasn't in the water more than 5 min.....
Was I hysterical? Damn right I was. Telling me to calm down, bad idea. That only made me worse. Screaming at me to grow up while we were getting ready to leave, because I reacted the way I did? "Calm down and stop crying you are making things worse for him" and me getting screamed at by all of my in-laws sure helped the situation. To those of you who are able to suck it up and not show strong emotions in front of your kids, yay for you. Want a cookie? Some of us are incredibly emotional, some of us are able to be calm when the situation is imminent but after the danger passes we let loose. Deal with it. Do not tell a distressed parent to calm down or grow up. Try being supportive instead.
I could have lost my son, but fortunately I didn't, that's what matters. I cannot close my eyes without seeing that scene. The fear in his eyes, and then the relief when I rescued him. I was the only one who saw his fear, I was the only person who thought to head to the water. I don't blame anyone, yet I was the one blamed. Because 20 min before I was "playing with your toys". When it happened I was inside cutting my kids hot dogs to prevent choking and sitting with my daughter.
As for how it exactly happened, we are guessing. Xander had said he was running (he is a mini Forest Gump I swear) and he fell in "a big ice cube" Scariest moment of my kids (and mine) life. I'm truly grateful that he is ok.
