I woke up to snow on the ground this morning. Total surprise. Shockeroony. (Yes, thank you, Oprah for that last new word). The Seattle weather forecasters are MUCH better at forecasting the weather after the fact. Hmm. Wait. I think that’s not really how it’s supposed to work. Anyway, I’m happy to forego one 6am run this week to get a little bit of writing time in.

As reported last week, our eldest, Matthew, has suffered a catastrophic injury. At this point, I regret not having rushed him to the ER when the bodily trauma first occurred. WHY hadn’t his teacher called me when the accident happened?! As his mother, I should’ve been there to hold his hand and comfort him during that scary ordeal. Now, precisely a week after the incident, he is still limping as much as ever. While the wound – the 3rd degree RUG Burn – has healed and only a small scab remains as evidence of the Carpetish Disaster ’09, the lasting emotional and physical repercussions linger. [Do Rug Burns come in degrees? They must. And if they do, this one is definitely a 3rd degree.]

Matthew still refuses to bend his leg. His left leg is permanently straight, apparently, and sticks out like a little broken bird leg. He takes stairs one at a time. He drags his leg behind when running. I’m still expecting him to say, “I’ve been shot! Go on without me!” His run looks more like a gimpy-horse gallop. I guess I just don’t have enough caretaker skills to help remedy this ailment of his. I think we might need to check him into a long-term rehabilitation center.

I did seek some sage advice from someone who really knows kids. Kristyn is my friend and…Childcare Expert Specialist – CES (OK, she’s our nanny who we employ while I teach music classes. I just have such a hard time saying “nanny” ‘cuz it makes me sound all hoity-toity and…grown-up. Most days I still feel like a nanny and I sit around praying that the parents get home soon to relieve me). When Kristyn arrived last week I prepped her that Matthew would need some extra special care due to the seriousness of his injury. She, of course, assured me that Matthew would be in capable hands.

Now, I heard all sorts of things from Matthew last week – ‘that he’d never walk again...for eight months, that he needed to be carried, that he couldn’t clean-up toys because of his handicap, and that he needed a “kid wheelchair”’ (to name a few). Kristyn’s report after seeing Matthew in his desolate state was, “I think it is time you face the facts Jenny: Matthew is not going to heal without proper medical attention. What does that mean? You know what it means- child wheelchair. It is clear he is only going to get worse without one. I bet you can find a good deal online. Get crackin'." I figure I can find a good deal for one on eBay or Craigslist.

When I reported to Kristyn yesterday that matters had still not improved, she wisely recognized my call for help, and yet again, provided helpful and expert counsel. "I think this situation calls for more drastic measures. It's time to start looking into specialists- what would you call a rug burn specialist? A Rugologist? Carpetologist? If they can't diagnose him with something that already exists, maybe his condition could be named after him. Then I could say to random people I encounter, "hey I know the guy that condition is named after!"" So, would that be Matthew Martinitis? Or Matthew Martin’s Disease? I’m not sure, but Kristyn sure knows her kid-injury stuff.

Meanwhile, Zachary seems to be accepting his brother’s new disability with maturity and ease. Thankfully, he’s been immune to the emotional trauma that we’re all suffering because of Matthew’s accident. Although, I am a little concerned that he’s learning some bad habits because of his big brother’s new Peg Leg Running technique. I caught him yesterday doing the gimpy-horse gallop across the family room floor as opposed to a standard run. I wonder if they have specials on kid wheelchairs. Two for one? i.e. Buy one, get one free?

All in all though, Zachary does appear unfazed. So unfazed, in fact, that a couple of days ago, he took it upon himself to provide the family with some much needed comic relief. The boys were playing well together downstairs while Mike and I finished dinner and started clearing the table. They were playing, we now realize, a little TOO well. Zachary suddenly jumped into the doorway and screamed,
“TA-DAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!” accompanied with arms extended and just a hint of jazz hands (so as not to over do it). He’s totally buck-booty-cheeked naked. Well, save for a blue hunter’s type snow hat. Gotta keep the head warm, right?

When Mike and I recovered from the shock (and hilarity) of the scene, we put on our stern parental faces and did all the “that’s not appropriate” blahblahblah, and “save the nudeyness for the bathtub” blahblahblah, while really we couldn’t make eye contact or we’d crack-up again. Ahh, thank goodness for some comic relief during these difficult and trying times for our family. There’s nothing like a hard time to pull people together. And let’s pray to God that a 3rd degree Rug Burn is the hardest time that we have to face!