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the rest of the story
Jun. 21st, 2009 08:38 pmThings are calmer now.
Both girls have started the rabies shots, so even if the poor bat is rabid, they're already safe. It all began yesterday while the rest of the womenfolk, myself included, were at an estate auction. I like to go just to dig through all the stuff. I'm intimidated by auctioneers and I usually don't want anything bad enough to fight with other bidders for it. Not competitive.
But it's fun to go through these 100+ year old houses and see the ancient furnishings and stuff. And this house was amazing. It was built in 1891 and had been in the same family the whole time. It was huge and rambling and full of wood work. I had sort of based the Zephyr homeplace on my own 100+ farmhouse, but I think I can add elements of this one to it. I wish I had taken my camera to get some pictures.
They auctioned off the house too and the auctioneer insisted everyone understand what a privilige it was. It was the first time this house and land had ever been available outside of the Walker family, and it probably never would be again in our lifetime. It was part of Greenbrier River Valley history. And then the bidding started.
When it was all over, a young couple from New Jersey had won and they were ecstatic. They were so happy that everybody cheered and cried for them.
Then we went home, just in time to meet my brother-in-law who was hustling the three year olds into a van because one of them had been bitten by an 'angry bird'. Turns out, an itty bitty bat had gotten into the girls' room and bitten one on her little finger. And since it was Saturday, all the local doctors were closed. So the whole clan mobilized. The rest of the menfolk caught and bagged the bat and we led the way to the hospital ER.
Where we waited. And waited. And saw many impressive tattoos. And heard many horrible ailments announced at the check-in desk. ("Yes, I have a REALLY bad bladder infection and a REALLLLLY need to see somebody about it..." I deliberately stopped listening in case he started to get specific about all the symptoms.) Finally, after about two hours, they let the bitten child go back, and after a few more hours (and a threat from my father to release the captured bat in the waiting room ) she reappeared, bloodied and tearful from seven different injections. And wearing a tutu. In my day, we got suckers.
It was decided that after all this trauma/drama, the time-honored comfort/bonding ritual must take place. (That means it was time to eat again) So, while the clan was remobilizing to the nearest Mexican restaurant, the doctor pointed out what a horrific way to die rabies was and how if there was any chance at all that the other girl had come in contact with the bat, that she needed the shots too. So Twin #2 had to go back and wait. Eventually most of us went home around nightfall as we were taking up waiting room space and the Health Department was closed and wouldn't reopen on the weekend to check our poor bat for rabies.
Mr. "Angry Bird" Bat is still in our freezer, but he had it easy compared to the fate of my poor brothers-in-law who stayed with that wee child all night in ER. And by all night I mean they didn't get seen until 6 am the next morning. How can you make a three year old wait all night for a rabies shot?? They said they had to pull all staff because a patient died, and sensitive soul that I am, my first thought was that a dead patient shouldn't need that much care. I was cranky too, and I got to go home after the first four or so hours.
But things are better now. The twins have to go back for Round #2 of injections in a few more days, and we take Mr. Bat to the Health Department tomorrow. This is a first for us. For all our family shenanigans, we've never had to deal with rabies before. So we can mark that one off the list and move on to hopefully more pleasant adventures.
Both girls have started the rabies shots, so even if the poor bat is rabid, they're already safe. It all began yesterday while the rest of the womenfolk, myself included, were at an estate auction. I like to go just to dig through all the stuff. I'm intimidated by auctioneers and I usually don't want anything bad enough to fight with other bidders for it. Not competitive.
But it's fun to go through these 100+ year old houses and see the ancient furnishings and stuff. And this house was amazing. It was built in 1891 and had been in the same family the whole time. It was huge and rambling and full of wood work. I had sort of based the Zephyr homeplace on my own 100+ farmhouse, but I think I can add elements of this one to it. I wish I had taken my camera to get some pictures.
They auctioned off the house too and the auctioneer insisted everyone understand what a privilige it was. It was the first time this house and land had ever been available outside of the Walker family, and it probably never would be again in our lifetime. It was part of Greenbrier River Valley history. And then the bidding started.
When it was all over, a young couple from New Jersey had won and they were ecstatic. They were so happy that everybody cheered and cried for them.
Then we went home, just in time to meet my brother-in-law who was hustling the three year olds into a van because one of them had been bitten by an 'angry bird'. Turns out, an itty bitty bat had gotten into the girls' room and bitten one on her little finger. And since it was Saturday, all the local doctors were closed. So the whole clan mobilized. The rest of the menfolk caught and bagged the bat and we led the way to the hospital ER.
Where we waited. And waited. And saw many impressive tattoos. And heard many horrible ailments announced at the check-in desk. ("Yes, I have a REALLY bad bladder infection and a REALLLLLY need to see somebody about it..." I deliberately stopped listening in case he started to get specific about all the symptoms.) Finally, after about two hours, they let the bitten child go back, and after a few more hours (and a threat from my father to release the captured bat in the waiting room ) she reappeared, bloodied and tearful from seven different injections. And wearing a tutu. In my day, we got suckers.
It was decided that after all this trauma/drama, the time-honored comfort/bonding ritual must take place. (That means it was time to eat again) So, while the clan was remobilizing to the nearest Mexican restaurant, the doctor pointed out what a horrific way to die rabies was and how if there was any chance at all that the other girl had come in contact with the bat, that she needed the shots too. So Twin #2 had to go back and wait. Eventually most of us went home around nightfall as we were taking up waiting room space and the Health Department was closed and wouldn't reopen on the weekend to check our poor bat for rabies.
Mr. "Angry Bird" Bat is still in our freezer, but he had it easy compared to the fate of my poor brothers-in-law who stayed with that wee child all night in ER. And by all night I mean they didn't get seen until 6 am the next morning. How can you make a three year old wait all night for a rabies shot?? They said they had to pull all staff because a patient died, and sensitive soul that I am, my first thought was that a dead patient shouldn't need that much care. I was cranky too, and I got to go home after the first four or so hours.
But things are better now. The twins have to go back for Round #2 of injections in a few more days, and we take Mr. Bat to the Health Department tomorrow. This is a first for us. For all our family shenanigans, we've never had to deal with rabies before. So we can mark that one off the list and move on to hopefully more pleasant adventures.
