It Was Great...Until It Wasn't

Bambam started day camp today. I was nervous dropping him off. But Bambam's aid Sam seemed confident. And thanks to our conversation days earlier, when Bambam showed up sporting a blue baseball cap Sam knew he was being a pizza deliver man. Bambam beamed when Sam gave him a frisbee and told him it was a pizza. Off he ran with Sam to deliver pizza.

At lunch time I went back to the park to check in on how things were going. Bambam took one look at me and said "You go back to work. I stay here." And after a quick bathroom trip and a change, off he ran to play with the other kids and I went back to work. It was great. He was having fun, Sam seemed very competent, the other kids were accepting. 

Then, about 1:30 in the afternoon I received a phone call from Sam. Bambam had a bloody nose. Catastrophe. Very few things can put Bambam in meltdown mode as quickly as a bloody nose. It completely freaks him out. And I mean yelling, screaming, flailing arms and legs, complete freak out meltdown. But the worst part is the spitting. He hates the feeling of the blood running down his throat, so he spits it out. ALL.OVER.EVERYTHING. Many times I have ended up covered in blood spatter. It is disgusting. And I'm sure way more than a minimum wage, summer camp counselor/aid, college kid bargained for. No matter how great he is.

I sent Mr. Fixit a quick text: "Bloody nose, on way to get him" and immediately left work to pick up Bambam, panic growing along the way. Mr. Fixit's answer: "Oh no!" We both know what this means. I was sure Bambam would be a puddle by the time I got there.

But when I got there he was no longer crying or yelling or screaming. He looked at me and all he said was "Bleeding. Go home now." But he was CALM! And Sam seemed no worse for the wear. As Bambam climbed into the car Sam said "See you tomorrow buddy". To which Bambam answered "See you later." So, we will try again tomorrow.

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.”
Mary Anne Radmacher