I Worry

I picked up Allison from school today.  She noticed me immediately, and ran down from the swings, and I could see her start crying on the way down.  She gave me a big hug and I held her tight and asked what happened.  When she calmed down a bit, she said that her friend was pushing the tire swing and it bonked her on the head.

Immediately I start to worry and wonder how hard she was hit.  Did she lose consciousness?  Her pupils look ok.  She's not bleeding from the ears.  She doesn't seem confused, but she's also upset.  During the car ride home, I quiz her, checking her memory, asking math and spelling problems.  She seems OK.  She remembers exactly what happened that led to the tire swing hitting her in the head, as well as events afterwards, and during the day beforehand.  When we get home, I let her play a math game on the iPad when we get home, and she gets them all right.

So, she seems fine.  I'm sure it was just a little bump that scared her more than anything.  Then I remember those horror stories of kids who seem fine, but then later in the evening get really tired, go to sleep with a headache, and wake up dead the next morning.  When Diana gets home, I tell her the situation and leave for basketball.  If she seems groggy or complains of a headache, get to the ER!  Everything appears totally normal, and I have no objective reason to worry.  But I worry.

After the game, I come home.  Allison is still awake. She hears the front door, and comes running down the hallway and greets me with a HUGE smile and BIG hug.  She's so sweet at bedtime, because I think she knows that if she's cute enough she can get away with things.  And it generally works (which makes me wonder why she doesn't employ this stratagem all the time).  I talk to her a bit.  She's awake and alert (having taken a nap today at school).  No headache.  I feel the worry melt away.  Mostly.

I hold her tight and tell her that I love her.  She kisses me on the nose and prances back to her room, singing to herself.

UPDATE:

Upon re-reading this, it makes me sound a little crazy.  I don't always worry.  But when given vague information like "I hit my head" with no idea of the severity, I just wanted to rule out the worst.  Anyways, Allison woke up happy and healthy this morning.  I am no longer worried.