Both of my daughters have Strabismus and some amblyopia. That means they have some muscle issues of the eye. The problem showed up in Darby just before her first birthday, so we are frequent fliers down at the pediatric opthamologist, which is an hour and a half drive from home. Yes, there are specialists closer, but when it comes to eyes, it's only the best for my girls. I don't mess around. So, I have been happily making the drive about four times a year to date.
I just love Darby's Ped. Opth. You can tell the man just loves his job, and because of that, I love him. He is so genuine, happy, good with kids, and lastly, he has impeccable bedside manners, but he blew my mind on this particular trip.
After the doctor took a look at Darby, he chatted with her. I told him that we were driving the other day, and she asked if she could have a cappucino. He busted up laughing, and then I told him that we had two young friends come over the other night, and she offered them Mojitos (more laughter). He said he could have used a Mojito the previous night (him and me, both). I then explained that I have no idea where she got the idea, because we don't even have the ingredients to make those in our house! And, we don't order them when we go out. I told him that I could go on and on with stories like that, and that I was thinking about writing a book with all her shenanigans, that it would be similar to the book "Marley and Me." More laughter. So, we made our way to the door, and Darby slipped out while I received my instructions to come back in three months. I gathered Tate and Naomi, and we exited the room not 4 seconds after the Redhead. Darby was gone.
I don't easily freak out about stuff, so I just looked down the hallway, asked the secretary and nurses if they had seen her leave the room, and then looked in the waiting area. No Darby. I ran down the other hall. No Darby. In no time, the nurse manager was running the halls with me. I told Tate to go one way, and Naomi and I went the other way. I stopped by the elevators to see if she had gone by there. I stopped by random rooms to see if she had joined someone else's appointment. I ran, ran, ran, and so did her Pediatric Opthamologist and an army of nurses. We were ALL chasing Darby on the second floor of Children's National Medical Center. When I had run two laps, I ran back past our doctor's area again and heard her doctor exclaim, get this, IN THE ROOM WE HAD JUST EXITED, "Darby! HOW did you get back in HERE?!" He was still all smiles. That's why the man gets 3 gold stars. He was astonished. A few nurses ran in when they heard him exclaim, "I FOUND HER!" I then heard him explain, "I don't KNOW! Her mom left the room not 10 seconds after she did!" I ran in, thanked the doctor profusely, and made some sort of joke about how I was going home to start my book that very day.
Basically, Darby almost threw the entire hospital under lock down that day. We almost amber alerted the place. I have NO IDEA how she left the room, disappeared, then then reappeared in the same room she left without a SINGLE SOUL seeing it happen. The thought of it STILL baffles me!
July 26th, 2012:
"True story: Darby just asked for a cappucino."
August 5th, 2012:
"Darby just asked David and Paige
if they would like a Mojito. Since we haven't made Mojitos in a good
10 years, and we don't order them when we go out, I'm not quite sure
where she's picking this stuff up!"
August 6th, 2012:
"NO LIE: JUST after I told Darby's Opthomologist about Darby offering David and Paige Mojitos last night, and right after I told him I was thinking of
writing a book similar to 'Marley and Me' about Darby-I LOST DARBY at
Children's National Medical Center. She walked out the door. I walked
out right behind her, and she was GONE. Receptionists, Nurses and
Opthomologists alike were running up and down the second floor looking
for her. Where did we find her? In the SAME ROOM we had just exited. I
tell ya, there is MAGIC in that hair!!!"
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