Poison Control

Having to call Poison Control is one of those things that every parent anticipates. We keep medications and chemicals out of reach or locked up, the Poison Control number near the phone (or these days, programmed into the phone) and hope we will never have to use this service.

I made it twenty-five years before I had to call. The circumstances involving the incidence were very unusual and unpredicted.

That particular evening, I had been "down and out" with a sinus infection. I was laying on the sofa with Cody sitting beside me and realized that it was time for his evening dose of Phenobarbital. Feeling too sick to get up, I asked my son Casey to please give Cody his pills (at that time he was taking three pills per dose).

Casey brought Cody his medicine with a glass of water. Cody obediently took the tablets, swallowed them and then said, "Wrong ones."

I felt feverish and pretty much like crap, but not bad enough to not catch what Cody said. I asked Casey to please read the prescription bottle to me. It said Quinipril. Casey had made a mistake and given Cody my blood pressure medication; not just one pill but three! (The tablets looked so much alike that I eventually asked to have my prescription changed.)

Long story short, Poison Control came through for us. We had to take Cody to the hospital to drink activated charcoal and Casey felt extremely horrible for making a mistake that put his brother through a nasty ordeal.

We all wish Cody would've said, "Wrong ones" before he swallowed. In any case, at least he said something and we were able to take care of the situation.

What did I learn from this experience?

1) Keep the Poison Control number close by.

2) You may have to use Poison Control even when your kids are grown.

3) Always, always, always check the prescription label before you take medication and...

4) Moms just can't afford to be sick!