Ordeal at the Health Department

Jono had to have his TB test read a the health department this morning, so we were going to run go do that before Toddler Time at the library. The Fort Bend County annex building that houses the health department was packed this morning. We maneuvered the hallway packed with those lucky people who were waiting for jury duty, took Jono to go potty, and then headed for the elevator. I pushed the double stroller with Hazel and Charlie in it into the elevator and turned around to see Jono *not* follow us, but instead make a break for the water fountain a few feet away. I stepped off the elevator to grab him, and was just a bit too slow. The door started to close.

I reached my arm in to stop the door from closing. Instead of hitting my arm and rebounding open, like elevators are supposed to do, it continued to try to close on my arm, over and over again. It hurt! I kept my arm in the elevator door and pushed the button a few times to see if that would get the door to open. Nothing. It still kept trying to close. I then used both hands to try to pry the door back open. I got it about 6 inches apart when it made a funny noise, and stopped moving. It was no longer trying to close on me, but it also was not willing to open. My babies were stuck in an elevator. Alone.

By this time, we had attracted quite the crowd of jury duty-ers and the security guard. The security guard took over trying to pry the door open. He managed to get it open a few more inches--probably an 8-9 inch gap. He shouted down the hallway to the other security guard to call the building maintenance guy. Other security guard did so, and reported that he was nearby and should be there soon. I breathed a sigh of relief and set to work talking to the babies and passing them snacks and sippy cups through the space in the elevator door.

Minutes passed and the building maintenance guy did not come. Every male on the hallway tried his hand at prying the doors apart, with no success. The babies were getting more anxious, and so was their mama! Jono was being distracted by a sweet grandma who worked there (never did figure out what her job was, but she had a Ft. Bend County badge). She had taken him to wander the halls and play with the water fountain so that I could focus on entertaining babies.

About 20 minutes into the ordeal, a couple of big strong guys who were waiting for jury duty decided that we needed to get the babies out, even if it meant breaking the elevator doors entirely. They got in there together and succeeded in pulling the doors apart about a foot. That was enough for one of them to reach in and hand babies over his head to me. I was so relieved to have them in arms again! I didn't even care that my stroller was still stuck.

Sweet grandma who was entertaining Jonathan brought him back around and helped me herd kiddos up the stairs to get J's arm checked. He's TB free. ;-) She then suggested that we wait in their break room and have a snack while the maintenance guy worked on freeing the stroller. I was so grateful for her help. What an enormous blessing for a frazzled mama!

About 30 minutes later, we still did not have a stroller. I asked sweet grandma if she could help me out to the car with the kids, and I could just come back for the stroller tomorrow when I took them to MDO. She was gracious enough to do so, and we headed out.

What an ordeal for a Wednesday morning. NOT one I wish to repeat.