Childhood is a growing experience for both child and parents. The goal of a parent is to 1. raise a child into adulthood and 2. make that child into a functioning adult (My dad once told me, much to my disgust at the time, that his job as a parent was not to give me everything I want, but to make me able to function properly as an adult). I did not always make the #1 parental goal easy for my parents. I once ran away when I was four years old (in my wonder woman underwear only) and was found in a nearby trailer park where the police came and got me. A few times, I even challenged the whole living thing. I was thinking back in my childhood about the times that I was in danger, whether or not I knew it at the time. I’ve been in some circumstances that could have ended disastrously, but *spoiler alert* I survived them all. I’m still not sure if these experiences made me who I am today (ready to dive into a challenge even [especially] if dangerous) or if who I am got me into these experiences. As I thought of the different scenarios, they all seemed to include one odd, but common denominator – my dad in water.
The first event, I’m not sure how old I was, possible 5-8, but we were at The Wakulla hotel in Coco Beach, FL for our annual family (dad’s side) reunion. I, as the youngest child of three, was anxious to keep up with my older siblings and cousins. We were at the hotel pool with everyone else and I was tired of having to stay in the shallow end. I went up to my dad, sitting on a chair poolside and told him I was ready to jump in the deep end and that I could swim now. He said “are you sure?”. I looked at him confidently, held up my swimmer’s goggles as proof, gave a quick “yep!” and took off. I placed my goggles on my face and eagerly jumped into the deep end. And promptly sank/struggled/sputtered. My dad jumped right in and rescued me -surprised, I’m sure as much as I was that the goggles did not save my life.
The next incident also involved water, but occurred at the other place my family (mom’s side) took annual vacations – Pawley’s Island, SC. I absolutely love this place. We are no longer able to use that house after my grandmother died since we no longer “had a tie to the family” as my grandmother was adopted, but my most beloved memories of this place are my absolute favorite. It’s a small island off the coast of South Carolina with only privately owned beach houses that are rented out to the public. Most of the houses are large enough to accommodate a few families and are directly on the beach and come with your own private area on the beach. The beach was never crowded and there was plenty of room to run, play, fish, and crab. The ocean had fantastic waves for swimming, body surfing (where you dive just as the wave is breaking and have the wave carry you all the way to shore), and riding the waves on a raft. On this particular occasion, I was probably in the 8-9 year-old range, I had gotten onto one of the rafts and was going to ride some waves. I got out to just where the waves were crashing – ideal for catching one – but then just floated.
I don’t remember why, but I just lost track of time or was thinking the deep thoughts that you think as an 8 yo, but, after awhile, I looked up and saw that my family, on the beach was REALLY far away. I could barely make out who anybody was. I had drifted out to sea! Luckily, at that point in my life, I hadn’t developed the fear I now have of sharks and was pretty calm about it, but I did notice my dad and another guy notice how far out I was and jump up and start waving at me. There wasn’t much I could do at that point. I tried to paddle and kick, but the ocean is much stronger than a child. My dad and the guy started running for the ocean, jumped in and started swimming for me. They finally got to where I was and started to pull me back in. The guy who was with my dad tried to dive down to see how deep we were, but could not swim deep enough to find the ocean floor. Needless to say, I was “grounded” for awhile after that.
The last story is my favorite. It’s not my mom’s favorite and I totally understand why, but it is the best story to bring up suddenly to people who haven’t heard it and watch their reactions. So, it was November 1st of my second grade year in school. I had spent the night over at a friend’s house for a slumber party and per standard procedure, we had stayed up all night in fear of being the first one to fall asleep and all the shame that would surely ensue. Needless to say, I was not well rested for the day ahead of me. My mom was as work and I was home, playing outside with the dogs. Growing up, our dogs (one black lab named Addie and one miniature schnauzer named Bo) were outside only dogs and roamed free. They had an old, large comforter that we had thrown to them to sleep on in the colder months in the garage, but they often dragged it out into the yard and on the driveway. That day, I had decided that I was going to surprise my mother when she got home by jumping out from under the blanket as she drove up the driveway. I imagined just how happy she would be to see me.
I curled up in that old, dirty, likely flea-ridden blanket that had so often embellished the driveway in the warm sun light on a mild fall day in Southern Georgia and waited. And then, I fell asleep. The next thing I remember is it being very dark and feeling a ton of pressure on my body. Then, there was light, but I couldn’t breathe. I threw the blanket off of me and saw that my mom had arrived home and had, in fact run over my body with the car. She got out of the car and didn’t even see me there. I tried to say something, but couldn’t catch my breath. I ran to the side of the house to try and regroup. Still unable to breathe, I heard my mother say “I see you, Emily!” before she went inside. She had no idea what had just transpired. She and my dad had likely driven over that stupid dog blanket numerous times without one of their children being wrapped up in it. Still unable to breathe and in a pure panic mode, I was doubled over on the grass when my good and faithful lab, Addie came over to… assert her dominance. She jumped on my back and started humping me.
I finally drew a breath, crawled out from under my dog and ran inside the house. My breath came more easily now and had turned into violent sobbing. My body hurt. I ran to find my mother in her room, changing. She looked at me and her face went as pale as mine likely was. “What happened!?!” she asked. Between ragged sobs, I managed to tell her “You ran over me!!!” then, I turned around to show her my back – numerous cuts and scrapes ran along the length of my back. My mother was shocked, she was tired, I’m sure she had just gotten home from an overnight shift as a nurse in NICU and now she had just run over her youngest child with a car.
I had to go to the hospital after that. I was so tired from not sleeping, I was falling asleep in the car. My mother thought I was dying. As a mother myself, now, I cannot even fathom how she was able to drive to the hospital in that state. She kept prodding me and yelling “Don’t leave me, Emily!!” When we got to the hospital she had to tell the staff that she had run over me. No one questioned her, likely due to the look of panic on her face. They rushed me back and started diagnostics. In the end, I ended up with just a broken rib and a lung contusion. The tires of the car had straddled me, but the small car was low enough to have caught my body and rolled it before leaving it. I stayed in the hospital one night and was discharged the next day.
Some of you may be wondering where my water logged father was in that last story. I was crying, having just told my mother that she had run over me, my mother was trying to put things together in her head and slow the panic in her soul when my father appeared, soaking wet, as he had jumped from the shower when he heard the news, completely naked. One day, I will recover.
Happy birthday, dad!
Oh my goodness!!! Whoa!!
I love all your stories, Emily!! If I can’t see you on TV anymore, at least we have your blog! Thanks!
Holy Moses! Glad you are still around to tell these stories! ….and, OMG!, your poor father! 😂😂😂😂
Love your stories!!
That is an amazing group of stories ! You were a brave, strong child!
Ime and my sisters were hand fulls for my mom. I am an identical triplets and I also have an older and younger sister too. One of my sisters had many injuries horsing around that the hospital at one point questioned our injuries. They were legiamit. Like getting a crochet hook caught on the first knuckle of my middle finger. The doctors actually took pictures with me and my finger. They even gave me the hook cut in half in a frame with the xray. They said that was a first. I stood behind my sister and she swung a bat and hit me right in my forehead. I could go on and on. Thank GOD for great parents. Like you we got punished for some of the situations we got into that later were taken away when they cooled down. We grow from our parents. I know dr emily you will be a great mom and you will be missed. I hope you will keep this blog open. I was addicted to you on the show, nobody else except feeling sorry for Charles.
Thanks so much for sharing your stories, you and Tony both! Really enjoy them, and love the sense of humor you each have. Not sure how you find the time, but please keep ’em coming! 😍
Wow! That could have ended badly!! When I was about 5, I was playing in our dog house and fell asleep. My parents couldn’t find me and were panicked because there was a wide and at times deep creek that ran behind our house. I, of course, didn’t hear them yelling for me because I was asleep. Finally, my mom saw my long blonde hair hanging out of the dog house. I think she yelled at me as she hugged me!! Love your blog! 😊
I laughed … so many sweet memories. The end was epic.. I cried … ‘happy birthday, dad’. One of my earliest memories is of mine carrying me on his tall shoulders into the surf at the Outer Banks. I was so tiny and were just as quickly knocked out by a huge wave. Plunged under the water, I remember spinning about in water that was a swirling sludge of pebbles and sand, just trying to find which direction was UP. Somehow, dad scooped me into the air, still coughing up water himself.. miss him.
Honestly, it sounds like you had a great childhood. I had 5 brothers, all older, and 1 younger sister. We grew up out in the country with horses so you can just imagine the stories we have. Those were the days!!
What an awesome inspiration you are! I love reading your blog! I watch Dr. Pol on Disney + and my favorite episodes are the ones with you in them!
Ime and my sisters were hand fulls for my mom. I am an identical triplets and I also have an older and younger sister too. One of my sisters had many injuries horsing around that the hospital at one point questioned our injuries. They were legiamit. Like getting a crochet hook caught on the first knuckle of my middle finger. The doctors actually took pictures with me and my finger. They even gave me the hook cut in half in a frame with the xray. They said that was a first. I stood behind my sister and she swung a bat and hit me right in my forehead. I could go on and on. Thank GOD for great parents. Like you we got punished for some of the situations we got into that later were taken away when they cooled down. We grow from our parents. I know dr emily you will be a great mom and you will be missed. I hope you will keep this blog open. I was addicted to you on the show, nobody else except feeling sorry for Charles.me too. You were that show. You are greatly missed.
My mom couldn’t find me once and it was because I made a fort in my closet and fell asleep. Whoops.
Hi Emily,
I’m Dan Butler. My wife and I “met” you when we began watching “The Incredible Dr. Pol” series. It is one the few programs that we watch on a regular basis.
I was pleased that I found your web site and blog. You were so candid about why you left Dr. Pol’s practice, that I was impressed greatly. My wife and I had wondered how you were able to be on call for farm cases and deal with three small children at the same time. I was expecting something radical to happen as early as the winter of 2018. I don’t own a crystal ball, but I practiced law for just shy of 40 years. The core of my practice revolved around children’s issues, i.e., custody and adoption. I handled so many cases where the parties were constantly struggling to find a balance between work and time with their children. What I saw in your situation looked dreadfully familiar. That’s why you and your family became of special concern. Not only were you being pushed and pulled, as you were a Georgia girl, I also know a bit about them too. First, I married one and raised two. They are now 40 and 43. My wife and I live in Evans, GA, just outside Augusta. That is where we look forward to receiving further updates to your (and Tony’s) blog.
God bless you and your family.
Dan
I follow one blog, yours and yours only. The reason is stories like this..
Each and every story makes me laugh and smile.
Thank you for sharing with us Emily & Tony!
OMG, your poor parents! My solo walk around the block as a toddler pales in comparison!
That was a scary day, indeed. I’ll never forget how quickly you “pinked up” as soon as the X-rays showed minimal injuries and you knew you weren’t about to die. I love you, sweet girl.
When I was a young girl I went to Girl Scout camp. The day the teachers were packing the cars to leave I swung on a rope swing over the lake Completely dressed and accidentally fell in. My clothes were changed but I had to drive all the way home from camp with an itchy wool skirt on (bare legs) and I can still remember that itchy incident that happened 75 yrs ago.
Oh my Emily, you were a silly heart indeed! No doubt it made you a relaxed ‘mother that could just go with the flow of things’ that your children did because you had already been there, done that! My life very dull, except one time my father went to the guinea pig cage (he enjoyed them to) and brought one into the living room with an empty kotex box for it to hide in………my mother and I were breathless at his choice of box or lack of thought given. There was never a box such as that again! This blog made me smile, thank you for sharing your ‘Emily days’ with those of us that have come to ‘know’ you as a TV champion Vet.
I love your writing! You could have a career in writing if this whole vet thing doesn’t work out. hahaha
I’m thoroughly enjoying your stories. I know from experience that it’s possible to drive to the hospital with an injured child…and not even remember how you got there. I’m sure your parents are glad that you survived your childhood!
A very Happy Birthday to your dad!
Lindas lembranças .
My first thoughts are “ OMG, your poor parents” and I am sure that is because I am probably close to their age. I love your blog and wonder, have either of your parents ever told you they hope one of your children are just like you?? (giggles)
You look like your dad.
What great stories. I love reading them. I can’t believe your mom ran over you. LOL.
Ah, childhood. I remember when my son was four. running through the boat yard with a fishnet up during a thunderstorm. We kept yelling out to him to put the net down. He was running home.
I love your stories.
This is so cute! I loved you last story too, I had tears running down my legs😂😂😂
I love your stories of your childhood and family! Thanks for sharing them with all of us. God Bless!
CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY ON BEING RUN OVER AND RUNNING AWAY IN WONDER WOMAN PANTIES ONLY. COULDN’T DO THAT NOWADAYS.
OMG!!! Your stories were wonderful. It shines a light on one of the reasons you are such a good vet and will face any challenge. At least for me it does. You survived and we are all so glad. What a wonderful family .
Thankful you are here with us, obviously could have ended very bad several times. I don’t think seeing your dad naked so bad, having a brother i’m sure you saw him naked unintentionaly. I suspect your experiences have and will affect how you raise your children.
I wonder if you are now blessed with a spunky kiddo like yourself?
Your poor parents !
Wild child !
This is one of my favorites!! Thanks for sharing.
My oh my what stories! Especially the last one! So thankful you had Angel’s watching over you! As a mother of 5 ( 2 of which were bonus kids from a 2nd marriage) I can understand your parents panic! I accidentally ran over my step-daughter’s foot and thought it was broken.. rushed to the hospital to find it only bruised… so glad you’re still here! Probably got a new set of Angel’s though… 😉
First of all, your dad looks like Brad Pitt in the last picture. Secondly, it sounds like you tried to kill yourself as a child. I on the other hand had an older sister (2 yrs older) that didn’t like having a sibling so she attempted many times (hospital visits involved) to kill me until I was 5 and I outgrew her. My mom was a saint, because until I was in my 30s I gave her constant heart attacks. I miss her dearly, I only wish I could make up all those years of pain and anguish I gave her.
I’m still thoroughly enjoying your’s and Tony’s blog. I look so forward to seeing an email that there’s a new post 😃. I love the interesting stories along with the insert of humor, and also the honesty of some that had to be hard to write. I enjoyed seeing a picture of your Dad, and would love to see a picture of your Mom as well. God bless you both and your family!
Dr Emily
I love the stories you and Tony are sharing with us. The pictures are a wonderful addition to the stories. Thank you both for sharing them.
I also want to say thank you for sharing your experiences as a vet on tv. I personally learned a great deal about animals and how much it takes it takes to keep them alive and healthy.
I will miss seeing you on tv. You seem like you’re an amazing woman, wife, mother and veterinarian.
God bless you, Tony and your children.
Great stories but your poor parents!! Does anyone else think that your dad looks like Brad Pitt in that last picture??!!
A very delightful and entertaining story!!!!!
Welcome to Virginia! You’re in a beautiful part of the state (recently relocated from
RIchmond to Northern Neck, another gem). Perhaps you / family will create new beach memories now that you are close to coast (Outer Banks, NC is great, as is Sandbridge, VA). I know you’ll enjoy mountains, proximity to D.C., and Charlottesville / area ( check out family friendly Blue Mountain Brewery) – not to mention, horse country. All the best.
Thank you for the recommendations, we are going to the beach this summer for sure. Maybe we’ll check out Sandbridge. And yes, we have really enjoyed the mountains so far
I love your blog & that you post pics. It really brings things you talk about to life. I can’t believe how young your dad was- when you were -what? 7-8 years you guessed in that last photo? Can I ask if your dad is still alive & ask how old he is now?
After the car episode, if I was your mom I would’ve locked you in a box for about 30 years.
OMG … you got so luck on the “run over” thing and LOL on the dad and “someday you will recover thing”.
Wanted to let you know you are/were my favorite vet on the show. I am glad your in a much better place now for yourself and your family. I hope that you get residual income from the show given how much they show reruns. You deserve every penny as I am sure I will come in handy to pay off those student loans.
Much love ❤
I miss seeing you on the show but I am glad that your new work place and home is better for you and your family. Your blog certainly attests to the fact that you are relaxing and taking life easier. That was a great choice that you and Tony made, especially for your children.
God Bless the Thomas Family!!!
Wow, Emily, you had an adventurous childhood! Your dad is handsome too. 😊
Oh my goodness! Love these stories!! My heart hurts for your Mom though!!
Wow!! Those are some stories. So glad you have six lives to go. Actually, I am surprised your parents survived!! Here I thought but wild be the death ofbtgrir parents with the shenanigans.
Glad your still with us live the stories.😊
Ohhhh dear Lord! Your poor mom. Thank God that she didn’t kill you. I have to laugh at that story, but good grief!