(viewer discretion is advised... blood and more blood will be in the following pictures)
They say kids follow in their parents foot steps. In this circumstance it holds true in our family. Chad was 4 years old when he had his first set of stitches (yes I said, first set) in his head. I was also 4 years old when I had stitches in my head. And last night Austin also got to experience not stitches but 4 staples in his head.
I was making dinner (pancakes, yummy) Everyone else had eaten. (I had my sister Jeana's 5 kids last night too, so it was pretty hectic) I had just poured syrup on mine, when I heard----Thud!!! I didn't even look up I thought Austin had jumped off his ladder on his bunk bed or something. Then Austin came running toward me rubbing his head crying. He has been big into doing head stands on the couch (yes, I know, we are working with him on this) So I thought he just bonked it on the couch. I picked him up giving him loves and rubbing his head with him, saying it's ok, its ok. My mom rushed over, no it's not ok, I looked at my hand and it was covered in blood. Most of you might think that I am a panic er but thankfully I am not. I calmly took him into the bathroom and held him in my arms over the bathroom sink while Chad and my mom (My mom a former EMT and Chad a Nursing School student, looked at the wound in delight) We rinsed as well as we could to see the laceration opening to see if he needed stitches or not, and it was clear, he needed to go see a Doctor. We went to the insta care so we could save our self an emergency room co-pay (I love having my mom and Chad with this medical knowledge) and of course on our way out the door I grabbed my camera. Austin was pretty calm. We said a prayer in the car, and that made him feel a lot better. When we got there a nurse instantly came out and looked at the wound and confirmed he indeed needed stitches, so she came back out with topical numbing gel, and wrapped his head with a bandage. We sat in the waiting room and watched snow white, while the numbing gel did it's job. When we got called back, we quickly found out the numbing gel didn't do it's job, so they gave him several small shots in and around the laceration and that wasn't very pleasant. Then when he was good and numb they irrigated the wound and as I watched I was thankful those numbing shots did their job!! Then I held Austin while the Doctor Put the staples in his head!! Austin didn't make a peep, he just held me tight and sat quietly while she rammed a staple gun into his head! No, it wasn't so much as a ram as it was a jam.
Afterward they gave him a coupon for a free ice cream cone for being such a good patient. They said he was the bravest they had seen that day. He only cried once while they were doing the multiple numbing shots. They also let him pick out a sucker and a sticker. Chad and I had promised him in the car on the way to the insta care that he could get a star wars guy, so it was off to target to get Obi Wan Kenobi.
When we got home Alyssa had cleaned there room for Austin and turned down his bed for him, she was so sweet and tender to him. Thanks again, mom for taking over as we ran out in less than 5 minutes.
With all the treats and prizes he got I am sure he was thinking if it was worth going through all that again, to get more cool stuff.
(I guess how the pictures upload now, it goes backwards...)
3 comments:
Awww poor little man! Give him a kiss from cousin Nora. Abbey had her first stitches at age 4 too. But I wasn't nearly so calm about it. We went out for a nice family activity--bowling. About two frames in we watched as Abbey carried her ball up and "thud." I still replay that moment in my head almost two years later and can hear the shrill cry. A HUGE gash on her chin. I cried as much if not more than her. But the selfish side of me thought of the money--so I asked for it back before rushing to hospital. And then it was to the further hospital to go to Urgent Care (no insurance ) She was so brave and a trooper. Blood everywhere! We still feel so bad for not helping her with her ball and have not gone bowling since.
oh poor guy!!! he's so tough.
So, was it the bed or the couch? I've lost count on ER visits and stitches and such throughout my 6 growing up -- and now granddaughters (Emma) in my care. Riley was about 4 when he broke a small branch off a tree and the rest of the branch rebounded toward his eye. Missed it by one inch and left him with a 2-inch gash over it. At the ER, the doctor did the numbing injections, with not a whimper from Riley, and went to see other patients while it took effect and the nurses cleaned it out. By the time he got back and started stitching, Riley cried out because the numbing had worn off and he could feel the needle going through his skin. So, he had to have more injections. He wasn't as brave this time and cried a bit.
From than time since, I checked to see if that DR was on call and if he would have been I would have gone the 50 miles to Tucson. Hang in there, Mom. You'll probably get more of the same.
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