another first

I thought I could handle anything my (nearly) three year old could throw at me. I'm good at keeping my cool when I hear a thud in the next room with crying to follow. I try my best to keep an eye on him at all times, but CHILDREN ARE FAST and I'm usually unable to predict their next move. I try to keep a good balance between monitoring them closely and letting them feel they have a bit of independence. I have not found that balance yet. I think it's mythical. 

It was Saturday evening, my husband had just gotten home from work and was in the process of getting out of his chef's jacket. Supper was ready, and I had already scooped out a few ladles full of soup to cool for the littles. In exactly 60 seconds I would call my family to the table for the meal. Exactly 60 seconds. 

THUD. I've heard it before, a thousand times before. I cringe and pause with ladle in mid-air, waiting to hear the effects of this mishap on one or both of my children. It's Judah this time. He has responded with frantic cries appropriate to the magnitude of the collision. I am calmly making my way to his room when I hear Joey say, "Oh no!"

BAD SIGN. 

It's not that Joey's freaking out or anything. It's just that he is always Mr. Cool, and there's something in his voice that I don't quite like. I round the corner to find him untying the sash of Judah's robe (they had a pre-supper bath). Judah is covered with blood from his mouth all the way down to his waist.

Once the initial shock of seeing blood! everywhere! has passed, I find myself wiping Judah down with a wet cloth. It appears the source of blood is his lower lip. There's a significant gash, but I breath a sigh of relief when I see that he still has all of his teeth. Crisis averted. It's just a scratch. He'll be fine.

Until I try to wipe the gash. And it spreads open. And it's deep. Really deep. 

My husband and mom both agree with me: He's bitten through his lip.

I could have just let Joey take Judah to the hospital, but my parents are home and offering to take care of Ben. I am greatly relieved that I don't have to let my imagination fill in the gaps while Judah has his first real emergency experience.

At the hospital, the nurse who examines Judah cringes while cleaning the wound. "Ooo, that's deep. Too deep for glue, I'm afraid. That will be one stitch, maybe two." Another nurse standing by explains the anaesthesia they will use. So far, Judah's been really cool about this whole ordeal. He particularly enjoys being able to sit on his daddy's lap in a big comfy recliner and watch TV while the freezing sets in. Joey and I are able to share this experience together, grateful for excellent health care in this prairie town, and glad to be a team.

The silly thing about this whole ordeal was that it happened right before we were going to eat, and I had purposefully delayed the boys' supper so that we could eat with Daddy. Judah was the picture of a starving child by the time they were going to give him stitches. "I hungwee!" he bleated. The nurses were all mush. One volunteered to stay even though his shift was over just to "see the little guy through".

The doctor came in and took a second look at the wound and informed us that he did not, in fact, have a hole in his lip. It was kind of shredded inside, but nothing worse than that. And then the real fun begins. Two nurses gently but firmly "swaddle" Judah in a big sheet so that he can't get his hands in the way. One positions himself at his head. The other stands at the right side of the bed, ready to hand the doctor whatever he needs. The doctor is on the left side of the bed, and I find myself trapped in the corner near Judah's head. Even though the area is apparently numb, Judah reacts with cries of pain, jerking his head around to get away from the doctor's hands. I end up having to hold his jaw shut while the doctor does his work. It is NOT a pleasant job.

The deed done, Judah melts into my arms. He is heaving, shaking, crying, and he's HOT. I ask Judah if he wants to pray, and he manages a little "yes". I ask Jesus to calm Judah's nerves, and thank him for making him so brave. As I say "amen", my little boy's body completely relaxes. The same Jesus who calmed the seas calmed my poor little man.

A box full of little goodies is presented, and none of the nurses can refuse Judah when he asks for three prizes instead of one. Joey prompts Judah to say thank-you to all of the kind nurses, and he says a very heartfelt "thanks, guys". 

If you ask Judah how it was to be at the hospital, he will tell you that he said "ow! ow! ow!" and that he was very scared. He will also tell you that he got a sucker and stickers. So. 

It's possible that I am being a little over-dramatic about this whole thing, but I just can't help it! It's so tough seeing your little ones in pain! The trauma of the stitches was WAY worse than the initial blow. At the same time, I am so incredibly thankful for excellent health care and that nothing worse happened than a gash on his lip.

Here he is, looking tough with his two stitches. I think he is rather proud of them now.