I am a girl. My sister is a girl. My mother is a girl. Growing up, we never needed to go to the ER. (Except for the time my grandmother tried to ride our bicycle and broke her hip.) The worst injury I can remember getting was when I ran over my own finger while I was (seated) on a skateboard. Oh, and in 5th grade a girl at softball practice hit me in the nose with a bat. That's it. No bones broken; no gashes; no mislocated nothing.
Well, my Joseph is a boy. He acts like a boy. He explores like a boy. He runs like a boy. Today he ran like a boy, tripped like a boy, and hit his head on the frame of our bed, like a boy. He had a 1" - 1 1/2" gash just above and to the right of his eyebrow. I didn't panic, really. We can call it acting quickly.
I tried to see how deep the wound was, but Joseph was holding his hand to it, and (sorry if this is too much) there was smeared blood on the side of his head so I couldn't even really see the wound. I really didn't stop to find out anyway. I scooped him up and loaded him in the van (forgetting to dress the boy, who was only in a t-shirt!). I grabbed Emma, and my shoes, took one last look at the cleaner wound (yup - we're going to urgent care), and we zipped off in the mini-van.
I called a couple of people to double-check that I wasn't being a hypochondriac, but they didn't pick up. I called Aaron and convinced him to convince me that I did indeed need to take Joseph to the urgent care clinic.
The urgent care clinic confirmed that Joseph did indeed need 1-2 stitches or Dermabond, but informed me that (alas!) they are unable to do the deed because it requires a special pediatric restraining device to keep small children very still. Off to the Mercy Hospital ER they sent me.
Of course, I called Aaron to accompany me. I know my limits. I don't need to breakdown in an ER in Oklahoma, the state that sends the most children to foster care for "abuse" and "neglect". I needed Aaron for support. And plus, he looked more reputable in his work clothes than I did in my jeans and bloodied shirt.
Even though we offended the RN by confessing that Joseph has not received any immunizations ("None?""No - none. He's never been immunized." Eyebrow raises...), it still went well. We were in and out in 2 hours and were only forgotten once. Even better, they did not give him stitches! They used "steri-strips", like butterfly bandages, and a special adhesive.
We ended the ordeal with a special trip to Braum's for his first (official) treat. He had a Junior Chocolate Shake. And he loved it.
Today he had his first big injury. And he was brave, just like a boy. :)
Well, my Joseph is a boy. He acts like a boy. He explores like a boy. He runs like a boy. Today he ran like a boy, tripped like a boy, and hit his head on the frame of our bed, like a boy. He had a 1" - 1 1/2" gash just above and to the right of his eyebrow. I didn't panic, really. We can call it acting quickly.
I tried to see how deep the wound was, but Joseph was holding his hand to it, and (sorry if this is too much) there was smeared blood on the side of his head so I couldn't even really see the wound. I really didn't stop to find out anyway. I scooped him up and loaded him in the van (forgetting to dress the boy, who was only in a t-shirt!). I grabbed Emma, and my shoes, took one last look at the cleaner wound (yup - we're going to urgent care), and we zipped off in the mini-van.
I called a couple of people to double-check that I wasn't being a hypochondriac, but they didn't pick up. I called Aaron and convinced him to convince me that I did indeed need to take Joseph to the urgent care clinic.
The urgent care clinic confirmed that Joseph did indeed need 1-2 stitches or Dermabond, but informed me that (alas!) they are unable to do the deed because it requires a special pediatric restraining device to keep small children very still. Off to the Mercy Hospital ER they sent me.
Of course, I called Aaron to accompany me. I know my limits. I don't need to breakdown in an ER in Oklahoma, the state that sends the most children to foster care for "abuse" and "neglect". I needed Aaron for support. And plus, he looked more reputable in his work clothes than I did in my jeans and bloodied shirt.
Even though we offended the RN by confessing that Joseph has not received any immunizations ("None?""No - none. He's never been immunized." Eyebrow raises...), it still went well. We were in and out in 2 hours and were only forgotten once. Even better, they did not give him stitches! They used "steri-strips", like butterfly bandages, and a special adhesive.
We ended the ordeal with a special trip to Braum's for his first (official) treat. He had a Junior Chocolate Shake. And he loved it.
Today he had his first big injury. And he was brave, just like a boy. :)
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