Saturday, April 28, 2012

Addison's first stitches

Addison's first stitches: March 15, 2012.

She cut the tip of her right middle finger, while trying to "help" mommy cook dinner (while daddy went for a run).  She was sitting on the counter with me as I opened up the can of green beans to put in a dish....she LOVES green beans....and said, "Mommy, green beans!!"...as she reached for the can...she pushed in the lid and got her hand/finger stuck. Obviously did not understand the harder she pulled...the worse it would be...and I was in utter panic. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, I released her finger...and blood was gushing everywhere.  Panic continued as I knew that we would have to go to the hospital.... Adam didn't have his phone with him.... so I tried to call my MIL {as I held a screaming, inconsolable child, who was bleeding all over..} who had just left our house...but I instead had to leave a frantic voice mail. I looked out the window, and saw my neighbor was home...so I ran across the street for help. {Mind you, with a half naked baby in a diaper and tshirt - she had insisted not to put her pants back on after we changed her diaper that night} My neighbor, Allen, helped me stop the bleeding and drove us to urgent care. It's amazing how, despite my medical training, my mind completely blanked of rational thought because my daughter was between hysterics and passing out from shock. My MIL called back, and went to meet Adam at our house...and clean up the bloody mess....before he got home from his run....and then they met us at urgent care.
They took us right away, as we walked in the door looking like a bloody mess. Addison really was such a good girl as they cleaned her up.  They first attempted steri-strips, but they didn't hold, so they had to do the stitches.  The worst part was the numbing of her finger...and she was sick of me squeezing her finger so hard....but, she was able to hold still for the 2 stitches in her finger. We kept telling her that when we got home she could have some chocolate ice cream.....
Here she is with her big bowl of ice cream and her bandaged finger watching Mary Poppins to calm down after 2.5 hrs at urgent care....moments later she was fast asleep.


Lessons learned:
1. No more sitting on the counter
2. Things happen faster than you can blink...let alone react
3. My brain turns to mush when my daughter gets hurt
4. Adam and I will always bring our cell phones with us when we go run
5. Our little girl is very brave
6. Good neighbors are truly a blessing


*After a week, it was completely healed.  The hardest part was keeping it covered and dry with a VERY active toddler.

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