We had our very first run in with stitches yesterday. It was Ethan, of course, that needed them. He and Owen were wrestling on the couch and Ethan rolled off and met up with the very unyielding ottoman. Initially I thought he just hit his head, and Owen went right away for ice. But when I picked Ethan up and his hand covering his eye was full of blood, I told Owen we needed a towel. As head injuries usually do, it bled and bled and bled and I had no clue how big the cut was only that we were both covered in blood. HIs face and hands and my hands. Paramedic dad was at a basketball game with the girls. I knew that I couldn’t get him in the car with all the bleeding, so I exercised my rights as a taxpayer and called 911. It was tense and Owen and Ethan were both crying. Very stressful. When the 911 operator asked me where I was, I replied “in the kitchen”. No, I mean where ARE you? What is your address? Oh. I gave him our address and he said he couldn’t hear me with Ethan screaming 5 inches from the phone, was there someone else here that could hold him? Good grief. Anyhow, the medics came and I instantly started apologizing for calling them. I freaked out, and I knew that it wasn’t really necessary, but I honestly couldn’t think of anything else to do. Again, paramedic dad was not home. This fact, coincidentally was NOT lost on Ethan who kept saying he “needed daddy to come and get his fireman clothes on and help me!” I told him that other fireman were coming to help him and that only made him cry more because he wasn’t sure if they were going to have their masks on. They checked him out and said that he was going to be ok, but he should probably go to the ER for some stitches. His cut wasn’t super deep but was very wide.
I said I was sorry some more and they left. We jumped in the car and called Doug to tell him what was up and then headed tot he ER. Ethan wanted to call his dad back and he had the saddest conversation with him, crying and trying to tell him what happened. Heartbreaking. Doug felt just as bad as Ethan and told him that if he were home he would have most certainly gotten his fireman shirt on and helped him.
After 5 stitches at the ER, we headed home. Ethan was a champ at the hospital, and they took great care to get as much topical numbing on as possible so the shots wouldn’t hurt. He laid so still and really almost fell asleep during the stitching. The nurse said he was better than most grown ups that had to get stitches. So brave.
Thought you might enjoy some photos.
3 comments:
Stitches are horrible - Grant had to have them right above his eye when he was 1. You can barely see the scar anymore. Use Merderma on it after the stitches come out.
You did the right thing. I would have called 911 too if I had been home alone. What I did "wrong" was held him the whole way to the hospital instead of putting him in his car seat. I'd do it again in a heartbeat - he needed me.
You did good, mama. Hugs to you today!
Poor Ethan.
It had to be terrifying at the time. You handled it well.
But I have to say I laughed heartily when you told the 911 operator that you were in the kitchen. Sounds like something I would do.
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