So….it finally happened. TD2 finally got an injury that couldn’t be fixed with a band-aid and hug and kiss from Mommy.
A few Saturdays ago, she was playing around…as usual. Being a daredevil…as usual. Climbing stuff…as usual. And then she fell. And hit her face on the floor, causing her bottom teeth to go into her upper lip.
OUCH!
There was lots of blood and a gash, which resulted in stitches. FIVE OF THEM! We called her pediatrician’s clinic to see if they’d see us, and after a painful and crying-filled over-the-phone consultation, they directed us to take her to the ER. So off we went. We’d opted to go to the ER connected to their pediatrician’s clinic to make it easier for their doctor to access the records later. (Their doctor is the type to stop in on a sick visit once she finds out they’re being seen by someone. Also, not knowing what to expect, I wanted to be prepared in case there was a follow-up visit prescribed).
I have never had such an awesome experience at the emergency room. From check-in to check-out, it was as smooth and painless as one can expect with two kids – one of which is in incredible pain and the other who is worried about her sister and needs to make sure the doctors are going to fix her.
When we checked in, everyone had to get a wrist bracelet with TD2’s info except TD1, but not wanting to be left out, she asked where hers was. Before I could respond, the receptionist had given her one. It was a generic one, but TD1 didn’t care. She was just happy to not be left out. We were immediately taken to our room where the nurses came right in, followed by the doctor. They took a look at TD2’s mouth, decided on a course of action and then went right to making her comfy via pain meds and cartoons.
After giving the meds a chance to kick in, they came back and strapped TD2 down and started the procedure. That was the most painful part. She was strapped in a blue, child-sized straight jacket while the peidiatric tech held her head straight and the ER doctor poked through her lip with a fishing hook and fishing thread. He did two first like he had previously told us, but then decided she would actually need 1-2 more. She ended up with five.
TD2 kept cutting her eyes at me, pleading for me to pick her up and all I could offer her were ineffective “Shhhhh” and “Mommy’s right here” while rubbing her leg through openings in the straight jacket thing. About 20 minutes later, and it was all over. Once they freed her, she jumped in my arms and held on for dear life.
The nurse returned with a stuffed animal and two popsicles – one for TD2 and one for TD1. We were discharged and home we went.
The rest of the day TD2 was clingy and laid around, but the next morning she woke up with a lip five times its normal size and the energy to match. It was as if she was hell bent on getting the right side of her mouth to match the left.
Maybe that ER visit was too pleasant.
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