As I may have mentioned, Thelma is taking ice skating lessons and cannot get enough of it. She wants to go at every opportunity and likes to get there early so she can maximize ice time. We went for a private lesson today to prepare for a competition that is coming up. She had her lesson and then was able to skate around and practice.
All of a sudden she comes up to me to tell me she fell. I had not seen the fall and couldn’t see that her chin was cut since, thankfully, it was on the underside and amazingly wasn’t hardly bleeding. Being the tough girl that she is, she wasn’t crying but was instead concerned that Daddy would be mad at her. Awww!
The ice can be very unforgiving, sharp and it cut her chin right open. After taking a good look, I was concerned because it was quite a gash and deep enough that I could see the fatty layer underneath her skin. That’s when she started to cry…she was overwhelmed with fear of having to get stitches!
I, too, am no stranger to chin cuts. When I was 3 and living in Vietnam with my family, my aunt was feeding me. Somehow I got away from her to go get a drink that was in a glass container. The glass slipped, fell to the ground, scared me so I jumped and fell on the glass due to the water on the floor. I hardly remember the incident since I have scattered memories before I was 5 but my mom said she had to hold my chin together because the glass cut all the way thru to the bone.
As a Mom now myself, I can only imagine how scared she was. My scar is about 2.5 inches, since back in those days and because we were in a third-world country, there wasn’t the kind of technology like we have today to minimize scarring, but I’m old now and it’s faded alot. So luckily, most people don’t even notice that I have a scar on my chin and I’ve never thought about plastic surgery cause well, I think it gives character. It also reminds me how lucky I was when I could have been so much worse. To this day, my entire family is paranoid about letting kids drink from a glass.
So, we’re off to the pediatrician’s office. I managed to get squeezed in. I love our pediatrician but he’s not there today. Thelma is even more disappointed because she likes her doctor and because today of all days, she really wants to see him instead of the other doctor. She’s praying profusely that her cut does not require stitches. Dick is not here but is informed because I called him to let him know what’s going on. He doesn’t want Thelma to have to get stitches either but of course wants what’s best for her.
I talk to the pediatrician and he says it does require sutures. Because I had my appendix removed 3 years ago, I remember that the surgeon used this glue to hold my skin together. Given the size of her cut, I don’t think this is an option but ask anyway. No, must have sutures! The pediatrician advises us that he can do it in the office but to numb the area, he has to use a needle to inject the numbing solution. He tells us that if we go to the emergency room, they use gauze to apply the solution. So, since Thelma is just traumatized knowing that she needs stitches, we opt to go to the emergency room because I want to minimize the amount of pain that Thelma has to endure.
We’re off to the emergency room but have to stop to get Monk first!
After the doctor tapes the numbing solution filled gauze to her chin, it’s now the WAITING game.
Louise is super happy about waiting, can you tell? In the meantime, I’m pretty bored too so I take some pictures (surprise, surprise).
Finally the doctor comes in and gets to work. First, he applies the iodine. Then he covers her face with that hospital paper/sheet. Thelma hates this and is panicking because she can’t see. Plus, the doctor doesn’t realize he’s resting his hand on her nose and she feels like she’s suffocating.
Out of the blue, I see this needle come out and the doctor says he still has to use the needle to inject more numbing solution! WHAT??!!??! The sole reason I came to the ER was to avoid this. I was not fully advised! Had I known this I would have let the pediatrician do it cause it would have saved me time and money. Going to the ER costs you tons more and insurance calculates it differently.
He then starts poking it around and I’m squeaming because I KNOW it’s got to hurt. Thelma starts to feel it because the solution STINGS like a mother so we’re squeezing each other’s hands like crazy. She’s crying and I’m doing my best to console her. Monk doesn’t want to see this either.
Finally, the solution works and the doctor gets out that curvy needle to start suturing. I’m watching and taking pictures with one hand, holding Thelma’s hand with the other and trying to ensure her that she’s doing great. I’m cringing every time the needle goes in or when he sticks his tool inside the cut. I don’t even know how I ever considered being a doctor. Did you know that I was President of the Medical Explorers Group in High School? What a joke!! Another worthless thing I did for college applications.
All of a sudden, I start to get woozy…I’m feeling hot and starting to black out. This is so weird because even though it makes me squeamish to watch, it’s not like I haven’t seen these surgeries or worse on TV. I tell the nurse and Thelma that I have to let go of her hand and sit down. Now, there’s another nurse tending to me and gets me a cold rag to put on myself.
The doctor says this is normal because it involves a family member. He says he can’t operate on family for this reason. I guess it’s like sympathy pain. Anyhoo, after a few minutes of breathing, keeping my head down, and wiping myself down with the cold rag, I am fine and go back to holding my baby’s hand.
The doctor finishes up his sewing job and tells me she has 4 inner sutures and 8 on the outside.
Well enough fun for one day, now to get back to work! I now have to run to meet up with this Korean dude to show him a car. I had pushed back the time we were meeting 3 times due to the circumstances and wasn’t sure if he understood me. He’s only been in the country 3 months. So, off to meet with him. Fanny Mae thankfully was able to get off early to meet me at the hospital and take the girls home. She’s such a fantastic Mom and Grandmother!
-Jane, Thank-God-I’m-Not-A-Doctor Mom
01/01/2010 at 1:55 PM Permalink
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