Here is an article I wrote a few years back on my old (like, really, really, reeeeealllly, old blog) and I am amazed that this happened over 4 years ago already.
(Written March 4, 2010)
Have you ever watched the boys at the park run and jump without worry?
Have you envisioned all of the not so good things that could happen in a moment?
I believe I lived that moment yesterday.
Here is my take on it…
As I was making dinner last night, Bubba and Tootsie were outside playing. This is not so unusual, they like being outside, even if the temperature was close to freezing….
All of a sudden my Tootsie comes running up the front stairs and throws open the front door and hollers through her tears, “Mama!! Hurry, Bubba’s bleeding!!” The look of fear on her face said it all. I ran down the stairs and out the front door in an instant. In my stocking feet I ran across the wet, squishy grass to my boy, that was sitting on the ground, holding his right knee and crying.
As I reached him, he looked at me with the biggest eyes and said, “I hurt my knee!” He moved his hands and I knew that a butterfly bandage would simply not work this time. I turned around and hollered to my husband, “We gotta go!” and he knew immediately what I meant….ER….again.
I will not go into detail, but this is not Bubba’s first time to the ER, twice before he was even 2 years old he had 7 stitches…again, that will be for another time.
In a moment of record breaking strength, I scooped up my 70 pound, 8.5 year old boy and ran back to the house, up the front stairs, into the house, up the stairs and into my bathroom, without even breaking a sweat! You have so got to love adrenaline….
As I set him down on the side of the bathtub, I knew then that the 20 minute drive to the ER was not going to be a good time. After the briefest of moments, it was finally decided that I would go with Bubba and my hubby would stay home with Tootsie and Bubbaloo. Dinner was almost ready, and everyone knows how long it can take in the ER.
As we drove to the ER, I tried to keep up the small talk. I prayed over him and asked the Lord for peace for Bubba and that this all goes smoothly once we arrive. I even bet Bubba a dollar that I would be the closest guess on how many stitches he was going to have to get.
We finally go to the ER and luckily, there wasn’t single person waiting at the time…the Lord surely knows my heart. I would not have been a very patient mama if I would have had to wait long….
Within a few short minutes we were ushered in to see the triage nurse and then quickly settled into a room. The nurse came in, set up some stuff and within 5 minutes the PA (physician’s assistant) was in the room with us. He took a look at Bubba’s knee and declared, “I am going to need to put staples in your leg.” I didn’t know what to say…staples, as in the ones you use to keep papers together? In my sons leg?!?!?
The PA went on to explain that since we like to bend our knees (for shame on us!) that it would be a better bet to use the staples because they are stronger and are less likely to get ripped out (OUCH!!!).
It was little rough for Bubba, he was really unsure about how all of the local anesthesia worked, even though the PA explained it, worry and stress took over. After Bubba took a deep breath of two, the PA started giving him the local anesthesia…the first few pin pricks were not so good, but once it started to take effect, Bubba was fine. I’m glad, because the PA ended up using 2 bottles of Lidocaine (between 25-30 shots worth!!).
It was nasty work having to be strong for Bubba and watch the PA take care of cleaning this wound….yeah, not a scratch, a real laceration…After the cleaning was done the stapling began. I will not go into detail, but…whoa, it was interesting, I do have to say.
Remember that dollar I bet Bubba in the truck on the way to the ER? Well, it now comes back into play. I bet he would have to get at least 15 stitches, he said, no, 13….well he was about to get a dollar. Because my boy was now sporting 13 staples in his leg right under his knee. Okay, so it wasn’t stitches, but I have to tell ya, that kiddo was a trooper and a half. Not once did he cry at the ER…he thought about it, but not one tear was actually shed…a real trooper…well worth a dollar in my book!!!
Once we were released with paperwork, how to’s and a prescription we walked (he hobbled) in the house almost exactly 3 hours from the time of the incident.
So here is the low down, remember that Spring baseball just started, Bubba has to wear an immobilizer for 24-48 hours, his staples can come out in 7-10 days. Once that is done, we will have to see if baseball is even an option for now. I feel horrible that his first year of kid pitch baseball is turning out a whole lot less fun than expected.
But for reasons unknown to me, the Lord has decided to give my Bubba a treat, okay, not the best treat you could ask for, but a treat as in, more attention that he is getting. A well deserved break for his chores, at least for a short time!
He is resting well, daddy even moved his mattress to the floor from the top bunk. I guess it would be kinda hard to access the top bunk with an immobilizer on your leg. 🙁
Tootsie, bless her heart, she was so worried about her brother. The tears poured before I left for the ER…the Lord has truly blessed her with a loving and pure heart. Never mind the fact she can scuffle with her brothers in a heart beat, she loves them more than anything.
All of that being said….I only wish I could say that my 70 pound carry could be done more often, just next time, not with the emergency attached….
*** Updated today ***
A brief update on that time in our lives.
Once we went back to the ER to have the staples removed, his leg looked beautiful. We were excited to see it healing so well.
Well, that night he was able to take a real bath and that precious beautiful skin on his knee was torn open because my happy little boy forgot soooo quickly and bent down to pull up his undies…yep. A simple movement as pulling up his under ware destroyed 10 days of healing. Ugh…
I spent the next 3 weeks babying his boo-boo with butterfly bandages and band-aids. We battled wound infections and sore skin from all the bandages. With lots of frustration and many, many prayers, his knee finally healed. A 10 day healing period had turned into almost 5 weeks.
He missed most of his baseball season that year and that was rough but ultimately he healed. He sports the biggest welted and scarred skin, but he wears it proudly. He weaves tales about how he got to the horror of new friends, lol!
An amazing 4 years since this day…wow.
In His Grace.
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