It was Friday, February 3, nearing the end of a busy day. We had just finished practicing for the OK Adcock Talent Show auditions ("Life's a Happy Song" from The Muppet Movie) with Melissa and her young friends. I was looking forward to going to an organ and oboe concert--free at Doc Rando Hall. It had been on my calendar for months, I didn't care how many of my family would come, Alayna and Eliza were at a Bonanza Basketball game. I would even go by myself. Melissa went out to say goodbye to her friends. I went to the doorway, following the last of the singers out and to watch Melissa come back in. Just as I reached the door I heard a cry in the direction of the Johnson's big van and saw a crumpled kid in the gutter. I ran over, and part way there realized it was Melissa. As she came up I saw her forehead gouged and bleeding. Her hand had been on her head and it was bloody. I slapped my hand on it to give pressure and stop the bleeding and guided her back into the house. I knew my concert plans had been derailed and we would instead spend the night at the Peds ER.
I brought her in and sat her down in a chair and asked David to go and get a towel to put on her head. He did. And that First Aid Merit Badge boy thought of other things to do as well. As I got her situated with the towel I asked him to help her keep it on her head while I ran upstairs to get showered and dressed . . . yes, it had been that kind of day. I hadn't been able to make it to the gym very early and as the elements had combined I was still in my sweaty workout clothes. I had one of my quick showers and came back downstairs. Kim had Melissa on his lap (I can't remember if Kim had just come home or if he had been there all along somewhere). He told me how David had also thought to put some rubbing alcohol on the towel to help disinfect Melissa's wound. Ooops, OUCH! Melissa was calming down in her Dad's lap and with the blanket David thought to get for her (to treat shock--smart scouter)! We prayed and Kim gave Melissa a blessing before we left for the UMC Peds ER. David was very concerned and upset to the point of tears watching his sister. It was very touching. We left David home by himself, he was old enough to stay and I knew it would be hard for him to see the whole thing. Oh, we hadn't really eaten so we grabbed cold pizza or something for Kim and me and a yogurt for Melissa. And I brought a couple of Magic Treehouse books--I remembered how much that had helped to have a book to read to Eliza while HER forehead was stitched up. We had given Melissa some Ibuprophen to help with pain and inflammation.
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| Melissa at triage--I told her she'd want a picture of it. |
By the time we got to the Peds ER it had stopped bleeding. It wasn't a very busy night--even for Friday, it was before 7 PM when we got there. At triage they put on a bandage to help numb it and prepare for further numbing by injection. Then we waited for a while--not too long. We looked at the really cool Gingerbread House Peds ER Hospital (we took pictures when we went back later). We started reading the Magic Treehouse book. I prayed that the doctor would be a REALLY good seamstress. When we went back a very nice woman physician came to see us. She was probably in her 50's or so. We had turned off the TV (so annoying stuff) and were reading. She had Melissa lie down on the table. I had hoped the topical numbing would have worked better so Melissa wouldn't feel the numbing injections as much--but she was brave. The doctor didn't say much--we didn't even catch her name until we went back to get the stitches remove and she was the same one who took them out. But what is there to say--better not to say much and just do--I appreciated that. Talking about it would have made it worse I think.
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| With the cool numbing cream |
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| Before stitching--I guess I shouldn't have used Macro. |
I sat by Melissa and read her the book and rubbed her arms to comfort her--had to hold her arms at one point during the numbing injections. Melissa ended up feeling some of the stitches, too. Several stitches inside--I purposely didn't watch much--what I saw made me somewhat nauseous. It's been a while since I've worked at the hospital and was used to seeing stuff like that. The doctor said afterwards that it was pretty deep--through the layers of skin. The doctor was quick and it looked pretty good. 8 stitches outside. Melissa got a popsicle--root beer.
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| 8 stitches outside ? inside--for my almost 8 year old. |
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| Ready to head home--feeling much better. |
We went home via Smart and Final--had to get something--I can't remember what. Then picked up Alayna and Eliza at Bonanza and went home. The next day Melissa's friends the Johnson girls came and brought her a big get well card and a donut. Her friend Sammie McAllister brought her a soft stuffed animal dog with hearts. Melissa was quite brave throughout. We were to wash and change the dressing and put on antibiotic ointment 3 times a day. Melissa started doing that herself pretty early. Ms. Mazzei, Melissa's school teacher commented on how calmly she talked about it--surprisingly when Melissa can be moved to tears so easily by other things.
The stitches were in for a week, we went on the intervening Monday to have the wound checked. There was another family there with a little girl who had stitches on the bridge of her nose--no bandage for THAT.
I'm hoping we won't even be able to tell that it happened in a few years. I hate when these perfect babies that Heavenly Father sent me get scratches and dents! But I guess we won't escape earth life without SOMETHING to show for it. I'm glad that all is well, but I would still have rather gone to the organ/oboe concert!
