Stitches

It has finally happened.  Almost five years into parenthood, and a trip to the ER for an injury.

Recall how I mentioned my "Superboys" were probably not the best to call on to save the world?  Here's the proof.

The evening began with dinner and making plans for after dinner activities.  Erick wanted to play with a marble race activity, and Blake wanted Thomas.  Finally, a night with no shows as a request!  The evening did not go as planned.

Apparently, two Jedi ships (Erick and Blake) were chasing each other around the Galaxy (our basement) while the commanders of the Universe (parents myself and Derek) were doing dishes and cleaning up dinner.  Galaxian Queen Anne heard a thud and then screaming.  The lead Jedi ship had checked behind him, but forgot to consider the path ahead.  He crashed directly into the pole in front of him.  Screaming followed. 

Erick yelled up the stairs,  "Mom, Blake hit his head on the pole!"

I ran down the steps.  Really, it only looked like a small cut with a tiny bit of blood.  That changed.  Rapidly.  About halfway up the stairs--and only seconds later--Blake's face was covered with blood.  It was streaming down his cheek and chin, but thankfully, staying out of his eyes albeit dripping all over my shirt.  I carried him to the bathroom for a washcloth.  (Of course, I could not grab the new one from Christmas, though). I cleaned him up.  The light blue washcloth was now mostly red.  Derek grabbed a gauze pad and within a few minutes of holding the gauze pad firmly in place the crying and bleeding had stopped.  Blake really is a tough Jedi knight.  During that time two phone calls were made to my girlfriend, and nurse, with no answer--but messages were left---and a call to an after-hours nurse. 

Now the lingering question....Does it need medical attention.  Does it need stitches?  I spent 25 minutes on the phone with the after-hours nurse from the pediatrician's office.  The nurse said as long as the cut did not appear "deep" (which apparently is a relative term as I could not measure it) and the cut was smooth along the edges, then Blake would be okay.  Just wake him up to check for dizziness--two and four hours after he has fallen asleep.  He is the soundest sleeper in the world (and I am a close second).  Oh well, we'll deal with it.

Then my girlfriend called back.  I told her the events of the evening.  She was on her way home from work (after helping deliver 8 babies that day!), but would stop by.  She is a saint.  She checked Blake's head.

"It's deeper than you think.  If you take him to ER, they will stitch it."

Ugh.  Last time I call her.

Okay.

Blake was crying again, but now only because he cannot play with his choo-choo trains and there is no show.  Derek promised to take the computer and Toy Story 3.  Blake was all smiles and ready to go.  Now Erick was crying.  What is going on!!!

Erick cried about how "It's so hard to be brave...This is just terrible!  I wish the boo boo would just go away!"  Me too, buddy.

Erick and I played marbles.  The crying stopped.  Erick called his Grandma and told her the news; I clarified the news.  Derek checked in to say Blake was doing fine and waiting for the numbing medicine to take effect so he could get his stitches.  Blake had asked for an extra medical bracelet to bring home for Erick, and Erick was pleased to hear the news about the bracelet.

Blake was tough.  He Received three stitches just above the hairline and went right to bed when he came home.  He is recovering nicely today and jumping off snowpiles.  The only time he whines about his boo boo is when he needs ointment on it.

He may not be ready to save the world, but he's tough enough to take it on.