Stitches

I know there's a first time for everything and unfortunately we made a first last night. I was in the dining room doing something when all of a sudden Riley comes running to me, screaming. All I see is blood literally dripping everywhere! I could even figure out where it was coming from, all I knew was that it wasn't good! Once Riley calmed down a bit I realized it was coming from her finger and she said she was trying to cut herself an apple. She had grabbed the biggest knife from the butcher block and tried to use that. I quickly gathered my things and headed to the closest Urgent Care because I knew she was going to need stitches. I just prayed it wasn't worse.


We got there and they got us right in because her finger was still gushing. The nurse checked her out and felt comfortable that no permanent damage had been done (no tendons were cut). We were sent back in the waiting room for what seemed like forever! After waiting at least an hour and a half they brought us back to the room. Riley was back to her normal, social self and wasn't scared at all. The doc came in and he was GREAT with her. He was a younger guy and really made her feel at ease. I had told them that R was going to FREAK out because I knew she would. She does NOT do well with doctors and shots. He told her he was going to wrap her up like a burrito (she didn't know, but it was so she wouldn't be able to move) but she thought it was so funny. We swaddled her, the doc got ready and hid the suringe behind his back so she couldn't see it. This is when all hell broke lose. She started FREAKING OUT! It literally took myself, the doc and two nurses to hold hold her down. The doc did say that the shot to numb her finger would really hurt really bad.

After at least 30 minutes of her screaming and saying she was going to die and telling the nurses she didn't like them, it was over with. We cuddled in the room for a bit then she was ready to go. By this time we had been there for almost 4 hours! It was a LONG evening and we hadn't had dinner (other than R's skittles from the vending machine). She wanted Wendy's and ice cream. I told her she could have anything she wanted, I felt so bad for her. She got a kids meal and Frosty and poor thing was so tired she didn't eat any of it! She fell asleep on the way home and requested to sleep with me that night.

I'm glad that she woke up this morning feeling good. I think she's more disappointed that she can't swim for the next two weeks! After Riley woke up, I was talking to her and Lincoln and said "You have to promise me you will not touch any more knives! They are dangerous and what Riley had to do last night was no fun!" Riley proceeded to say say "Well, mom, it was kind of fun because I got to go on a date with you!!!" She's so sweet and I'm so glad it wasn't so much worse.

 

*Update: Riley got her stitches out 10 days later and thank goodness for "Aunt" Kristin. She's a PA and one om best friends. She came over to our house, so I wouldn't have to take Riley back to the ER and took her stitches out. Kristin was a trooper because 1. she doesn't have kids and 2. the what should have been 2 minute "procedure" to get the stitches turned into an hour of begging and pleading Riley to sit still and let her get them out. BUT she did and I think only one tear was shed. I'm VERY confident that had I taken her back to the ER it would have been MUCH more traumatic!! Thanks, Aunt Kristin!!

 

Before getting stitches out:

 

After:

 

The ER "bites"

I had a very Happy Mother's Day, but it wasn't quite what I expected...

I enjoy every one-on-one moment I get with each of my children, and I guess Riley really wanted to spend some time with me because she and I ended up in the Emergency Room on Sunday afternoon. We had gone to church with my dad and family, gone out to lunch then headed to Ty's house to visit with his family for the afternoon. I was packing up the van to get stuff ready to take back to WV and Riley, Lincoln, Ty's Gma, Mom and Aunt were by the barn. All of a sudden I heard Riley screaming and Ty's Aunt Sherry scream...I literally started running over to the barn where they were (I could see them the whole time, I just wasn't right there). Come to find out one of the stupid dogs on the farm had "attacked" Riley. It bit her on the forehead and her head was literally gushing with blood. I scooped her up, grabbed a blanket from the car and held it against her head to stop the bleeding. Sherry drove to the nearest ER while I sat with Riley in the back still holding the blanket to her head and Ty's mom followed behind us in her car.

I think we attracted a lot of attention upon arriving. Here I am huge and pregnant, blood covering my shirt and hers, and a screaming 3 year old in my arms. At least we didn't have to wait :)! They cleaned up the wound and determined she wouldn't need stitches (thank goodness!!). While we waited Gma saved the day and got Riley a ring-pop (her favorite). Riley screamed and screamed and screamed when they put the steri stripes on her head but she was very brave. She was bouncing off the walls again in no time. She was so good that I took her straight to Burger King for a BIG chocolate milkshake (isn't it standard to get ice cream after getting hurt??!). I am so thankful that the bite wasn't worse because it definitely could have been, I am glad it didn't get her eyes or now pray that it doesn't get infected. I know head wounds bleed a lot more than any other, but I couldn't believe the amount of blood pouring out of her head, literally it was like a running faucet.

She's on antibiotics now and we'll continue to watch the wound for infection...otherwise we're good to go and hope it doesn't leave a scar. Ty wasn't with us and lets just say he was furious and worried the whole time. I think that was the hardest part for him; getting a phone call saying we were on the way to the ER and not being able to be there with his little one. We kept him posted and it calmed his nerves too. Lets just say we definitely won't be getting a dog EVER (not that we ever would have before this incident) and they won't be playing with the farm animals anymore. I don't think she'll want to be around dogs anytime soon anyways because she is now terrified of them.

They're baaaaaack....

What's back you ask? Lincoln's ear infections!! Oh, so frustrating! This past week Lincoln acted like he was getting a cold (he was congested and had a runny nose--at the same time), then Friday he woke up in the middle of the night, which he never does unless he's sick, I nursed him and he felt like he had a fever. He went back to sleep, so I just let him sleep. Saturday he acted like he didn't feel well so I called the Urgent Care in Kzoo and took him in on Sunday morning. Sure enough, they confirmed my suspicions: he had another ear infection and a fever of about 101. They gave me a script for Augmentin and sent us on our way. Poor Lincoln just didn't feel well at all and when he was awake he cried for hours! I felt so bad for him. He also hadn't been eating baby food a whole lot.

I put him to bed at 7:30 last night and the whole night he kept moving around and whining in his sleep. He finally woke up at 12am and when I picked him up I could tell he was burning up! I gave him some Tylenol and took his temp (underarm) and it was close to 104! I knew a rectal temp. would be even higher because it's more accurate. I called the ER to ask them if I should bring him in and they advised me to. So, Lincoln and I were at the ER from about 12:30 until 4 am. They gave him some stuff to get his fever down and that's about it. He slept through most of it--he was so tired and just laid there, limp, in my arms!

His fever is down this morning, but now he's throwing up everything he ingests (food, medicine, etc.) We've got a follow-up appt. tomorrow morning at his doctor's office. I plan on having him seen again at another ENT (I didn't like the previous one we visited) and if they think that he needs tubes in his ears we're going to just going to go through with it. I feel like there is no reason for my little guy to go through all of this when it could be prevented. So, if you think of it, throw up a prayer for Lincoln that he feels better!