So Friday I took the kids to Dairy Queen because Miss P was dry all day (we will discuss her lazy little potty habits another time)and D was out of town do it would be a fun little outing. We had enjoyed a yummy treat and the kids had gotten up and were running around. I didn't see a problem with it since it was almost empty. I was cleaning up and a friend had called so I wasn't really paying attention. All of a sudden J man screamed and started bawling. He tends to be a little over reactive so I wasn't totally alarmed, but told my friend I had to go and ran over to him. As I ran over I noticed a pool of blood all over the ground. He was grabbing his face and I could see his nose was bleeding. There was a lady and son at the table right next to him so I asked for some napkins and they handed me a few. I went to stop the bleeding and when he took his hand down I noticed (and wanted to gag) that his lip was torn down right in the middle and about 1/2" below the bottom of his lip and bleeding profusely.
I am quite impressed that I was so level headed during the whole ordeal. I yelled to the workers that I needed some more napkins. They ran over and I told them that I needed to go to the hospital. An older woman who worked there offered to drive and I agreed. I helped J walk to the car as I held pressure and another worker carried P out. I was driving my brother's little Jetta and as I got to the car and started searching for keys I realized that there was no way I would be able to get there in the car. The two car seats make it impossible for me to fit between and there was no way I could leave J alone to apply pressure. I realized that my only alternative was to call 911. I called and walked J back in and laid him in a booth. The 911 dispatcher asked a series of questions while the ambulance came. J was hysterical this whole time. By the time they came in with the gurney, J had calmed down a bit and they were able to get him into the ambulance. Because I had P too, J had to go alone and I followed in my car. He was really brave. They gave him a basketball teddy bear (which he named "basketball sports"--creative, I know) which he LOVES.
We got to the hospital and they took us right to a trauma room. The dr. came right in, took a look and told us that it was beyond her scope of ability and that I could either call an OR doctor or a plastic surgeon. I opted for the latter. We had to wait about 45 minutes for him to arrive, but in the meantime they started an IV (that was not a fun event for J, though he calmed down quickly) and I told him a lot of really lame, made up stories (definitely not a storyteller). Finally Dr. Klomp came and after discussing different options, they gave J some Ketamine which is a conscious anesthesia. That was the first time I really lost it. It was so hard to see his little eyes flick back and forth and know how brave he had to be. I left and wandered the halls for a bit. I should mention that my friend Jen had come and picked P up--thank you, thank you. P knew this was serious because when I told her to sit on a chair and not get up, she didn't move. That is unheard of for her.
So, I finally came back in as the dr. was stitching the last layer. He had to stitch it in four layers for a total of 19 stitches in the lip and one on the roof of the mouth. He would have also put one in his gums, but said it would just tear through so didn't do it. He also had a bit cut on his tongue and really bruised upper gumline. The hard thing about repairing the lip is making sure the bottom lip matches all the way across...that is why I opted for the plastic surgeon. He was fantastic. He explained everything and assured me that I could call for ANY reason. That is nice, especially when you tend to be a little over protective.
It took about 20 minutes for J to come out of the anesthesia after the dr. was done. It was kind of crazy to watch him turn toward my voice but not be able to really see me. The first thing he finally said is, "I want my daddy" and "I want to go home." Later he asked, "Is this a dream." Oh, how I wish it had been. Then, later he looked at me and said, "mom, you have four eyes." He was having a little double vision. Douglas finally got to the hospital and J insisted on sitting up even though he couldn't hold himself up so we sat and help him up and laughed at all the crazy things he said.
Finally when he could hold himself up, the nurse brought a wheelchair and we took him home. He has really been very good considering all. He is a little drama about taking medicine and swishing his mouthwash, but has been relatively happy. The Dr. prescribed some Lortab and that helped a lot. The first day he spent the majority laying on the couch watching TV. He can't eat any hard food, use a fork or straw for 6 weeks. He can't get in any bodies of water for 2. The Dr. said that it takes six weeks for it to heal 90% and a year to heal the rest.
I have been somewhat of a basket case since we have been home. I had J sleep with me the first two days so I got little sleep. That one top of coming off a trip with little sleep, week with little sleep and emotional exhaustion has not suited me well. I finally don't feel like crying all day today which is nice.
It looks like J may be getting a little infection in his mouth now, so we go to the plastic surgeon tomorrow to get it checked out. The stitches should dissolve in 5-7 days which is crazy to me that our bodies heal that fast.
So, that is it. My first really traumatic event as a mother. It is amazing how our hearts can just ache for our children. I am so glad that we have the health care we do though and that I could opt for a plastic surgeon. Yes, it will cost a pretty penny, but I would make the same choice again and again. Let's pray our health care remains as great as it is!
So, here are some pics. The first few were taken with my phone, so the quality isn't great and the angle doesn't show the severity, but you get the point. It is gross, be warned.
Before:
Right after the surgery
Day Two:
Day Three:
Day Four:
