I had hoped to have a project ready to post today, but over the weekend we were all traumatized by my little one getting his finger slammed in the bathroom door. He can get a strong scream out, but nothing like the blood-curdling scream of his finger caught to make your spine ache.
We spent Saturday in the emergency room waiting for the plastic surgeon to come in to reattach the top joint of his middle finger. (it was cut through the bone). My little guy was a trooper even though he received numbing shot between the fingers while strapped down.
After having received prescriptions and instructions on aftercare, I am convinced the ER Staff have no idea what is to be a parent of a 3-year-old. They not only prescribed codeine in his Tylenol (thank God for a pharmacist who knows better than to give a class 1 drug to a 3-year-old.) But fully expected us to change his bandage three times a day. Three times a day! Is that the plastic surgeon getting even with us for being called in on a Saturday during Thanksgiving Weekend?
I would not be surprised if the neighbors called the police to investigate us after the screams that came out of that little body to change the dressing. Did I mention they had it wrapped with an antibacterial strip? Why put us through all that? Given there is no guarantee the re-attachment will take hold why expose it so much? Seeing all his stitches in such a tiny area along with his cries of “I am done!” just about had my husband and me in straight jackets. I spent the next hour or two( I lost track) repeating and muttering to myself “that was awful, just awful!” I think it took a good 2 hours after that before my muscles finally relaxed to their normal state.
As if that is not bad enough there is the dead of night when your child is yelling out in his sleep ” No Doctor! No Doctor! I am fine! I am fine!” you find out the depth of his trauma. Once again reminding you how helpless you are as a parent as you sit in the dark trying your best not to say “It’s ok.” to which he will adamantly tell you “No! It’s not mom!” Did I mention he is 3?
As I sat there wide awake at 2 in the morning I couldn’t help but think as awful as this was, there are parents in way too many places with much worse to deal with than what has happened to us. If I had one wish granted this holiday season; it would be that no parent ever has to hold a child in pain, traumatized or hungry in the dead of night telling them it will be ok, when it is not!
I know, not the most cheery of posts, I will be back with something more fun later this week when the body starts to loosen up again. Until then watch the little fingers and doors. If anyone knows of a good organization, that helps families in need; please share in the comments.
