Our first ever trip to the E.R.

Matthew and I are lucky enough to say that Christmas Day was our first ever trip to the emergency room with any of our children.  Considering that we have 4 kids and have not been there yet in 4 years I will count us as lucky people.  But by no means am I looking forward to another trip there anytime soon.

The setting: Christmas morning, after we had opened gifts and the kids were having a little breakfast. 
As Cale reached over to try to get to Maggie's cereal he fell out of his high chair and into the arm of the chair which Maggie was sitting in.  He hit his head on that arm and it split it open.  He was dangling from the high chair as he had wrapped his feet around the foot rest bar and as I picked him up thinking great a new goose egg, I realized he was holding his breath, pulled him off my shoulder to get him to breathe and then the blood came.  It was gushing and I was shaking.  Thankfully my father in law Casey was there to grab the baby and instruct me to get a towel, I couldn't think or move and I am very happy he could tell me what to do.  He and Matt got the bleeding under control, Cale got a nice bandage - way to use what we had on hand daddy - and off to the E.R. we went.  That was at 10:37 AM.....

So we arrive at the local hospital and as we pull in there are already two ambulances there however, no one waiting to be seen in the waiting room, so I thought okay not so bad.  Boy was I wrong.   
Cale was acting fine in the waiting room, playing with the toys and laughing - he looked quite cute running around in his footed Christmas jammies - I was still shaking but beginning to calm down, Matt was trying to make sure he didn't hit his head again.   
They got him in the system, he did not want his vitals taken but they did get us back and into a room rather quickly.  It was just then we had to wait, 2 more ambulances and some seriously sick folks being tended to by the doctors.  Thank goodness he took a nap because I do not think we could have made it for 2 hours of waiting while chasing him around. 

Once it was determined he would definitely need stitches we got started and I must say that holding down your baby is one of the worst experiences in the world.  He got 6 stitches but because how the cut was it was really 9 - she had to start over twice and took out 3.  We finally got them in and were able to calm him down, he was a sweaty mess from trying to fight us and really just traumatized from being held down while someone was trying to stitch him. 
We are so thankful for Papaw Casey, Memaw Jo and Big Papa as they totally stepped up to interrupt their day and stay with the other kids while we were away.

We left the hospital at 2:25 - and finally arrived at Memaw Donna and Papaw Chris's at 4:00 5.5 hours later than we had started to begin our day of family Christmas outings.   He was FINE, I not so much and could not stand to see him running around being all boy that he is - daddy helped lots in keeping him off the stairs and making sure he wasn't falling down hitting his head. 

Five days later his stitches are out and he looks good - he will have a scar but at least he won't mind that much and what a story to remember!  Our baby Frankenstein for Christmas! 

I am sure this is not our last trip to the emergency room, especially with this child but I sure do hope that there is not another one for a VERY long time!



Playing in the waiting room

 

Running down the halls while waiting - looks in pain huh?

Not so patiently waiting with daddy and George and of course blankie

All Smiles now that we are riding home!

see my boo-boo?  I am so sleepy

Please bear with the photos - I used my Blackberry, I thought it was tacky to bring along the camera. 

So we survived our first trip to the emergency room and our first stitches, it wasn't fun, but he did great and we are almost back to normal.  (Mom is still a nervous wreck when he climbs on anything!)