Enough, already!

I do believe that I have reached my threshold for drama {and trauma} for a while.

Carter and I made a special trip to the ER today after I got a call from school saying that he had fallen and hit his head and they thought he needed stitches. I got the call a little before 9 this morning, so I left everything except for my purse at my desk and took off to go pick him up. When I got there, they had stopped the bleeding and had Carter {with his lamb lovey and his blanket} on the changing table, and he was still crying. They showed me the gash, and I agreed that it warranted a trip to evaluate for stitches.

As I picked him up and we took off for the ER, I did ask how he had done it, and I was told that he fell into one of the tables in the room {no surprise; he loves to run and sometimes gets ahead of himself}. By the time we got out the front doors of the center, Carter had stopped crying and we were talking about getting in the car to go on a special adventure. I knew he was doing okay when he asked to listen to "This Old Man" in the car and started pointing out "big trucks" on the way.

As I was driving and frantically trying to get a hold of Nick who wouldn't answer any of the three numbers I was calling repeatedly, I was trying to figure out two things: 1. Where to take him and 2. Should I stop by our house and grab the diaper bag? {which I did--bleeding was under control and he was calm} I remembered that Allyson had blogged about taking her daughter for stitches to the Pediatric ER at the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent. So, I determined to head there and sent Allyson a frantic, but cryptic e-mail to please call me about stitches. {which she did -- her help was incredibly valuable! Thanks, Allyson!}

Aside: I can't say enough good things about the ER at PMCH at St. V's. I would go back there in a heartbeat. The staff was great, and it was very well set up for children. I can't imagine how tough it would have been to have been in a typical ER for 2.5 hours. This one had toys, child-friendly movies, etc.

So, once we got there and got checked in and the Doctor checked Carter out, they put some numbing cream on the gash. We had to wait about a half hour for it to take full effect.

Watching Cars while the numbing cream works its magic

up close of the numbing cream

Then the nurse and a tech came in to clean out the gash. This was one of the two points where Carter cried. We had to hold him still while they cleaned it out with some sort of solution. I think that it was being pinned down that bothered him more than the cleaning, since the area was numb. Shortly therafter, they gave him an oral solution intended to relax him a bit {it was successful! he was pretty loopy and had really slurred speech. so pitiful!}. Then, the doctor came in and stitched him up, which was the second time he threw a fit--again, I think the pinning down was the issue, because he never flinched when they were sewing him up.

Seven Stitches
So pitiful after it was over

Enjoying a "special treat" for being so brave

We met dad at home after the ordeal, and ate lunch. Carter was still a bit loopy, and so he took a nap while I went back to work to recover the rest of my stuff. When I got back, I also crashed. I think the adrenaline rush had ended, and I was zapped. When he woke up from his nap, he was his happy, busy, usual self, and I was glad to see it! So, he'll have his seven stitches {which is, incidentally, the same number I had on my forehead} until Tuesday. I am so proud of him for being so good and so brave.

But...still...enough already.