Thursday, July 14, 2011

Pointing the Bloody Finger


Five little ducks went out one day,
In to the bottom kitchen drawer to play,
Mother Duck said "Quack quack quack" (which loosely translated means "watch your fingers")
And only four little ducks came back...

Yesterday morning, as I was getting Tricky's breakfast ready, he was playing with the bottom kitchen drawer about half a step away from me.

It's his drawer. Only his stuff goes in there and he's allowed to play with it. He'll sometimes touch the other drawers but after being told "no" he'll generally leave it alone, and go back to his drawer.

Yesterday was no different. Except as he went to close the drawer, he slipped and fell over.

Didn't make a sound. So I said "Oops, you fell over! Up you get, time for breakfast"

Then he started screaming.

I figured he must have bopped his head as he fell and was doing one of those delayed reaction cries. You know the ones where it's been a good five seconds since they've injured themselves and you can see the little cogs in their head turning. Does this hurt? Should I cry? Yeah I will. Waah! So I scooped him up for a cuddle and saw a little bit of blood on the floor.

I checked his mouth. He's put his tooth through his lip or gum before after a fall, but there didn't seem to be anything there. I looked down at his hand...

Blood everywhere.

I could see it was coming from his finger, but there was just so much blood I couldn't see how bad it was.

"Oh fuck. Fuckity fuck fuck fuck have you cut your finger off?" Because dropping the F bomb to a one year old is fine in these situations.

I'm not entirely sure why I asked him. I didn't exactly expect him to look up and answer me.

I tried to blot away the blood with a tissue but it wasn't doing any good so I ran his finger under the tap. He went quiet. I think he liked the cold. I could see through the water that a big chunk of skin was missing.

After quickly getting dressed while my Mum (who was almost at my house already when it happened) held him, we jumped in the car and raced to the doctors.

We asked if we could see the nurse.

"You can't see the nurse without seeing the doctor"

We asked if we could see a doctor.

"Do you have an appointment? They're fully booked."

Are you fucking kidding me? Do you think I have an appointment? Meanwhile my child's hand is dripping with blood.

But I kept it all inside and instead said "No, I don't, he's just cut his finger a few minutes ago"

"Well he doesn't look too distressed"

What?! Can we focus for a second on the blood pouring out his frickin finger? Maybe he was in shock, I dunno, I'm not a medico and neither was she. Being a receptionist at a medical centre doesn't actually qualify you to triage.

So we waited almost an hour to see the doctor. My Mum and I took turns holding him, and holding his hand up and his thumb away. He wanted to touch his finger and each time he did it, it would pour with blood. We could see it wasn't a bad injury by now, but like all finger wounds, it would not. stop. bleeding.

I was anxious that the doctor would tell me off. Tell me I should have been supervising him more carefully, that I shouldn't let him play with the drawer. But instead, he introduced himself to me, asked what had happened then told me how his own son, at age 23, has just run his car up the back of a Mercedes, assuring me that "it doesn't stop as they get older, you'll have to get used to this".

The doctor put on those big magnifying goggles and had a look. The giant flap of skin was still partially attached so he unrolled it (ick), smoothed it down, and put a bandage on it.

All the while Tricky just sat there, hand outstretched, staring at the doctor. No screaming, even when he was unrolling the skin. Then when it was time to go he turned around and waved to the doctor. He bloody waved! The child is a champion.

Be sure to send in my Mother of the Year nomination, won't you?
Look I haz bandage!

Hrmm, tastes funny

I feel better now, Mama
It got caught in Frederick's teeth

41 comments:

  1. Ohh, poor Tricky, and definitely poor Mama! I think you need a drink after that ;)

    My sister broke her femur when we were kids. She didn't even cry, she was just laying on the pavement. Dad came out and assumed she was fine because she wasn't crying, and told her to get up. And then went to pull her up. The accompanying scream was enough to get him to check further, and then call an ambulance.

    Happens to everyone :)

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  2. OMG! That would have been so painful!!!

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  3. ok, since I have 3 kids all much older than Tricky, Im gunna say it.
    Dont beat yourself up over it. Kids hurt themselves. Mine do it from their own stupidity. Tricky has just learnt a very important lesson, dont put fingers in the drawer.
    It will probably happen again, and if it does, you will know not to panic and to stay cool. Miss 8 slammed Miss 3's finger in the door jam the other day, and although there was alot of screaming, from Miss 3 and us yelling at Miss 8 not to be stupid and to be careful. everything was fine.
    I was 13 when i got my finger caught in the car door and didnt realise until i tried to walk away. and i screamed and panicked, and couldnt get the door open because i had locked it. I got 5 stitches, my mums payback was to make me soak my finger in salty water to get the elastoplast off the stitches.

    but in short, kids are going to hurt themsleves, and if its not your fault, then dont beat yourself up about it.

    xx

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  4. Thanks, Mich, you're a sweetie. You're right, he didn't go anywhere near the drawer today, so he knows it can catch his fingers now.
    I strangely don't panic when bad things happen, and then, when the incident is over, because of all the adrenaline stopping, I normally break down and cry. So I spent the rest of the day teary, even though it wasn't that bad.I have so many more years of accidents waiting for me, I should get used to it!!!

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  5. Boys. 

    They are such strongmen! 

    Jude always hurts himself but now he doesn't cry. Last night he head-butted the tiles (he thought it was soft) and didn't cry. I almost did though. He also jammed his fingers in the drawers but learned pretty quickly to have his hand open when closing it so he doesn't get hurt.

    Again, boys.
    xxx

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  6. What a little trooper! My son would have been the same way. He shrugs in the face of pain. My daughter would have needed her own personal trauma unit and a Barbie Townhouse to console her afterwards. As would I. Poor mama, hope you had yourself a good bar of chocolate when you got home. xx

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  7. I swear our kids are out to make us look bad. 

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  8. awww - he waved to the doctor?  so cute!  

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  9. Glad Tricky's finger is OK. I can understand your frustration at that idiot fake triage receptionist! Very comforting to get to see that lovely Dr I am sure.

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  10. "Being a receptionist at a medical centre doesn't actually qualify you to triage"  That's gold. I love it. They should make it up into a sign and post them out to some Dr's receptionists, the ones at my medical centre are the same. 

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  11. Oh Poor thing! The husband did a similar thing yesterday too only it involved a piece of sheet metal instead of a drawer and the not wearing of gloves. I would have thought he'd be more careful since the table saw injury of 02' and subsequent micro surgery- they really never do grow up but at least they heal faster when they are babies!

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  12. Tricky is a champ. x

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  13. Aw he sure is a champ (unlike the receptionist who apparently fancies herself as qualified to comment on patient's pain thresholds...).  Hope he is on the mend and that you dont beat yourself up over this simple accident.  It happens to the best of us!

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  14. Poor little bloke. They give you such a scare don't they? I've got a few stories of my own of a similar nature. It amazes me that they can fall out of a tree and be fine, but fall over their own feet and break something, or need stitches. Go figure!

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  15. I can't believe they made you wait for an hour. What a horrible receptionist!

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  16. I needed a bar of chocolate and a whiskey. Feel muuuuch better now.

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  17. At least this time it isn't right before I have to see the child health nurse!

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  18. The doctor had the name of a famous V8 Supercars driver :) 

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  19. He's the nicest doctor I've ever met! I'm sure he'll be fired soon for taking too much time to talk to his patients.

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  20. I could make a sign and laminate it, stick it to the counter and see just how long it takes for them to notice. I'd say a week.

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  21. Other than constantly pointing or tucking his finger under, he doesn't phased :) 

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  22. LOVE the doctor's work, firstly.

    Second, I read that with my fingers all protectively clenched into a hidey-fist. Yowwwwch. So quickly and easily done. Does it help you any to hear that my uncle never lived down the fact that he let his son (his seventh child, mind) roll off the change table? And land on his head? Happens to the best and most seasoned of them.... xxxx Hope you enjoyed that treat you mentioned on Twitter last night.

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  23. Oh wow! My mother has never lived down that she 'let me' fall out of the walker... a few times. 

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  24. I'm glad Tricky is okay. I remember a similar thing with my son. Blood everywhere!! He'd caught his finger in the hinge side of a wardrobe door and almost cut off the entire top. We waited over four hours until he fell asleep in the emergency room before a doctor stitched it back on.

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  25. He's a very adventurous little guy, so I reckon I've got a lot more of this coming :(

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  26. Oh that's terrible! I was afraid he'd cut the whole tip off, even checked the drawer for chucks on skin. Luckily it was still attached!!!

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  27. Bless him! One of the cutest kidlets out x

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  28. Sounds like the silly receptionist at my doc's clinic, went in with my boy having an asthma attack and she tried to make us wait... silly bird. (when the doc previously told us to go straight there and get him on the ventilator)

    Poor tricky and mum :( My toddler would be intrigued with the bandaged finger too.

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  29. I tried to post you a big comment this morning when I read this, but my stupid phone ate it!  Look at that smile, Tricky is one tough little cookie!  I felt for you so badly when I saw you tweet this yesterday.  The little boy that I nanny for had a nasty accident a few months back where he had his fingers caught in a shower door for 25 minutes until the fire brigade came and smashed the door down.  I wasn't there thank goodness, but his parents were beyond distressed (and are yet to set foot in the bathroom).  But they're resilient little beings that's for sure.  He has no permanent damage, and being 18 months old won't recall the incident.  Another bonus for him, and the same goes for Tricky.  So glad it all worked out okay. xx

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  30. Wanderlust, my daughters would be the same as yours. I should have just made "Drama" their middle name and had done with it. But then again, every time I have ever cut my finger or hand I have passed out.

    Glowless, like the sound of chocolate and whiskey, only I don't eat chocolate so I'll just go the whiskey! You've got a little trooper there!

    And of course you should be able to see the nurse before the doctor!!!!!

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  31. Your right - a situation like that totally calls for the F-Bomb...and more !  
    I'm sure it won't be long until my twins do something similar...it's inevitable at this age.
    Hope you had a stiff drink after the drama :-)

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  32. Would be cuter if he could develop a slight sense of danger :P

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  33. Bloody hell! Poor munchkin :( I think I might freak out if it was actually STUCK!

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  34. I tried to take out Mother of the Week a few weeks back for allowing Baby Holly to fall off the edge of the bed. So I feel for you. The advice everyone kept giving me was that we shouldn't feel guilt over these things. Stuff happens! Hope you're both doing OK now. xx

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  35. awww what a trooper. tricky the trooper. Hope you and he are feeling much better now.

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  36. My Dad was a radiographer and the rest of his family are all in medical professions, doctors, nurses, pathologists etc.  My cousins and I are all hopeless with our kids being sick and injured. We have no idea what is or isn't serious because our role models sent us to school sick, injured with broken bones and bits of sticks embedded for years!!

    Nobody is perfect and kids hurt themselves.  Just today I had to explain the carpet burns covering 40% of the Little Mans face to the preschool while trying to keep the Muchkin behind me so she didn't see his brand new cheek bruise... 

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  37. Look at those gorgeous mooshy cheeks! I wants to kiss them! Kids have a weird pain threshold. They'll do something minor and it can be the end of the world and then they'll do something actually painful (like practically bite through their own tongue - my daughter did that one) and you're trying to quell the neverending bleeding and they are trying to get back to playing!

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  38. Oh god poor you and poor tricky. accidents like that are horrible. Weve had our fair share too :( Love the pics. Looks like hes proud of his battle wound lol

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  39. thank God it didn't happen on your watch Shelley!  :P

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  40. thats crazy at 3 yrs old my left ring finger got smashed by door hinge so basically i have a ugly deformed almost full fuctioning finger to this day i am 22 yrs old still have pain when i bend it i had to get stiches i am traumatized i hate doors :/ my daughter smashed her finger but by door edge not door hinge so she didnt smash it too bad no stiches that finger also gets the nail growing crooked and ingrown not fun

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