Trip to the ER

Thursday I had lunch with Paul and while we were there the nurse that works there commented on Andrew's climbing (he was standing in a chair) and asked how many trips we had made to the emergency room with injuries having four boys. I commented ZERO as I raced to find a piece of wood to knock on!!

Thursday I kept saying someone was going to end up in the emergency room!

Friday I was planning to stay home and do some housework. Well, Isaac was running behind and when his bus got here his lunch was not in his lunchbox. I told him I would bring it to him. I ended up having to run to each school (to turn in some money for shirts) and to the library. The library and first school went pretty quick. I got a block away from Isaac's school and my phone rang and I answered it. It was the secretary at his school telling me his finger had gotten slammed in a door and instantly turned purple.

I got there and he had ice put on it. This is an old school and these are huge, metal, heavy doors. The door was not only closed, but SLAMMED in the door. I looked at it and it was swollen and purple, but he could bend it. I asked if he wanted to stay at school and he said he did but it really hurt. Of course, the schools can no longer give kids medicine, even if the parent is standing there. So, I went back home to get some tylenol and go back to the school.

He took the tylenol and I told him if it still bothered him to call me. Three or four phone calls later, I went to get him. He talked to me one of the phone calls and I asked if he could hold out a couple more hours (I had a baby sleeping). He said he could and that he didn't want to leave early. About 20 minutes later the secretary called back and said his teacher had called the office to say that he was trying really hard but was crying (and trying to hide it...he really wanted to stay at school).

I called the doctor on the way to the school and made an appointment for him to have it checked. I didn't think it was broken and figured they probably could not do much, but was hoping for something stronger than tylenol.

We got stuck in traffic and ended up late. I called to let them know we were going to be a few minutes late (apparently I should not have done that) because of traffic. They said they could not see me if we were not on time and to take him to the emergency room. ARGHHH! At this point, Isaac cries everytime we hit a bump in the road. I took him to the emergency room. Three hours later (and an extra xray because they xrayed the wrong finger), his finger was not broken, but they drilled through his nail to drain the blood under it and relieve the pressure.


He was a champ at the er. He was very nervous when I told him he was going to have to go to the hospital and not the dr. As soon as I told him he tears up and says "my finger feels really good now." He started talking about the last time he went to the Children's and he had surgery. I kept reassuring him he would not need surgery this time.

At the hospital when they were drilling his finger (which is actually a big needle that they push through your fingernail) he shed a few tears and held my hand tightly but that was it. It hurt without touching it so I can imagine when they are pushing on it it was probably REALLY hurting. They did not numb it, give him tylenol or anything.

They asked if his finger was throbbing before they started and he said "no, but I can feel my heart beating through my finger." After they did it he says "My heart is REALLY beating in my finger now!"

His finger is now bandaged and had a splint on it. He is supposed to wear the splint until it doesn't hurt everytime he bumps it. At this point it hurts to get the splint on it(doesnt bother him after it is on). We are hoping by mid week at least, we can take it off.

Although it was a trip to the er, that really could have been handled at the drs office (did I mention I am ready to fire that clinic?), it still was nothing too major. For having four boys....we are still doing pretty good.

And, I still think Mady will end up the first one in the er for a major injury. Just because she is the only girl and boys SHOULD be the ones getting hurt!