Mitchell's Trip to the E.R.

I have to interrupt BIRTHDAY WEEK for a quick Mitchell update.

I know, leave it to the baby of the family 

to find attention on the only week of the year that isn't about him. 

Actually the event which is to be told happened about 12 days ago.

We were eating lunch with my in-laws, who were in town.

We were at a Gator Jack's, which really isn't important, but interesting.

I sat down all the kids at a table and handed over my kindle.

Then Grandma sat at the next table over to save enough seats for us all.

Then I walked away, like a good mom, leaving my children unaccompanied.

I was looking at what I could order them when we hear a loud crash...

followed by a heart chilling scream...

It was a moment when you know it is your child,

and you know it is bad.

I ran over to see Mitchell...

he had been standing backwards on the chair 

and leaned over just far enough to make the chair flip over.

So it was a metal chair,

falling onto a concrete floor. 

And there he was face down on the ground, 

in a pool of blood.

So I picked him up and checked all the possible head traumas.

head.

nose.

teeth.

eyes.

 nothing...

Then he held up his tiny little hands to show me

the tips of his middle and ring finger were

dangling... 

We weren't near our home, but we were in a city we knew

so I picked him up and said, 

"I have to go to the Emergency Room."

Richard and I bolted to the van while Grandma and Grandpa

sat with the other two kids...

We got into the van that gave me a moments calm

TO FREAK OUT!

I began hyperventilating and sobbing as I watched Mitchell 

grabbing the tips of his tiny bloody fingers and screaming, 

"OOWWWW MY FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!"

It was traumatising.

The tips of his fingers were shredded.

The nails had popped off, but were dangling with the tips.

It makes my stomach knot up even now 

just remembering how it looked.

I was certain they would have to chop the fingers off, 

because it was so mangled.

We finally made it to the E.R.

The Doctor there said we were lucky because 

he did his residency with the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team.

He had sewn dozens of fingers back together.

We sat and waited to get all the approvals 

and questions answered

and X-rays

 

Then Richard sat and held him while I stopped crying, 

and Mitchell was so comforted by his father,

that he fell asleep.

Richard gave him a blessing 

and the Doctor came back with a shot of morphine,

for Mitchell, not me.

Richard left to check on the other kids and grandparents.

Eventually they put Mitchell under anaesthesia 

so they could put things back together. 

The anaesthesia made Mitchell go to sleep with his eyes

WIDE OPEN.

It was weird.

This is where I left the room 

and Richard came back with a sandwich compliments of 

Gator Jack's.

They felt so bad about what happened.

(and didn't want a lawsuit)

After a while,

we went back in and the doctor showed us the final repairs.

  

The middle finger was broken at the tip,

and 3/4 of the way severed.

The ring finger was less so, but still needed stitches.

The nail beds were completely destroyed,

so the Doctor put the broken nails back into place,

hoping that it will keep the nail bed open to heal naturally.

 

By now Mitchell's eyes were closed,

and the Doctor said the medicine had worn off, 

and he was just peacefully sleeping through the whole thing.

 Four hours after we arrived,

Mitchell was discharged with ten fingers.

He even waived goodbye to the nurses

with his little dinosaur cast,

and they all about cried.

Now everyday we have to unwrap his hand,

apply neosporin

and rewrap with a clean bandage.

Mitchell seems to be just fine.

12 days later,

most of the stitches have been removed.

The most traumatising part for Mitchell

has been having to throw away the old dinosaur bandages

after they get dirty.

CAL Ranch, of all places, has a great selection of patterns 

to choose from for new bandages.

 

The "Blue's Clues" is particularly delicious,

with frosting on top.

Of course we wish this hadn't happened, 

but it couldn't have happened to a sweeter boy.

I ask him everyday, 

"Mitchell, how are your fingers?"

He will answer, 

"I fell down off the chair."

It melts your heart as a parent to see 

an independent little 2 year old

adapting to having only one hand,

and still not asking for help.

The most ironic part of the story, 

is that the Monday prior to this,

Mitchell had just taught his FIRST fhe lesson,

about being thankful for our hands.

Stay tuned to see how Mitchell's hand is healing up.