Head Trauma, Blood and Stitches, Oh My!

We don't have an urgent care in our little town. And yesterday, for the first time ever, this was a concern. A big one.

Once a month, Finn's preschool friends get together for a "Kids' Day Out." One mom hosts all of the kids for a two hour playdate. Sometimes the moms stay and hang out, other times we drop and run.

Yesterday was my day to host. Last year I had it here at the house, but I was worried about germs this year--a lot of local kids have been sick these past weeks--so I decided to have Kids' Day Out at a local park. The park is right near our house. It's a really cool park and the kids love it.

We'd been there about 45 minutes when I heard screaming and crying. I turned to see Finn walking towards me with blood pouring down his head, face, neck--everywhere. He was crying--the screaming was coming from Declan who was freaking out.

I think I said something like, "Oh my God!"

Finn came over and I started feeling around on his head. I poured some water on him to see if I could see the wound. More screaming. And his head was literally pumping blood--I forgot how much head wounds bleed. I had a huge wad of tissues in my pocket so I pressed this to his head in the area I thought the cut was (it was hard to see through all of that hair).

Fortunately, two other adults had stayed that day so I threw the boys in the car and raced to the doctor's office, hoping they'd see us immediately. I wasn't sure if they were equipped to deal with something like this on the spur of the moment.

So we walked in and I said, "Can someone help us?" The front desk girl rushed us right back and ran through the halls (which was impressive because it looked like she was about to birth a baby any second) yelling, "Head trauma!"

Head trauma? I thought he just had a little cut. "Trauma" seemed a little over the top.

So the doctor's office was set up to deal with our "trauma." All sorts of other words were thrown around like lac, sutures, CT. I felt like I was in a episode of ER. Just as bloody, but slightly less glamorous.

It wasn't until they got through his hair that I saw how big and awful the "trauma" actually was--about five inches across and down to his skull. Ick. I had to sit down, but there wasn't really any time to be queasy. I wonder if I turned green though because the doctor asked if I needed a break. Anyway, I had to keep it together because Declan and Finn were both hysterical. In fact, I had to send Declan out of the room because he couldn't handle hearing Finn scream (which I totally understand). A friend came and picked poor Declan up and took him to her house.

I think the worst part was when he had to get the numbing shots--the wound was so big I lost count of how many sticks to the head he took trying to get that wound numbed. Seriously, I don't think I could have handled it. I don't know how he did it. But then again, I don't know how he was done a lot of things in his little life.

He was pretty uncomfortable last night, but today he seems unphased. He's playing Wii billiards as I write this.

At one point in the doctor's office, Finn said, "What did you say when I got hurt?"

Hmmm, beyond "Oh my God," I wasn't precisely sure. I hedged. But Finn wasn't to be denied: "Is it OK to say bad words in an emergency?" So now I'm wondering what really did come out of my mouth in those first hysterical moments.

And now we're all still in our pajamas and it's nearly noon.

I think the one most traumatized by all of this might be me--sort of a post-accident shock thing?

And now, since Eamonn is out of town (did I neglect to mention that part?), I have to personally clean all of the blood out of the car. Or just keep driving around town until he gets home in a car that looks like I murdered someone.