Stitches

A crash followed by a scream made me drop what I was doing and run down the hall.  Lilian came out of her room with blood running down the side of her face.  So as to not freak her out, I didn't comment on the blood, just picked her up and rushed her to the bathroom.  She put her hand up to her face and when it came away bloody she gasped, "Mom!  I have bleed!!"

I set her on the counter and and grabbed a kleenex.  I know head wounds bleed a lot so I figured this wasn't going to be as big as it looked.  I was surprised, however, to find a gash next to her eye that, though not huge,  might require stitches.  Although whimpering, Lilian was more interested in the gash than hurt by it.  She applied pressure with a wet washcloth while I called Bryan to ask his opinion.  While still unsure as to whether the wound was serious enough for stitches, two things decided us on heading to the Insta Care.  It was on her face.  She's a girl.  (Take a look at Brandon's forehead next time you see him...he has a tiny scar from a fall that had his head meeting the concrete steps.  Professional opinion was sought from a U of U medical student neighbor and the two of us decided together that it was probably 50/50 if we took him in as to whether they would throw a couple of stitches in or slap a bandaid on it and send us home.  But Brandon was a boy and little scars add character, right?)

Bleeding mostly stopped, Lilian and I made the 15 minute trip to the Insta Care.  Rather than being nervous, Lilian found the whole thing quite the adventure.  They layed her on a triage bed and covered her with a warming blanket.  (They claim it was chilly in there...I was fine.)  While the numbing medicine took affect, we read stories that I had hastily shoved in my purse thinking ahead to a potential wait.  The stories were punctuated with giggles.  Lilian was practically giddy.

  The doctor came in and declared that yes, the gash required "string."  They explained every step of the prep to Lilian seeing as she was very calm and quite interested in the whole procedure.  The doctor had me hold Lilian's hands...just in case she started wiggling while he was sewing.  She didn't really need it, she was as still as could be.  I think she realized the seriousness of what they were doing.  But it gave me a front and center view of the stitches going in.  I was fascinated and grossed out all at the same time.  Interestingly enough, it turns my stomach more thinking about it NOW, than when I actually watched it happen.  The doctor and I discussed the big rivalry game while he stitched.  With no bowl games or championships on the line, without a whole season behind both teams, would this game be as big of a deal as it has been in past years?  It was quite the debate.  Especially since he roots for the U and I root for the Y.

 Different loyalties notwithstanding, the doctor put in four nice and neat little stitches next to Lilian's eye and declared it good.  The nurse gave Lilian her choice of bandaid colors....and also loaded her up with stickers and a sucker for being such a brave little girl.  She really was!  I was so impressed with my girl!  After a quick stop at Target for Tinkerbell bandaids, we headed home...Lilian super excited to share her "boo boo review" with her very sympathetic siblings and father.