Today during mass, after we returned from Communion, Sarah and I were singing and I heard this LOUD thump sound. I turned to my left to see Charlotte on the floor and realized instantly that she'd fallen backward off of the pew and hit the back of her head on the VERY HARD wooden pew seat in front of us. On instinct, I scooped her up (Andy was holding Alex) and ran out the door into a small vestibule area. I didn't think about it--it was pure Mama Instinct. I had put my hand on the back of her head and it turns out it was a good thing I did...she was gushing blood all over my hand and down her back. I got one of Alex's diapers out of the diaper bag and put it on her head to absorb the blood--there was so much!
Andy came out expecting it to be no big deal so he was very surprised to see me panicked. I knew we weren't going to be able to drive her to the Urgent Care or ER ourselves because I could tell that her head needed some constant pressure to control the bleeding. Someone alerted our associate pastor who called 9-1-1 and we waited for the ambulance. Charlotte was kind of out of it, not unconscious but not really responding so I started to worry. She was aloof and quiet on the way to the hospital but kept repeating that she wanted to go home in the van. (Fortunately our friends offered to take Sarah home with them until we could pick her up. Andy and Alex met us at the hospital.)
Once we got to the hospital, she slowly started returning to her normal self. We read books, played Chutes & Ladders, and tried to keep her spirits up. The doctors applied some kind of numbing paste to her head for 30 minutes and then strapped her to a backboard-type thing to get the stitches in. She did need a few injections of lidocaine to make sure it was good and numb. But once she was numb, she didn't feel the 5 stitches it took to close her wound.
So we have had our first run in with stitches and I'm glad it was Charlotte. She's our more daring daughter and handles this type of thing easier than Sarah. So now if Sarah ever needs stitches, at least we know what to expect and Charlotte can help calm her fears.
The stitches will be in until next weekend when we can see our regular pediatrician to have them removed.
I'm so proud of my little Charlotte. She was a real trooper. Here she is showing off her hospital bracelet. She kept pretending it was a watch. I love that little lass.
Andy came out expecting it to be no big deal so he was very surprised to see me panicked. I knew we weren't going to be able to drive her to the Urgent Care or ER ourselves because I could tell that her head needed some constant pressure to control the bleeding. Someone alerted our associate pastor who called 9-1-1 and we waited for the ambulance. Charlotte was kind of out of it, not unconscious but not really responding so I started to worry. She was aloof and quiet on the way to the hospital but kept repeating that she wanted to go home in the van. (Fortunately our friends offered to take Sarah home with them until we could pick her up. Andy and Alex met us at the hospital.)
Once we got to the hospital, she slowly started returning to her normal self. We read books, played Chutes & Ladders, and tried to keep her spirits up. The doctors applied some kind of numbing paste to her head for 30 minutes and then strapped her to a backboard-type thing to get the stitches in. She did need a few injections of lidocaine to make sure it was good and numb. But once she was numb, she didn't feel the 5 stitches it took to close her wound.
So we have had our first run in with stitches and I'm glad it was Charlotte. She's our more daring daughter and handles this type of thing easier than Sarah. So now if Sarah ever needs stitches, at least we know what to expect and Charlotte can help calm her fears.
The stitches will be in until next weekend when we can see our regular pediatrician to have them removed.
I'm so proud of my little Charlotte. She was a real trooper. Here she is showing off her hospital bracelet. She kept pretending it was a watch. I love that little lass.
