July 11, 2014

Perry's finger

Camping, fireworks, family visitors.
Summer is in full swing.
Complete with a trip to the ER.

I guess jumping from two to four kids I did double my chances for injuries.

This one was a doozy. We were having our first completely lazy day of the summer. No plans or outings. No therapy or appointments. It was 10 o'clock and we were all still in our pajamas. That NEVER happens around here.

Then Perry's finger got closed in a door.

Oh my! It was a nasty one. He was shaking his hand around. His pinky finger was flopping back and forth. I'll spare you the details of the blood and bone and suffice it to say we wrapped his finger in a nearby washcloth and loaded up the car as quick as we could. Some of us without shoes and all of us looking like ragamuffins.

Thank goodness for calm, strong Kyler who sat next to Perry holding his hand until we got to the closest walk-in clinic.

I carried my little boy inside and it wasn't until the nurses were scrambling and I saw the dr examine the finger in the waiting room that I realized I was shaking. My poor boy!



The gave him a shot to numb the hand and that helped him to calm down. Kyler did some distracting in the dr.'s office with Layla's hair clip.




We got an x-ray and it was determined there was a slight fracture to the bone and the finger tip was partially degloved. They sent us off to the Children's hospital. I turned down the ambulance she recommended and we drove to the ER.



Eight hours later, Eric had picked up Layla and Kyler from the hospital, the finger had been examined by the orthopedic surgeon and the ER doctor, Perry had been sedated for a half hour surgery, the finger was reattached, the arm was wrapped in a splint, and we were on our way home.




It was a long day. Perry was such a trooper. When they put the IV in we distracted Perry with a Mickey mouse show on an ipad. When they were done and Perry saw the red sock covering his hand, he asked so sweetly, and sincerely "Where's my hand?" 

Seattle children's hospital had been pretty good to us. But I don't wish to visit the ER again.