First Time

** WARNING WARNING **

There are some graphic/gross photos below.

*~*~*~*~*

Well, it finally happened - one of our children needed stitches. The unlucky victim was Ella. She got the injury at Girl Scout Camp. She wasn't starting a fire, hunting for food, clipped by a boomerang, mauled by a bear, participating in a grueling competition, or even selling thin mints.

.

Unfortunately, the story just isn't very exciting.

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Ella was helping prepare lunch when she sliced her thumb wide open (nearly to the muscle) on a lid to a can of cherry pie filling.

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I got the call around one that Ella had been hurt and needed stitches. The camp nurse told me that Ella really wanted to stay at camp but that she thought we ought to take her in. I frantically rounded up Jack and Julietta and jumped in the car. My poor baby had been hurt and I couldn't get to her fast enough. As I turned the ignition to start the engine I heard "click, click, click."

Ugh.

My heart was racing, I was imagining Ella writhing in pain, and I couldn't get to her. Earlier that morning we had a new sofa delivered and Derek and I moved our old one into the garage. Derek had pulled my car out temporarily and never fully disengaged the key from the ignition when he returned the car to its space in the garage, thereby running my battery down. After an irritated/frantic call to the culprit, a neighbor helped me jump my battery and we dashed off to meet Ella and Derek at the pediatrician's office. I just knew Ella was going to be a mess - screaming and crying, wondering why I had not rushed faster to be at her side.

Here is what I saw when I got there.

The nurse took us back to a room and asked Ella what happened. Ella recounted in detail the events that led to "The Cut."

Then she unveiled the wound.

We were all relocated to the "procedure room" . . .

. . . and waited for the physician's assistant to come prepare and repair "The Cut."

Ella did not enjoy the pain relief regiment of five shots to the injured thumb.

But, once the cortisone kicked in she was OK.

The "surgery" went well and Ella was sent on her way all stitched up.

The doctor told us to wait about week and if everything looked fine, to remove the stitches.

A week went by and all looked well so Derek prepared to remove the stitches.

Ella was fine until . . .

. . . Derek started doing something. (Jack was also documenting the event)

Then I stepped in . . .

. . . and got the job done.

So, our first experience needing stitches wasn't too bad. Derek has been banned from touching my ignition, but other than that, things are pretty much back to normal. {grin}