The Emergency Room

After we found out we were having another boy, Ryan made a joke that we would never be able to go with out health insurance again! I grew up in a house with 4 boys and I honestly can't remember a time when any of them were rushed to the emergency room for broken bones, stitches, or anything similar - but I agreed. Looking at Jude's abundance of energy and fearlessness, we just have this feeling.

Yesterday evening, Ryan's concerns came to light when we got one of those phone calls that parents really don't want to get. Ryan and I were both working and my aunt was watching Jude when she called my phone in a frenzy. She explained that Jude was fine, but he had been running around her living room and ran into the corner of a wall. I she it was fine - and then she told me she was pretty sure he needed stitches. Listening to the sounds in the background, I couldn't hear him, and again assumed she was maybe exaggerating... I mean wouldn't he be screaming? But regardless, I told work I had to leave and rushed over to her house. When I pulled up she was waiting outside her door, Jude in her arms, carseat ready to install and his day's luggage in hand. I took one look and thought "there's no way we're going to the emergency room"... and then I got a little closer.

The wound was a fleshy wound, not bleeding too heavy, but even to the untrained eye needed stitches. Not wanting to risk the wait at Christiana Hospital we went right to Newark Emergency room. I've been to emergency rooms before for various reasons, but this was hands down the best emergency room experience I can remember. We walk in and the place was empty aside from the medical staff. Our information was taken immediately, a nurse came out to take a quick peak at the wound to confirm that we in fact needed to be there and we were asked to sit down while they got a room ready.

A minute later we were asked to come back where Jude's vitals were taken, they asked us some standard question and the doctor was fetched. Jude was in great spirits, but when we had to start laying him down on the bed, he started to tense up. I knew that when they started cleaning/numbing the wound he'd immediately flip out, so one nurse had to hold his legs, I got his little arms and another held his head in place for the doctor. All in all, I'm pretty sure he handled it like a champion. He of course cried and tried to break free from our grip, but I think he was mostly terrified of the blanket they had over his face to keep the chemicals from running into this eyes - and from him seeing the needle and thread. I was told that typically for kids his age they try to use a glue compound to seal wounds, but his particular cut was just too deep for that. Four stitches later he was done.

After the wound was stitched and they wiped him up he immediately calmed down and held onto me tightly. Then he saw his bag of Goldfish and couldn't care less about any of it. Everyone told me how well he did. I was proud of my little munchkin.

My aunt felt guilty about the whole thing - even though I kept reminding her accidents happen, that's what insurance is for, he's fine, it's no big deal - so Jude got ice cream out of the deal.

Last night he was in his normal high spirits until bed time when he got a little whiney. He pointed to his head and said it was sore and he just couldn't seem to find a comfortable way to lay. I gave in to his request, took him back down stairs and let him fall asleep in my arms after eating a peach. Today he's back up and running.