Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Bird

John and I decided to go out to dinner tonight without the kids. We were lucky enough to be able to leave them home with Zach, Johns cute cousin. We went to an early-bird dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Once we were done, we decided that we would drive down to the University Hospital to see Johns other cute cousin, Mandie, who is in the hospital to get her lung function levels up. She has battled Cystic Fibrosis during her life. FINALLY, we get to go see her. We made it all the way up to the U, parked, walked in, attempted to find her room, but ended up in the maternity ward. As we were searching signs for room 24(?)East, we received a phone call from Casey wondering where she should take Jensyn to repair her face. Zach and the kids were spinning around, playing when apparently, Zach started feeling dizzy and somehow let go of Jensyn during a spin. She fell and banged her face up pretty good. (I called Mandie to tell her we were there, but couldn't stay to see her. So sad...) But, about 30 minutes later, we finally made in to the InstaScare in Sandy. She was asleep, curled up, and her face under an icepack. I really had to hold back the tears once I saw her. We signed the consent to treat and the doctor got busy stitching up her mouth. She received 5 stitches. Her whole left side of her face was bloody and swollen. I still am not quite sure what would have hit her, but it was quite the traumatic fall! Luckily, the cartilage has not formed on her nose, but if it had, she would have also suffered a broken nose. She was quite lethargic until they were able to administer her some pain medication. She did not make a single sound while they injected her with the shot to numb her mouth, nor the 5 stitches they put in her mouth. She did say that it hurt though, when we tried to blow her nose out. I was so proud of her!

Driving from what I thought was the furthest place possible that we could be away from her, I did have time to think. I was nervous, but I felt like I did need to keep optimistic about her condition. Somehow I did know that she would be okay. I also felt so helpless to a little girl who had a fabulous aunt to take her for help, but I knew that she would be so happy to see her mom and dad. It seemed so surreal--this is the first accident that we have encountered as parents (unless a bee sting at the cabin counts.) I was afraid, I was unsure, it was definitely a feeling that I hope to never experience again! Would my little 4 year old have a broken nose, would her face be scarred, is she going to be okay? None of these answers would I know until I saw her myself.
I don't remember saying "a little prayer", which seems weird that I wouldn't do that. I did feel a sense of comfort, though, knowing that she was going to be okay. It is interesting how life can be fine one moment, and then during another fleeting moment it is possible that it is not okay. I am so grateful that the moment that I left her, she was okay. I am grateful that she is going to be okay. I only pray that in the future my children can be as safe and healthy as they have been. I don't think I could last a minute without any of my family right by me.