Doozy of a Day

 Pardon me as I once again use my blog to process my life. For some reason, writing it out is just therapeutic. I saw a silly blog button that said something like "blogging is cheaper than my shrink". ANYway.

So yesterday morning started as normal as any day starts. The older kids were underway with school, I was already frustrated with myself for having yelled at them during Bible class, and I was thinking about starting the twins' school. While helping Anne with Math, Tirzah came running to the dining room, slipped and SMACK. Wail. Tirzah often wails. But as I've heard before (when she broke her nose...) this was a different wail. Flesh was gaping and bleeding right next to her lip. Oh boy. I think even Christian would agree this one was going to need stitches. 

My brain was all of a sudden completely turned to mush. Some people think more clearly in these situations. I'm apparently not one of those people. I knew enough to get paper towels and apply pressure. But then what?! She'd have to be taken somewhere. But I have 5 kids. And Christian had the van. I couldn't think. Peter says, "Do you want me to get Janet?" Our neighbor is a nurse practitioner and in between jobs; God is wise and gracious. Yes! Get Janet. I know she's going to say what I already know, but she'll at least have a brain and help me figure out what to do. Janet comes, Christian's on his way, Tirzah wants her sisters to come for comfort.

The doctor's office can't see her for 2 hours, so it's off to the ER. 

ER doesn't appear to be too busy, but the guy in front of us really messed up his finger with a metal-cutting machine. Reminds me of when Christian sliced his thumb a few years ago.

The TV is on, of course the girls want to watch it. Turns out to be a weird werewolf tv show- not a funny one.  We're not there long though, when the triage nurse comes out and calls Tirzah. We all troop in and get vitals taken and the girls love chatting with the nurse who has really cool two-toned hair (red on bottom, blonde on top). 

Back out to the waiting room. The movie is still on and getting scarier. So a nurse comes out and changes the channels to nature scenes with music. Berea is not pleased- no people in the tv show! On the brink of a meltdown in the waiting room, the ER nurse comes and calls us back. 

Of course lots of waiting, though we were right by the nurses' station, so they all want to help. The girls were all outfitted with crayons and princess coloring pages and as much apple juice as they wanted. Tirzah fooled the doctor into thinking that she was brave. He quickly found otherwise when he tried to give her the shots in her lip. Flailing, screaming, bleeding, anesthesia squirting everywhere. A nurse came to help hold her. Berea was crying, Anne was shaking, two more nurses came and took them away while I held Tirzah down and tried not to pass out. Finally her lip was numb enough and she transformed into a perfect angel, giggling at how getting the stitches tickled. Anne and Berea returned, armed with a princess tea party set for Tirzah. Sighs of relief at that being over. Checked out, back home.

Try to eat something. Tirzah rests on the couch for about 15 minutes before she's ready to be done convalescing. Afternoon play date with the Lantings and Begers. I feel like a zombie, but we all do. They leave around 4:30/5:00, the kids having run around and gotten a snack. Time to think about dinner. Can't think. Probably leftovers again. Oh my. Tirzah's lip is gaping. The stitches are MISSING. Aaaugh!!! Note to self: when telling a child to not touch their lip, remember to specify "do not play with those annoying strings". Tirzah finds a superhero shirt in a bag of clothes from Nicole. She wants to be brave this time, so on goes the shirt, even though it's for a 3 year old.

Back to ER, this time without siblings. Christian will figure out something for dinner. I don't care what it is. At least Tirzah ate her banana before I discovered the lip. The nurses are surprised to see us again and laughingly tell us they're going to give the doctor a hard time. I feel bad, he already had a hard time! Oh well, whatever. The nature show with music is still playing, Tirzah doesn't care. Through the same routine, this time we get to go to a place with our own room. This time she gets wrapped up like a burrito, there's two nurses to help hold her, and she gets to watch Fox News on the TV. 

Went a lot faster, 2 "permanent" sutures holding the lower layers of skin together, 3 dissolve-able stitches, glue on top to hold it all together. Back home, hero's welcome. To bed!

We'd appreciate prayers for these stitches to stay in place and for quick healing! This morning she started bleeding again, trying to eat yogurt. So we're working creative smoothie drinks! :)

Thanks for letting me process, congratulations if you made it this. far. :)