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Ouch!

Category: Non-fiction

So deep was the cut. Much deeper than any I'd had to deal with before. My normal reaction would be to panic. Phone someone, freak out. Only about an inch wide but deep enough to revel some of the shin bone. Strangely not much blood at this time.
She sat on the edge of the bed with leg and jaw trembling. "I don't want to die mummy" she said. With my heart breaking I offered her plenty or reassuring words and carried her down stairs and sat her on the kitchen side. The first thick trickle of blood dribbled down the side of her leg and she gasped. I wiped it away with some tissue then rolled up a small towel placed it over the wound and tied it around her leg.
Wrapping her in a dressing gown I grabbed my keys and headed for the hospital.
We talked all the way, she had shed hardly any tears and I thought about how my strength not to panic had come from her.
A&E was its usual busy self. I sat Alice in a chair and went to the desk to book her in. A kind lady gave her another chair to rest her leg on as she headed past towards the exit. Thanking her I silently cursed myself for not being attentive enough.
After giving details we both sat waiting to see the triage nurse. Alice, being so brave was mentally all over the place. One minute gasping against her stinging leg the next laughing uncontrollably about something that had tickled her.
The waiting room had the usual mix of people, most sitting quietly waiting to be seen. Then of course you've got the prats. Three of them in this case, being loud, using mobile phones despite all the signs.
We sat for about 30minutes waiting to be seen and that was only so they could pass us on to someone else which meant more waiting. It was 10.40pm when we were called to see the triage nurse. Alice began panicking again, not wanting the towel to be removed. Explaining that it needed to be looked at so it can be fixed she asked if she could have a bandage. So the deal was done. She let the nurse look, who confirmed it would need stitches and she got a bandage. Giving her a spoonful of sweet medicine as we headed back to the waiting room.
Another 45 minutes of waiting. We sat and I explained what they were going to do to her leg. She winced at the thought of it but was satisfied she had a bandage and explained to me that when she go's to school she'll get to sit on a chair while the other kids sit on the carpet. Funny the things kids think of.
Finally we were called in. I lifted Alice on to the bed where she lay herself down. protesting as the nurse removed her bandage, she made sure she got confirmation it would be replaced after.
Looking at the wound the nurse stated she would need a second opinion and called for a colleague. Agreeing amongst themselves what need to be done. They informed me that they were going to apply a numbing gel around the cut before they injected the local anesthetic.
After the gel was applied we had to wait 10 minutes for it to take effect so Alice took it as an opportunity to use the toilet, only then to decide that she doesn't need to go. So we took position back on the ward. Alice laid back on the bed and the nurse came over with a filled syringe. Alice with a jovial look in her eye looked at me and turned the corners of her mouth down and gulped. Smiling I gave her a wink.
Deciding she didn't want to watch the next bit she placed her hands over her eyes. Telling her to keep her leg really still, the nurse started injecting the wound, all around the edges starting at the top. After a few minutes "Is it done yet"
asked Alice. Replying "not yet" I confirmed to her that she must keep her leg still, even though she was. She was being a star. The nurse continued injecting, it was a lengthy process. Throughout at frequent intervals Alice would asked with eyes still covered by her hands "Is it done yet". I laughed, it reminded me of being out in the car going somewhere and being asked constantly "Are we there yet". once the anesthetic was over Alice removed her hands from her eyes and laughed that she still couldn't see anything. "Its all blurry" She decided she mustn't push so hard on her eyes next time and quickly replaced her hands when she saw the nurse treading the needle.
3 tied stitches it was decided, one in the middle and one either end. Alice didn't move a muscle, she commented several times that she couldn't feel a thing and carried on with the "Is it done yet".
After the 3 tied stitches she had butterfly stitches placed across the rest of the wound. 12 in all. The nurse finishing off with a large plaster promised her that she'd have a nice straight line when the plaster comes off.
Shes having the stitches out on Tuesday(tomorrow). After a few days of resting it she was back to running around, even a bit of tree climbing. School today, I wonder if she'll get to sit on a chair like she said. She'll surely tell her friends all about it. She told her Auntie yesterday that it didn't actually hurt that much, it was more the shock.
Either way I'm really proud of her, she's a star!


By kayla

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