First Stitches - Check

Today we headed to the Spence's so D and I could work on a project.  The boys were FULL of energy and I was happy to turn them loose when we arrived.  

The boys headed outside and D and I set up at the breakfast table by the windows with the back door open.  They were playing in the sand pile, riding the jeep, climbing the rock wall, etc.  Dr. Brian was also in and out checking on them, as he wasn't going in to work until after noon.

Dr. B heard someone crying and rushed past us, saying, "Your son is hurt."  I assumed he was talking to D, who'd jumped up immediately and rushed out with him.  

I got up and headed out.  By that time, Dr. B and D had already scooped up J and were headed quickly back to the house.  I met them in the yard and took a blood-covered J into my arms.  He was crying hard and had blood everywhere-you know how facial wounds bleed.

Poor guy!  I got him calmed down and we put him on the island for a look in his mouth.  He had torn the skin on the right side of his frenulum (stick your tongue in front of your top front teeth; you've now found your frenulum-the one I'm talking about, anyway).  Rolled it right up, in fact.

By now the bleeding had slowed tremendously and we were able to get several good looks at it.  J cooperated beautifully.  :)

Dr. B thought, looked again, said things like, "that's not good, not good at all," and told me it needed stitches.  

It didn't look bad to me; the bleeding had stopped, J was calm, and it looked like the skin was scraped back a little.  "What if we just leave it to heal on its own?"

And here's why it's best to have a second opinion (other than mine), you know, from a professional.  Dr. B explained that what I was looking at-the skinned area-was actually exposed bone and the wound had opened up the area above his gums/under his nose (my words, not his exactly) which was now at great risk of infection.  It had to be closed.

Fortunately we know a most excellent dentist who was the first responder and was willing to work us in this very afternoon.

After the exam, J started crying again.  He was hungry.  Dr. B said he could go ahead and eat if that would help him feel better.  Luckily for everyone, all 4 of us Bowes feel better with food.  He ate his entire lunch outside on the picnic table, we gathered our things, then headed to Kroger to kill time.  (The woozy meds needed about an hour to kick in and I thought riding around in the green car at Kroger would be a good time-killer.  Honestly, I wished I was the one on woozy meds riding around in that green car...)

On the way to Kroger, we talked about what would happen at the dental office as well as why we were going to Kroger before hand.  Both boys were full of questions and statements.

L:  Is Jack gonna get a shot?

Me:  Yes, he'll get a shot in his mouth, but he is very brave and it will only hurt for a little while.

L:  But, is Jack gonna get a shot in his mouth?

J:  I didn't cry much because I'm tough.  I had an idea for us to get on the back of the jeep and for someone to drive, then L stopped and I falled into the front.

Me:  J, you are so tough.  I am so proud of you for being tough and letting us look in your mouth.  You are a brave boy.

L:  Momma, is Jack gonna get a shot?

I shopped all over the store while the boys rode in the car, J leaning on L more and more as the minutes passed.  It wasn't until I finished checking out that I noticed J's mouth had started bleeding again sometime earlier and he now had dark red blood all around the outside of his mouth.  Excellent.  No telling what all those people I know saw it thought.

It was 2:40 when we left Kroger for the dental office.  It was 2:41 when I realized I hadn't had anything to eat since 7:30 this morning-I'm prone to passing out which had to be avoided.  By 2:43 I had torn into the XL bag of fun size Nerd candy and was downing a box of strawberry Nerds.  Yea for Halloween candy on clearance!

On the way I reminded J about what would happen.  He would get a shot in his mouth, but it would only hurt for a little while, then he would get stitches, which wouldn't hurt, and he would have to be completely still the entire time.  He would need to do everything we and Dr. B told him to do, then we'd be done and go home to take a nap.  (He had begun to tell me how sleepy he was back at Kroger.)

Sweet, sweet boy seemed a little nervous, but was so calm as he asked questions.  He also recounted the accident: 

J:  I didn't catch on anyfing in the jeep; just the floorboard.  I was sittin' in the back of the jeep and L was drivin'.  He stopped and I fell over the seat and my mouth catched on the floorboard, not on any kids or anyfing.

Our brave boy looking small in the chair waiting on Dr. B

Dr. B going over the procedure with J

 Getting that shot we talked about and NO tears!  Way to go, J!

Numbed up and Waiting for the Doctor

 The Before Pic  

Suture, Suture

 All stitched up!

And ready to go!  Check out that lip.  :(

Honestly, it was good to get the first set of stitches out of the way.  J did great, he had excellent care thanks to the Spences, and hopefully it'll heal quickly and nicely.  Oh, and the fact that I was calm, cool, and collected and didn't feel the least bit queasy was a HUGE relief, as I know this was just the first of many emergency adventures I'll face in the years to come with our house full of boys.  I think I'll put a box of Nerds in my glove compartment!

Kudos to L, as well.  He was absolutely perfect at the dental office.  We all got to be in the room for this monumental event and he sat perfectly still and quietly watched the whole thing.

I think I was more proud of J (and L, for that matter) and his cooperation/bravery today than I would have been had he just been drafted into the NBA.  :)  Way to go sweet boy!