5.13.2010

Lippy.

So last week while I was sweating out all of the IV fluids that were responsible for my postpartum hobbit feet and oh, by the way, my milk was also coming in, Iris busted her face open on a swing at the park. Her perfect little cupid's bow was cut wide open in a vertical fashion, so that a plastic surgeon had to be called in to do the repair. Iris, Phil, Ruby and I waited many hours in a tiny ER holding cell. Me, sweating and leaking milk, and Phil in his awesome face mask. In addition to the ouchiness of her booboo, Iris hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and missed her nap also so she was not in great shape. Also, she was dirty and unkempt-looking and pretty much straight ragamuffin which is always the way it happens when you take your kid to the ER, is it not? Despite all of this, she hung in there like a little trouper.

The surgeon had to put her under anesthesia since the cut was on her face and he needed her to be completely still while he did her sutures. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see her like that. Just to get back at us, she decided to keep sleeping for two hours after her procedure. So it was a lovely seven hour visit. With sweat. And milk.

When we left she was still loopy from the anesthesia. Phil and Ruby pulled the car around while I carried Iris. When she and I got outside I told her we would go home and have a movie night and she could eat popcorn for dinner. Then I asked her if she wanted some juice with her popcorn and with her little swollen lip she said, "Juice? Oh, Mommy, thank you!" And my heart just broke into a thousand pieces right there. The ride home was full of proclamations about the sky (Did you know it's bluuuuuuuuuuuue?) and some worry about how my baby would fare overnight. But slightly less sweat.


All stitched up.

The little lady went back to the plastic surgeon's office today to get those stitches taken out. We're hoping the scar will fade within a year's time and if not the doctor said he can revise it if we want to do that. The biggest takeaway, at least from Iris's perspective, was the apple juice and cookie. And you should have heard her chatting up the nurse. Iris told her all about my pregnancy ("I have a new baby sister and she was in Mommy's tummy and then she came out and her name is Ruby and all she does is sleep...") and her injury ("I just hurt my lip at the park and I pushed the swing and it hit me..."). She's such a delightful little person.


After the stitches came out. And all hopped up on apple juice.

6 comments:

Jodi said...

Not even a scar could take away from that beautiful face of hers. Amazing how apple juice can cure a boo boo on a child while the parents might need valium instead. Glad she is ok. Hope all is well with the rest of the family.

Jodi

Becky said...

Bless her! It sounds like she came through fine but that it was exhausting for you and Phil.

Never a dull moment, never.

Roobeedoo said...

Oh what a little sweetheart! So sorry she had that accident. ANOTHER trip to the hospital was the last thing you needed!

Lorna A. said...

Yes Cassie, kids always manage to injure themselves when they look like they've been pulled through a hedge backwards. Although come to think of it when my daughter got hit by a car last year we were doing the garden, and I rushed off to the hospital still covered in dirt (Oops!)
I'm sure the scar will be hardly noticeable especially as her face grows. Love to you all. x x x x x

Preferred Customer/ Janice said...

You have your hands full but she still looks cute. There are some natural oils that can help heal scars. I think lavender is one. make sure you get a pure form. You are the soldier!! The helper often needs as much assistance as the afflicted person.....In your case more!

tim's wife said...

I had to have a plastic surgeon sew me up after I fainted 6+ years ago. I asked him what I could do to minimize the scar. He told me 2 very important things. First, DO NOT use vitamin E. Anything like that that can soften the skin causes the skin and scar to stretch and be wider. You want that skin to stay tight making a thinner scar. Secondly, he said do not allow the area to sunburn for the first 6 months. Use high SPF sunscreen on it for that time. I listened to this advice and honestly, my scar is hardly visible. I have to point it out for people to see it, it is that thin and healed that good. Glad she is OK but boy those are heartbreaking visions for a parent.
And all while doing the postpartum
sweat and leak fest. OY!!!!