Emergency
July 27, 2009 by Cathy Meyer
Filed under NoMore, Parenting
Submitted by: Delaine
I’m writing this at 1 a.m. and am completely exhausted.
Yesterday evening, the sound of my seven-year-old screaming outside launched me out my front door in my socks. I
ran towards him in the park, heart pounding. “I hit Kyle by accident!” he screamed. “I hit him in the head with my golf club.”
I kept running, my son Kyle’s body ahead on the ground. I braced myself: Would he be conscious? Would his teeth be scattered all around him? Would the side of his head be smashed in?
Kyle was lying on the grass screaming and holding his head. I pulled back his hand briefly - blood poured everywhere. I pulled him to his feet and walked him quickly to the house. Grabbed a towel and told him to hold it. We had to get to the hospital fast.
Luckily, my girlfriend was at my house – her and her kids had come over for lasagna. I drove as fast as I could to the ER, all the while making Kyle talk to me so he wouldn’t lose consciousness.
Long story short – Kyle needed four stitches in his head behind his ear. The doctor had to glue his ear back together again too. They ran a CAT scan on him to check for internal bleeding. And the images came back with two contusions and a fracture to his skull.
Thus continued a night from hell. Kyle needed to be monitored. Nurses came in every hour to wake him, check his lucidity, and administer antibiotics.
Around lunch time today the neorosurgical team came in to assess, Kyle seemed perfectly fine – he was hungry and talkative and had no symptoms of brain trauma. The team said they’d reviewed the X-rays from last night – and they didn’t see signs of a fracture or hemorrhaging. The ER doctor had been overly cautious.
A few hours later, Kyle was released.
So the main crisis has passed. All is going to be OK…and this here single mom needs to sleep something fierce. But first, a very very big thanks to my girlfriend Tracy and neighbors who were my angels during this emergency. I am so full of gratitude for so many things right now – that, and complete and utter relief.
Delaine
Golf clubs and heads…bad news! I know how terrified you must have been.
Thank goodness the wee fella is going to be OK. And, I’m glad this crisis has passed for you.
I can’t believe with all that happened you took the time to post. New posting rules…take care of child and self, then post.
Ugh….what a nightmare! Glad to hear that everything is okay.
*hugs*
I had something similar happen to me when I was a kid. It hurt like hell! I got seven stitches on the top of my head. And then my dad treated me to an ice cream cone.
No x-rays, or MRIs. Maybe that’s my problem. Ha.
Glad to hear your kid is ok.
Glad he is going to be OK Delaine! Get some rest, you (both) deserve it!
holy hell! I would have freaked! Hope he is well now.
On another note…I assure you…as a boy/man, a very valuable lesson will be learned from this accident.
Now have a drink and go to sleep.
K, all I can say is, kids ability to heal is freaking AMAZING!
Within 24 hours my eight-year-old son seemed completely back to his regular self. The swelling has gone down immensely – in fact, you’d have to look really close at him to know anything even happened.
WOW.
And thank God.
I’ve sat down and talked to my other son – my seven year old who hit him with the club. After the accident, he went into hiding and said he wanted to die for hurting his brother.
You’re right Tentcamper – there are lessons in this – for EVERYONE. Somehow I sense this was NOT my final trip to the ER – darn boys!!!!
One 8 and one 7…nope, it isn’t your last trip to the emergency room. There are probably more head injuries in your future and maybe even a broken bone or two.
They do heal quickly. I think they get over the physical effects of an injury way before we get over the emotional effects.
What a scary night! Glad he is going to be OK!