Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Thankful Tuesdays: Falling down, and getting up

The boy showing off his hospital bracelet, "just like Curious George"!

We were having one of our usual evening playground sessions yesterday, before heading to my mum's place for dinner (hubby had a work dinner to attend, so my mum offered to cook).  Since it was the playground near my mum's block, my dad happened to walk past on his way home from work, and decided to hang around with us.  Junior J was having a fun time running around, trying all the rocking animals and slides.  Then it happened.  One moment he was climbing and reaching the top of the stairs, the next moment he tripped.  Everything seemed to freeze and go in slow motion.  We watched in horror as the boy's head hit the side of the metal stairs.  Then he flipped, fell through the railing, onto the playground floor below, head-first.  I was just 3 steps away, so was my dad.

Usually I am the type to hover around my child anxiously while he is playing at the playground, ensuring I am at arm's length when he is climbing the various ladders/poles.  However, this time, I was further away since it was stairs he was climbing, stairs that he has never had a problem with.  And ironically, it was the stairs that caused it.  And I was just. not. near. enough.  Or just. not. fast. enough.

When my dad and I got to the boy, he was sprawled on the floor.  I picked him up, thinking that it would just be a shock to him, having fallen from such a height, only to see half his face covered in blood.  After wiping away some of the blood we saw a cut at the side of his head, deep and pouring fresh blood.  The boy is crying.  Deep breaths.  Apply pressure.  Call the hubby to check if he know's if our PD has a night clinic.  Yes, she's open today.  More deep breaths.  Check for broken bones.  Can he wriggle his fingers and toes?  The boy is too distraught to try.

My dad and I stumble, while trying to carry him, while maintaining pressure on the wound, all the way to the road to try to hail a cab.  We get one after awhile, and we get to the clinic.  We manage to see our PD rather quickly (guess all our bloodied clothes helped).  She takes a look and says we have to send him to the hospital to be stitched, but kindly gets her assistant to clean the wound with iodine.  I hold the boy, crying and struggling, as the assistant cleans him up.  

We try to call for a cab, but hubby calls me after about 10 minutes to say that he could leave work and fetch us.  We rush back to get the boy's clothes and some stuff, and head for the hospital.  Thankfully the A&E was not crowded, and little boy gets seen to fairly quickly.  They conclude it will require 2 layers of stitching since the cut was quite deep.  

After waiting for this and that, and being shuffled from this room to that, hubby manages to arrange for his friend (who was thankfully on call that night in the hospital) to stitch the boy up.  During our wait, we take turns reading to the boy (I brought along "Curious George goes to the Hospital"), while the other tries to eat some dinner (little boy had to fast for the procedure and we didn't want him asking for food).  Junior J had to be sedated for the job, and the surgeon does a nice job patching him up and stitching the muscle too (since it was also cut).  The boy slowly recovers from the anaesthesia, and we head home, and he falls asleep in the car (it was way past his bedtime).  

All this time, the hubby has been telling me it would have happened to anyone, and that it wasn't my fault.  Others have told me all their stories about childhood falls and stitches, that it is a part of growing up.  But I admit that I do feel that sense of guilt.  Of not being able to prevent your own child from getting injured.  Of just being not fast enough.  I think every mother would understand, seeing blood drip from your child and having it stain your clothes.  Your hands.  It may not be my fault, but I think the sight of that wound, the sound of his crying, will haunt me for awhile.

However, there is still much to be thankful for:

:: Things falling into place at the hospital, that the hubby's friend was on call and could attend to the boy.

:: That it wasn't more serious.  The cut was about an inch away from his eye, and things would have been worse if he had injured his eye.  So far, the boy also has not exhibited any signs of head injury from the fall too.

:: Friends and family who prayed for us.

:: And above all, a lesson learnt for me.  If I, a parent, should have a heart that aches so from a cut like this, how much more was it for God to see His Son nailed up to the cross?  Not an accidental fall, but an intentional sacrifice.  Amazing Grace.  Amazing love.  

17 comments:

  1. Oh no, must have been really traumatic to experience that!! Hugz... wishing Jude a speedy recovery!!

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  2. Oh dear, my heart skipped a beat while reading about his fall and cut. Don't blame yourself, it is an accident that could have happened to anyone. Thank God he's recovering now. Hope he gets totally well very soon!

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  3. hi, I have been a follower of your blog, but had never left a comment till now.
    jus wanna say that I had a similar experience to yours. I was also expecting my No.2 when my elder gal fell and hit the edge of the TV console. I had to rush her to the hospital for stitching etc. I felt terrible after that incident, blaming myself for not "looking after" her and this whole incident really took me quite sometime to overcome. I became rather paranoid after that, and simply insist on having someone to be with her all the time. But somehow our children are stronger than we think. They emerged tougher after the incident, and are much better in taking care of themselves.
    Anyway, just wanna share with you my experience. Hope you are feeling better.

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  4. Holy smoke!!! It must hv been heart wrench for you to see how he endured the pain... yeah, luckily not the eyes but still bad enough for everyone to suffer emotionally!

    Take care and hope his wound recovers at no time, all the best!

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  5. Oh dear, what a scare! Glad everything is ok now!

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  6. Oh dear J and mummy must have had a bad scare. But thank God he's okay now. Don't feel too guilty as it's an accident that no one expected. Just got to be more watchful and alert in future.

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  7. How's Jude now? I hope he's not too traumatised by the whole incident. Feeling guilty is normal, any mom would feel it too. Just don't let it linger for long ok? You're a great mom, really! And yes, we thank God for watching over J, that he didn't injure his eye. Praying that the wound will heal quickly!

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  8. Oh, yes, thank God that he is okay now, and that your dad also 'happened' to be walking by and decided to stay that time.
    It must have been so scary but praise God for Him helping us get back up again =)
    <3

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  9. totally understand how you feel....hope everyone is recovering and keeping you and yours in my prayers.... Do rest k?

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  10. What a terrible scare for all of you. Thank goodness he is alright, I know how guilty you must feel but try not to blame yourself, these things do happen. Children are amazing and so resilient. Give the little boy a kiss from me.

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  11. Oh no - I read your post with tears brimming in my eyes. What a poignant post. And I am so glad everything is fine now. Children are indeed strong and resilient! Don't feel guilty, although I know it is easier said than done. My older girl fell from a horse at breakneck speed when she was 7 and had a bad cut on her eye which had to be stitched up. I was filled with guilt for a long time and could not bear to resume this sport, even though it is her first love, till now :( Chin up - you are wonderfully calm and strong!

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  12. oh no! :( i hope jude n you are feeling better now... as parents we do all we can to protect our children, yet at the end of the day, it is really the hand of God who is watching over us all and nothing happens out of His will! take care! :)

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  13. Dotz: Thanks for the hug and the well-wishes!

    Ing: He's much better now, and the cut seems to be healing well.. thanks, my dear! :)

    Tinie: Thanks for sharing, it was an encouragement to me! And you have a point there, kids are resilient, and they do bounce back really well!

    Alice: It was! But I think I was the one who was more traumatized than he was! :p

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  14. Debra: Yup it is... Thankfully! :)

    Susan: Oh yes, I think I'll be pretty paranoid from now on at the playground, and we are staying away for awhile lest he falls again and bust those stitches!

    Ruth: Thanks! His cut is healing well, and he doesn't really seem to be bothered by it much. Think I was more affected than he was! Thank you so much for the prayers!

    Evergreen: Oh yes, having dad there did help! Praise God!

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  15. Colortypes: Thanks for the prayers... :) Really appreciate it lots and lots!

    Jillian: I did! :) Yes, they really are quite amazing, and bounce back so fast!

    The Beauties in our Lives: Oh dear! That must have been so scary for the two of you! Thank you for sharing, kids really are strong, like you said!

    Musing: Thanks so much for the reminder that nothing happens out of His will! Looking back, we've realized it could have been alot worse (like if he fell on me and hurt baby, or hurt his eye), so Amen, He watches over us! :)

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  16. Gosh, my heart stopped reading this! Poor little J! I'm so glad he's doing better now. I can so understand the mummy guilt. Try not to let it get to you yah? Hugs.

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  17. BeanBean: Thanks for the hug! :) The cut has more or less healed, so am feeling better, and am glad the boy is A-OK! Thank God!

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