ER

While I'm sitting by my computer a the kitchen island, the wind is blowing like crazy outside. The big blizzard is all around us, swirling white pearls all over. Luckily, at this moment, there is no emergency on our side related to the storm.

It was months ago, someone was telling me about her emergency room trip with her son, he had a bad fever or something like that. I happened to tell her "Gosh, I'm glad we never had the emergency room experience with the girls." And I know how good I am at jinxing!!

Couple months later, at a P'less weekend, we started a beautiful day. It was Sunday, January 16 We saw Tangled with Tricia and the kids. Hannah and Miss F were giggling like teenagers behind us. After the movie, I took Miss F and Miss A ice skating. After we arrived, the rink started to get crowded with hockey players. I thought telling some to go to the other side, where the hockeyers are supposed to be. However, we were the only skaters, they seemed careful and I was keeping a close eye on the girls - I thought. I did tell the players who got close to the girls to be careful and to give them some space. At a certain moment, the rink got really crowded. I thou gt I should just take the girls to Westpark, where the rink is bigger, but on the other hand, we were almost going home. I actually started to get ready to go and gave the girls just a couple more minutes before I called them. One of those moments that you go back over and over again, I wish I just had called them at that moment! One moment they are skating, the other, Miss F is laying on the ice, crying!

She said she saw an older boy skate fast towards her. He must have been far, because I was watching the girls and there was no one close to them. She said as well that the boy was far, but he was very fast. Miss F thought he wouldn't stop, although at the last moment she saw the boy change direction. It was too late though, she got scared and made a weird turn.

Pretty scared to be on the ice with my pregnant belly, I ran to her as fast as I could. The blood gushing from her chin already made big stains on the white ice. I got her up to her feet, hoping that it wouldn't be a big cut. Of course it was, it was pretty nasty. After that, I had a Hulk moment. I don't exactly know how I did it, but in a very short time, I had two kids, still in their ice skates, in the car. I don't remember how I carried Miss F, because she is just too heavy for me at the moment, but I did.

We drove 60 miles and hour on the small streets to the... Emergency at Lake Forest Hospital. Our previous experiences with that hospital were less than pleasant, so I was a bit unsure about going there, but it was the closest place. I called Fauzia from the car, because Miss F spitted out pieces of teeth and I was devastated with the idea that her new teeth were broken. I literally thought she was missing half of her front teeth! Fauzia calmed me down a bit, I just had to go to the hospital and start from there.

Short after we arrived, we were taken care of. I knew she needed stitches. I asked right away for a plastic surgeon. Stitches on my pretty baby's face! The doctor came and took a look. Miss F was crying and I was holding her hand, trying to be calm so that she didn't get even more scared. The wound looked pretty deep to me and blood was still gushing. Miss A was watching silently. I signed her not to make a sound or say something so that she didn't scare Miss F. She was very brave and didn't interrupt a moment. She did get a good look at the wound.

The emergency room doctor got a bit angry with me for asking for a plastic surgeon. He said he could do as good job and the wound was under her chin. I should have asked him before asking for a plastic surgeon. I really didn't need the pressure. I told him I needed to talk to someone else before I make the decision. The doctor and the nurse left me alone with the kids. I started calling - luckily there was a phone on the wall, of course my cell battery was low! I just couldn't get a hold of anyone! Fauzia didn't answer her phone, p was nowhere to find... I finally got a hold of Nalissa. I had heard that her daughter had stitches lately. She told me her situation and why she choose a plastic surgeon. I was quite convinced by that moment that my decision was the right one. After talking to her, I got hold of Fauzia who assured me further and then I talked to P. When I told him we wanted to go on with a plastic surgeon, the doctor was not pleased but he did give us his number and acted more friendly when we were going home. Oh, I forgot to tell, the plastic surgeon was coming four hours later!! We were first going home to come back around 9 pm.

At home, I called Chris to see if she could have Miss A. After I told her the situation, she told me that the same plastic surgeon put stitches on Lauren's face. It was a disaster - not the result but the process. Well, exactly what I needed, knowing how scared Miss F was already about getting stitches. I needed help, I needed another grown up with me. Steve agreed to come to the hospital. Gosh we are so lucky with such friends! In the mean time, I managed to find a sitter for Miss A so that she didn't have to leave the house while I was gone with her sister.

Just a little side story here. I called couple people to see if they were available to babysit. One of the girls was not home but her mother was. I told her the situation and asked if Veronica was available. She was not home. After I hung up, our neighbor called back to say that they heard my message and that their daughter would be happy to come over to help out. While I was on the phone, I got a call from Veronica's number. I called back. It was actually her mother calling back to offer help, she wanted to babysit for me. I thought it was so nice of her!

Back to the story... At home, Miss F was doing quite OK. She was actually doing hand stands!! We had dinner and brought Miss A to bed - she was not pleased! At 8.30, we left her with Gretta and picked up Steve. At the hospital, Dr Lu came to check the wound. The blood started gushing again. (A nurse gave me a chair so that I could sit by F, instead of standing. Nobody wanted me to go in labor at that moment!) The Doc said he will give the sedative shot without any local anesthetic - exactly what upset Lauren a year ago. The local would take 50 minutes to work he said. I still cannot believe that there is no local anesthetic that works faster. There are cooling sprays and other stuff, right!? But he insisted there was no option, and he knew nobody wanted to wait until 10pm. So he gave the shot and made my baby scream. Steve said "tell me when to hold her" and I said "sit on her!" but it was not necessary. Miss F calmed down pretty fast and got the stitches. My brave big little girl! Just looking at the scar made my heart hurt. When we went home, she looked tired and shaken, but OK. She slept that night right next to me and every time I woke up - and I did wake up quite often, I had that heavy feeling in my chest. "My beautiful girl" I thought "My beautiful girl!" I couldn't stop thinking why on earth I hadn't get the kids in the car and drove to Westpark. I saw it coming. Why? I still think about it time to time, and feel bad.

I almost forgot to write about the teeth. Well, she did chip some teeth, but baby teeth. Her new teeth were intact and I am so thankful for that!

Blizzard is going on and so is my story. Oh, yes I am not done.

Five days after the stitches, on Friday, we went to the Doctor Lu's office to get the stitches out. Unfortunately, Miss F's friends told her that taking off the stitches hurted more than getting them. She was so nervous! It was of course no big deal and I told her to tell her friends how it went. Her face looks better than I expected. Of course there is a scar, it's not on a visible spot and it's healing beautifully. After telling that she would never ever skate again, she said last week to P that she actually would like to get new skates from Holland.

Before the stitches were out, I had a little moment with Miss A. As I said before, she saw everything, the wound, the blood... I hadn't realize the effect of the events on her, I was so focused on Miss F. Days after the stitches, out of nowhere, she started asking questions about wounds and blood and what happens to people when they bleed. Poor thing thought that her sister's wound would stay open forever. I'm glad she saw the closed wound and the much better looking scar and I think she is OK.

This brings us to Saturday, January 23rd. I'll tell this one next time.