Not for the faint hearted

I awoke this morning to an enthusiastic 4 year old in the bed beside me.  He decided to snuggle good morning far before I was ready to accept it.  It was still sweet except for the question that came as he snuggled nose to nose; "Oooohhh, WHAT is that smell?"    I told him that it was my breath and he questioned my hygiene, "Mom, did you not brush before you went to bed?"  I defended myself and OF COURSE I did but that sometimes as we sleep and wake up with bad breath……even kids do!!!  But he wouldn’t buy that as he breathed hard at me and I said, "Ooooh, what is THAT smell?"  He smiled and said, "Mint, see I told you I brushed last night"  

I have news for you!! His was NOT mint in the least, but I couldn’t let him know that.

And by the time that the 4 year old climbed into bed, the 6 year old had already vacated.  Not a simple snuggle good morning for him instead he spent the entire night resting on my arm.  And I would have had it no other way.   Because earlier that day I had received the dreaded call of a not so calm elementary school receptionist letting me know that Aj had been hurt at school and that he was bleeding and that  I needed to come get him.  Ok, so the good news was that his injury didn’t require a 911 call so I kept telling myself that in attempt to stay as calm as possible while getting to the school.  When I arrived the assistant principal was standing at the door to greet me saying, "Hello mama, come with me"  That couldn’t be a good sign. I was told that he had a fall on the playground and that there was a tremendous amount of blood and that he looks ok.  And I was led to the nursing station to find a very frightened little boy surrounded by calmer but still concerned adults.  I immediately went in and held Aj’s face and was nose to nose asking him if he was ok.  He was wearing a bright yellow shirt that I had not sent him to school in.  That couldn’t be a good sign either.  They gave me a bright red bag with the words "biohazard" written across it containing the clothes I had dressed him in.  Apparently the good news was that he probably didn’t swallow very much blood because most of it ended up on his clothing.

I asked a million questions, because at this point my little boy had not said anything to me and was just looking  into my eyes.  Almost a blank stare.  …………………..The nurse very calmly took away the gauze that was concealing his wound saying, "Mom, I need to show you this."  I almost fainted.  And then she took my hand to place on the back of his head and I almost screamed.  I may have actually.  Imagine cupping your hand in the sign language C position and placing it over a bump that big on the back of your child’s head.   Aj still had not spoken and was scaring me and after feeling the bump and trying to imagine an impact that can tear away a chin and cause that bump on the opposite side of his head I had new questions……………."Was he speaking,  Was he walking ok……….Did he seem normal and coherent………….Were his pupils the same size………….Did they check his spine……………and on and on and on..  Now they were trying to calm ME down.  The nurse reassured me that the very fact that there is a bump like that on the outside is a great sign…….that it is not swelling in.  I know that but logic has nothing to do with a panic stricken moment.  They went back to the front of his chin and the inside of his mouth which was their bigger concern and they suggested that I take him to the doctor.  He had a huge gouge on his chin, a huge two or three tooth mark hole on the inside of the lip and the worst was the torn gum across the bottom of four of his lower teeth. 

Aj didn’t like that suggestion but the gauze had been replaced so it was not allowing him to do anything but whimper.

He is a brave soul.  He mumbled something and I had to ask three times for him to repeat it.  The assistant principal (Mr. S) and I were just not getting it until he was able to squeak out the ce of ice and the m on the end of cream .My son wanted ice cream.   Mr. S was so touched that he almost cried.  You better believe I will get you ice cream my dear boy I told him and then we headed gingerly to the car and then to the doc’s office.  I had to take off the head rest because it was too painful for the bump on his head. 

Pediatrician was not very validating to me as a mom of a wounded son and simply prescribed antibiotics and an oral rinse but thought the bottom teeth were too wiggly and directed us immed to the dentist.  The bottom two are permanent and she was a bit concerned. She also gave me the warning signs of a concussion or anything more serious and then off we went to the dentist.  It was there where I got my validation.  When every single nurse that looked at my son, grabbed my arm and had to turn away.  Ok, if THEY had not seen this very often then it must be bad. 

The reassurance came with the panoramic x ray that showed no fractures ( at least to the areas that it captured )  Should the stiffness and pain continue more than a normal recovery time then he will need to see an oral surgeon but at first glance the movement in his jaw indicates no fractures.  Thank God.

After all of that she looked at the torn gum tissue and had two decisions; one clip it which would change the architecture of his gums or suture it which would allow it to re attach had it not lost too much blood flow to the area.  Why the pediatrician didn’t do that I’m have no idea (other than the fact that it would bleed profusely if she clipped it.  I do not know what she thought would have happened had it been left.)  And actually I’m glad the dentist did the work because I’m sure she has more experience anyway.  

I’ll just say that when Tom and I decided to circumcise all three children we were in the room for each procedure.  This was MUCH worse.  My job was to keep confident eye contact with my child for warmth and reassurance while she was doing the sewing.  He had laughing gas to take the edge off of the 6 shots of Novocain that went into the gums and he didn’t feel when she stitched from the inside of the gums between the teeth to poke to the outside, tie it off and loop again.  5 times.  Through the gums from the back to the f

ront while smiling and saying, it’s ok baby.

Aj came home with instructions of a soft diet for a week and limited activity (to protect a jolt to those lower teeth again) And of course an orange push up pop to take the edge off and to fulfill a promise.

When he smiles it hurts, when he opens his mouth he is in pain and looking into his precious mouth you can see the black stitches in between each lower tooth which is holding together a puffy and somewhat displaced piece of gum but he is a fighter and a brave little boy and has not complained.

I kept him home today to monitor his temperament and pupils and his overall recovery, besides when I asked him if he was up to going in he declined.  And I was glad to have him within my reach and tonight he will rest in my arms again.