First Trip to the ER

Last week when I went to pick Anna up from school, I was getting her backpack and chatting with her teacher when I heard a bang followed by screaming.  She had seen me by the door and was leaning back in her chair trying to get my attention when it slipped out from under her.  During the fall, she split her chin and it was bleeding everywhere.  She didn't want to let me put a papertowel on it and only wanted to put her face on my shoulder. 

By the time I put her in the car, she'd stopped crying and her chin was no longer bleeding .  She finally let me look at it and the cut reminded me of when I had to get stitches in 4th grade.  I called her pediatrician and they told me to go to the Cook Children's Hospital ER because they don't perform stitches. 

We only had to wait about 10 minutes before they got us in and immediately confirmed that stitches were needed.  They put some lidocane gel on the cut and we headed to the wound care area.

We were lucky to get a child life specialist who was great with Anna and prepped her for what was about to happen.  It also helped that she had an iPad with a Curious George movie. 

They wrapped her up like a little burrito and didn't make a peep as she was glued to the iPad.  I asked what they did before iPads and she said she would read books, dance, sing or do whatever it took!

Of course, the promise of a popsicle and toy also helped.  I told the technician that the little tiger was the most expensive stuffed animal we will ever have.

We returned a week later to get the stitches out and Anna insisted on bringing her tiger.  She did great again and we were in and out in 8 minutes.

 

 Anna has a doctors kit that she really hasn't played with in a few months, but we have played with it everyday this week!  I always volunteer to be the patient so I can lie down and rest. :)