My sweet little guy Coytote had his first stitches last night, compliments of his brother Maverick. Hey, what's a brother for if not to shove one's head into the sharp corner of a wood burning stove I tell you?
Here he is lying pathetically on the stretcher in the ER. Ahh I have been so blessed not to have to do this sort of thing much, particularly since I have six children!
Tate took this picture - not bad for a cell phone!
We had a good experience at the ER, though through no fault of the doctor's. Her bed side manner left a bit to be desired! She brashly barged into our room, and without a word to us began to gather her 'restraints' she was going to use to tie Coyote down for the stitching. I said, "hold on!...that won't be necessary", to which she openly laughed over. She said that he would not be able to lie still and that she needed to physically restrain him. I told her that I wasn't about to let that happen to him, and I would just talk to him through the procedure. Still giggling, she allowed me to do it.
I spoke calmly and soothingly to Coyote throughout it all. We talked of animals, webkinz, our goats and llamas, and I even had him laughing! He did beautifully and I was so proud of my big guy. I resisted the urge to give the doctor a nice lecture, and was satisfied simply by meeting her eyes with mine. She then asked me, "are you Amish or something?". There's a new one! I am if Amish women wear bright pink Indian skirts & long dangly earrings. I replied, "or something". :)
Why is it that so many people find it difficult to treat children with respect? To believe that they are intelligent, intuitive, amazing little people who are often capable of understanding so much more than we realize? If we can only see that their feelings mirror our own - that their feelings are exactly the same as ours. What I mean to say is that when they cry, they are feeling the same emotions that we feel when we cry. There is no difference. I believe that children deserve the same care and love that we would give our best friend if we saw her crying or upset, and that is what I strive for, always, with my kids.
11 comments:
OMG G!! What a brave little guy he was, with a smile on his face and everything!! We've had several ER trips with stitches and broken arms/fingers. Emily as much as Cal! That's ridiculous about the restraints. Glad you stepped in on that. Kids do deserve respect and to be treated well with kindness. Dr's can be so ignorant.
That's hilarious about the Amish comment though.
Wishes for fast healing to Coyote>>>:)
Coyote handled that like a champ! So did you Greenlee! Sorry you had to deal with the ignorant doctor. You were much nicer to her than I would have been. :) Hope he's feeling better soon!
Love, Jen in TX
Wow, Greenlee- so sorry that this happened to Coyote and you! Wow- what an amazing story and I felt such love for you when I read it because it was so beautiful how you and Coyote handled this stressful time with such grace and love. I think that you taught the doctor a lot with your actions and that one look!
Tate looks a bit sheepish in the first photo.
Love your skirt, by the way- where did you get it? ;)
Oh, poor guy!!! I'm proud of him for doing so well. I'm proud of you, too, for standing up to the Evil Doctor. That's horrible!! Hopefully, she learned a lesson about love between a mother and child.
Love,
Megan
Awww...I still remember my very first stitches..my dad had fixed the storm door latch so when I went to run outside shoving the glass I went thru it. Here I am at 48 and still have the scar. One day he will look back like that too :)
Oh as for the ED thing...we medics have a saying about ED medicine...treat em and street em...:)
hahah! "or something" is the best line. I'm so glad it went smoothly for your little boy. We've had two sets of stitches in our boys, both while toddlers, and never needed restraints. A little patience (and in one case, a nice boob) goes a long way.
Unreal about the ER. I have worked in ERs as a nurse and have yet to have to restrain a child for stitches. It just takes a clam environment. Heck when my oldest has had to have stitches (and staples once!) they never bring out restriants. They just act all friendly and calm and take their time.
I hope Coyote is healing well.
Heather
Awww, thanks everybody! :)
Kelli ~ yeah, the Amish comment really threw me. I realize I have long hair, and I happened to be wearing a long skirt that night, but ..... LOL .......I'm so far from being Amish it kills me. There are quite a few Amish families around here, and a strong Amish community just a half hour from here, so we ALL recognize an Amish person when we see one. I think the doc must have seen my "weird ways" and my calmness and combined it with the skirt and hair....and voila, Amish.
Jen ~ thank you! I think he handled it so well too.
Diane ~ ((hugs)) Yeah, the bitch in me wanted to ...well, be a bitch. LOL But I wondered if maybe just a knowing look and a smile might go further with that doc than a nice tongue lashing. :)
Megan ~ you're sweet!
Russ ~ I was four years old when I had my first stitches and I was tied down. It's something I will never forget. That was in the 60's however, and you would think we've come somwhere since then!! :)
pancake goddess ~ yeah, boobs really are the cure for everything! I know mine are. LOL They're very distracting. :)
Heather ~ I think restraints are only useful for consenting adults. LOL
Something else while I'm bitching: the doc had to make three comments on my son's gender. When she first came into the room she laughed and said, "oh my goodness..i thought this was a girl!" (after reading the chart). I just smiled. She said it two more times after that! Now, I fully realize that my little guy does indeed look like a girl. It is my fault and it is because I haven't been able to bring myself to cut those golden curls yet. I take full responsibility for that. LOL But...since when is it professional or even, good manners, to discuss a child's gender in front of them? What if he WAS transgendered? (he's not) What if I was? How would I feel about her laughter? I didn't know how to handle those comments and so I just sat there mutely. I wish I had said something to her, but then again, it probably would have affected the experience in a negative way. And my goal was to give Coyote the most positive experience I could.
I think the doctor's comments might have been an attempt to cover her own embarrassment at her behavior, at least the second and third times. And you know sometimes when people make fools of themselves, they stick not just one, but TWO feet in their mouths. Usually up to the knee.
You and Coyote handled things brilliantly!
Bah! He looks like himself..he is unique...tell people to get over it with the whole hair thing. My mom did not cut mine till I was 6 and in the 60's it was cool to some and a horror to others..I would say " and I turned out ok " but you might run in panic to shave his head if I did :)
Cut his hair when you and him are ready and tell others to take a flying leap. I think it is cool.
I am still blown away with the smile and peace on Coyote's face through somethign traumatic like that. You are amazing!
Post a Comment