first stitches

Liam is all smiles after getting stitches at the Scripps Memorial Hospital ER.
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Liam got his first stitches yesterday.

Scary.

Nikki was at work and the boys and I were out exploring. We had already hit up two playgrounds, and were on our way to a third. We stopped at the top of Mount Soledad to check out the memorial. By this time, Camper was asleep, so Liam and I checked out the area around the car.

Liam went ahead of me to scale the brick steps to the top of the memorial. I turned to look into the car when I heard a scream. I looked in the direction of the scream and saw a guy standing about five feet from Liam with a horrified look on his face. Liam was face-first on the bricks, screaming.

I ran up and scooped him up, as the guy stood there staring (he was saying something like, "he went straight onto his face..."). Blood was pouring down Liam's face. His eyes were covered.

I ran to the car, where we had some towels. I pushed one onto Liam's forehead and then put him in his seat. I told him that he had to hold the towel on his cut, "and push as hard as you can!" By this time he had stopped crying and was, I think, in shock. He told me that he's try, but wasn't sure he'd be able to. I explained that I need to drive, so he HAD to do it. He was fine with that.

I hopped in the drivers seat and called Nikki in a panic. She didn't answer, so I left a message; "I'm on my way!"

On the way, I gave Liam my iced coffee to push against the wound. It wasn't bleeding as much anymore, but it hurt. He was incredibly calm.

Nikki called me back when I was about a minute out from her office, which happens to be above an urgent care clinic. We arrived and rushed Liam in, but were told that we'd need authorization from our insurance company first. The woman at the registration desk said she'd call our insurance company but wanted to know "what timezone is Oregon in?" I stared at her for a moment and nearly yelled, it's the next fucking state up, you fucking dipshit!" Luckily, my wife's cooler head prevailed and she simply said, "Pacific."

Before she called, the registration lady said it may take a while to get authorization, and we may be better off going to the ER a mile away.

Before she could finish her sentence, we were in the car and headed for the ER.

We were in and out of the ER in under 45 minutes. The staff was amazing and put Liam at complete ease. When the time for the stitches came, he was a rock star!

It was a scary experience, but it all worked out OK, and now Liam has evidence of his toughness!