Thursday, March 26, 2009

My first encounter...

...with getting stitches on the injuries. Not on me but on my son. And I hope never again. It was dreadful enough for me.

Monday around 3:45 PM, I got a call from Betu's daycare. The supervisor told me that He had got hurt while playing and got a little cut. She went to tell me there was some bleeding but now the bleeding has stopped. Somehow the way she was telling me I thought it was a small injury so I did not think too much into it. Then she told me that while they were bandaging him he was continuously asking for "Mumma..". So I asked her to put him on phone so that I can talk to him and he will feel better. But when she told me that they have made him lie down as the bleeding was a bit too much that's when I realized the situation was not as simple as I had thought. It was a bit more grim. So I told her I shall be there in 10 min and she said responded by saying "Yes please."

When I reached the daycare and saw him lying on the bed with his head bandaged, my heart skipped don't know how many beats. I tensed up and walked towards him. And when he saw me he just hugged me tight and I saw 2-3 tears trickling down his eyes. I reciprocated his hug by hugging him tighter and tried not to show my tears to him. It was really a painful sight to see him like that.

The head of the organization was also there and they both told me how brave and strong Anirudh has been. Besides initial tears and that too for only a short while he hasn't cried at all. I was surprised (I will talk about why I was surprised in some other post.)

After picking him up from the daycare I took him to the nursing home where his pediatrician sits and took him to the casualty. The doc on duty took a look at his wound and said he needs stitches. I could feel the ground slipping beneath my feet. However I still managed to ask the Doc "why?" and "Why can't we avoid it?". He gave his reasons and I asked him to go ahead.

So they cleaned his wound and gave him local anesthesia. Betu was getting a bit nervous looking at the syringe but I talked with him to distract him that it won't hurt much and that he is being such a brave boy. I felt like a liar while I was telling him that its OK and that it won't hurt. I'm a person who is scared of needles. REALLY REALLY SCARED. I'm not scared of wounds or big injuries or blood but needles..I prefer to stay miles away from them.

He flinched his eyes when the Doc inserted the needle but he didn't cry. I could feel my eyes brimming with tears but I held them back. If he wasn't crying how could I? I had to be strong enough for him. But I think he still did see through my dark black glares which I refused to take off lest he sees my tears. And while the doc was giving him anesthesia he was softly patting my cheek.

The Doc then started stitching him up. And suddenly I felt a wave of giddiness come over me. I felt strange and wondered why. And it kept growing every second. I was feeling numb. For few seconds I was not aware of any sounds around me and everything looked hazy. The Doc looked at me and I at him and he could sense something is wrong. He asked me if I'm alright. I responded that something...some smell...is making me giddy. He asked me to just go and sit down and explained that it was because of me looking at the wound and the stitches being done. (This condition is called Vasovagal Syncope which I figured out after some basic search on the net.) I was surprised as I didn't find the wound or the blood repulsive. But I didn't leave Betu's side and just sat with him on the bed holding his hand and tried not to look at the Doc working on him. I realized what the Doc said was right because every time I would look there I would feel a sudden enormous wave of giddiness come over me. But there was no way I would leave Betu's hand and go away. I tried to take deep long breaths and that helped me a bit for sure. I continued to feel giddy but the degree was marginally lower.

Till now I had only seen on TV about people fainting on seeing surgeries or blood. It was the first time I felt it first hand. And trust me it sure was a very funny/weird feeling. Very VERY weird.

Anyhow, coming back to Betu's injury, it was about a 1 cm cut on the forehead and he got 4 stitches. Its healing up fine and we need to go every 3rd day for getting the dressing changed and shall need to go for getting the stitches removed on 8th day. We are just hoping it heals up quickly as his school re-opens from next week. Plus his big birthday party is scheduled this Sunday where he shall be sporting this little bandage.

It may not be a big deal for some but I guess it being the first (and hope the last) was a bit traumatic for me.

Edited to add:
Update and pictures on Betu's blog...read on...

29 comments:

  1. Oh it is a big deal nm, something that no parent should have to face. I am crying now reading this & I know exactly how difficult it would have been for you.
    Hugs to you.
    & Kudos for Anirudh for being such a brave boy. Hope he heals real fast.
    *Hugs* to both of you

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  2. Oh God! I hope he is doing fine now.. and yes dear, he is a brave boy of a brave mother!
    Take care - both of you..
    Love

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  3. Hugs to both of you. He IS such a brave boy. How is he doing now ?

    TC

    Hugs

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  4. awww...hugs to you...

    It is a big deal..and i so understand the feeling...unfortunatley kids fall and we can just cross our fingers and hope for teh best everytime...

    my 6 yrold had two stitches on his face, one near the eye one on te chin and gashes all over and every experience is a nightmare for us...

    take care and hope anirudh enjoys his birthday party..he sure is a brave boy...

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  5. Awww! hugs to the little baccha (and to the mummy too)
    Vasovagal syncope eh? Thanks for enlightening me on that. I too suffer from it I think cos I have fainted during blood tests, blood donations, and even while visiting people in a hospital. Quite a scene I create each time, very embarrassing too.
    Anyway, strong kid you got there! Kudos to him. :)

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  6. Oh Dear - it is a big deal Nids. And the little darling is such a brave little trooper. I do hope he feels better soon.

    Hugs

    G

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  7. He is brave for sure ..I can understand what you went thru , I felt a shiven in my spine when I read you gtalk status that day.

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  8. Betu is truly a tough boy. How did he fall, what hit him?
    I can imagine how hard it must have been for you. Hope you both are feeling better now.

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  9. awww... hugs to both of you...betu is a strong boy...and ur very brave..I don't know if I could have handled it the way you did...

    hope he is feeling better now..

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  10. I am glad he is ok ! I felt my heart skip many beats as i read faster and faster...wanting to see if he is doing ok.

    Relieved !

    I am sure it must have been trying for you..

    And the syndrome bit was quite an information !

    Thanks for sharing !

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  11. Aww, NM, Hugs! Not something any parent would like to go through - so definitely a big thing.

    Hope Betu gets better soon, esp for the big party. :)

    What are the plans?

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  12. hugs to both of you guys... :)... u guys are real brave... esp Bachu...

    I am still afraid of needles and at his age, I had to be pinned down to the bed for an injection...

    How is he now??

    tc..

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  13. My God -nm you faced every mother's nightmare! I still stifen up when my phone rings while the kid s are in school. The very thought of such and eventuality makes my legs turn to jelly! You are really brave and so is your betu. Please give him a BIG hug from my side. I pary to God that he gets well soon and is able to put this episode behind him as soon as possible.

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  14. It's definitely a big deal, nm. And your son coped up with it beautifully. You must be so proud of him. Get well soon wishes from us to him!

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  15. A first timer to your blog!
    What a brave littel boy you have...
    Hope he's doing fine!
    And your plight is so very understandable. Seeing your baby in that state is traumatic indeed.
    My best wishes to you & your betu for a speedy recovery!

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    IndiBlogger.in

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  17. OMG! he is too young to go thru this!! u take care, and i really hope he is getting better. .
    i had to see my brother get stitches on his hand when he was 11 and i was 12 and i took him to the doc all alone.... it wasnt my child...

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  18. I am touched.I felt the same giddiness once Mampi's nail had to be pulled out. The doctor advised me to go out but I insisted to stay back, but finally when he saw me, he said man now go away and I moved out. I was embarrassed for a moment. But now I realize it is not fear or something but the love for your loved ones that we are unable to bear and still further we as attendants have to put a brave face. The other day I expressed my(such) feeling about it but you didn't really agree with me.

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  19. give the brave little boy a big hug.

    I suffer big time from the same synd.So much so,that have faited several times at hospitals,causing a lot of additional panic and embarrassment.But,it never recurred when my son was admitted for pnuen for a long time.I guess,i knew i had to be strong then.

    wish him a speedy recovery.

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  20. Ouch! Big hugs to both of you and I am sure any mother would feel the same way as u did. Anirudh is such a brave child.

    Wishing him a speedy recovery in time for his big day.

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  21. Aww.... hugs to you, ~Nm. it requires strength of a different sort when the injury/pain is to our kids.
    And it happened in school? It must've been a scary time for you. Bad enough happening at home while you're there to see everything!

    Hugs to Anirudh too, and wishes for a very happy B'day and a very happy year ahead. God bless!

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  22. OMG ! This is terrible. Please hug the little hero for me . And one tight squeeze of your hand to say I know how it feels...take care.

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  23. i love love love love love love love the header!! :)


    y hadn't the daycare ppl taken him to a doctor???

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  24. hugs!

    hope he is doing better now... :)

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  25. Hey hope he is feeling better now.And will he have a harry potter scar now.That will be cool ;-)
    Only a non-mother can say that i guess.Sorry :-(

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  26. OMG!I have goosebumps from reading this post..BEtu is really a brave boy! God bless him..and i hope u never have to see this again.

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  27. Oh dear, I hope he feels better soon. what a scary thing to happen.

    Priya.

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  28. Oww, I know i m late here, but my wishes been with him and you all through.
    I know the feeling, and Mahesh is right. He is a strong man, he can get stuff done to him without anesthesia but that day he was really going to faint upon seeing me braving the doctor's knife.
    I saw Rasan as a 3-year-old going through such a stitching of her chin, it was very very terrible to see her go through that.
    Hope he is fine now.

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