OK, Deep Breath... Here Goes

After some time and distance, I think I am finally able to discuss Cayton's final head wound episode. I might say that for her part, Cayton is well over this whole incident. In fact, she was pretty much good to go following the staple extraction, though I was really tempted to ask the doctor for my own lollipop and sticker. I guess just knowing that she was OK made the deal a little easier for me, but not by much.

We first attempted to get Cayton's staples removed about a week after the original injury. The doctor wanted to wait a couple of days more because at that point, the wound still looked a little raw (her word, not mine). So, we waited an additional two days. Blake and I suffered for every minute of those two days since we knew it was going to be rough. I just tried to avoid thinking about it and having to focus on parenting two kids helped a bit. But, it was still tough.

So, Thursday rolled around and off we went to the doctor's office. We told Cayton that we were going to see the doctor and she was all excited. Poor little girl... Anyway, I was thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, and that after all, it could be a whole lot worse. I mean, she could have a disease or Harvey could have bitten her face. It could have been so much worse. But, it's funny how attempts to gain perspective like this really don't help much. It's not like you are only allowed to suffer if your tough day is catastrophic. Oh, you aren't digging out from under the rubble of an earthquake or fighting terminal cancer? Well, man up because your ordeal ain't crap! No, anything that hurts your kid is terrible and it's OK to wallow in it (according to me).

At the doctor's office, we headed right in and the doctor looked at Cayton's head. She felt that it looked pretty good and that if we didn't get the staples out soon, her body would start reacting to the foreign objects in her head (the staples). Anyway, that sounded bad to me. So, she sent the nurse in to take the staples out. That sounds simple, right? Well, it was until we got to Staple Number 3. Of course, it couldn't be easy. Nope, not for us. Well, SN3 was lodged and twisted. Horror! We had to hold Cayton down while the nurse tried to take it out. I think if I live a hundred years, I will not forget holding Cayton's legs, feeling complicit in hurting her and hearing her cry out for her Daddy. Seriously, I know I am being dramatic here, but that's how your brain works when you have kids. Every little thing that hurts them sends daggers through your chest and, I swear, it feels like a fist clenching your stomach.

Well, Nurse #1 couldn't remove the staple. Queasy as I am about staples/stitches, I was tempted to remove it myself just to get it over with. But, Cayton was just too keyed up and holding her down was not getting the job done. So, Nurse #2 was summoned. He took one look at the staple and decided to call the doctor. At this point, Blake was holding up pretty well. But I, to my horror, was not doing well. I actually was crying a bit and that is NOT something I'm comfortable with. Blake mentioned that I could step out of the room if I wanted to, to which I think I said something like, "Are you kidding me? I'm her mother and I'm staying in the room. I can't leave my baby!"

The doctor arrived along with her lighted magnifying spectacles. She looked at the staple and told us that if she couldn't get it out, that we'd have to take Cayton to a surgeon and have it cut out. That didn't sound like a good option to me. So, Blake and I were both hoping that the doctor could get the thing out. She took a stab at it, but Cayton just wouldn't hold still. So, they pulled out the big guns: the papoose board. This is basically a board with straps to hold down a kicking screaming kid. Seriously, it was like every traumatic image you could have rolled into one event. Blood, surgical instruments, kid freaking out, kid strapped down to a papoose board...

The doctor was able to get the staple out without sending us to the surgeon. So, everything ended well. Cayton got a lollipop and a couple of stickers and walked out of the doctor's office like nothing happened. Blake and I were a bit worse for wear, but relieved to have it over with.

This just leaves one final piece of business to wrap up. Harvey has to go, so that promises to be tons of fun. I tell you, I am very, very tired of having my heart ripped out. When we get Harvey dealt with, I think I will have to take a vacation from all of this drama. Though, given our luck over the last month or so, we should probably keep it simple and dog free!