Another Trip to the Night Doctor

Just the other day I was thinking about how we have managed to stay out of the doctor's office for a few months.  Then I had a little chuckle about a conversation Ryan and I had earlier in the year.  It was in regards to a pre-tax medical deduction that we were taking advantage of and he thought I overestimated our monthly medical expenses.  Turns out I underestimated them... considerably.

Apparently that thought was a jinx.

My second jinx occurred Thursday morning right before the big incident.

Ryan was at the hangar.  Abby was napping.  Ella and I were entertaining our dear friends, Heidi and her daughter, Ruby.  They had arrived for a play date 15 minutes earlier.  The girls had just enough time to warm up to each other, we grabbed our coffee, headed outside, and Ella had enough time to eat half a muffin; if you know Ella, that does not require much time.

The conversation went like this:

Me to Ella:  "Ella, please get down from the roof (of her Little Tykes play structure).  Remember my job is to make sure you are safe and that is making me nervous.   Can you make a better choice?"

And she got down.


Me to Heidi:  "Ella is going to have a broken arm by the time she is 3.5 if she keeps up all this climbing."

and no joke,  .2 seconds later she tumbled.  And by tumbled, I mean, crashed on her chin.

The scene of the crime.  Ella apparently tried to climb over the little red door and it swung out from under her.  We have speculated she landed on the plastic door frame. 

Doing what I always do, I held back not wanting to make a mountain out of nothing.  But, as soon as she stood up you could see there was a gash.  A big one.  It was ugly and I went into panic mode.  I grabbed Ella and used my hand to hold her gash together.  I thought she was going to pass out.  I thought she might have broken her jaw.  I thought the ambulance was necessary.  After a minute we called off the ambulance and hopped into the car, shoeless.  Luckily, Ella's princess shoes were still in the garage from the fit she had the day before (that's another post).   Heidi stayed with sleeping Abby until Grandma and Pa could arrive.  (Huge thanks to all of them.)

We were on our way to the Night Doctor's.  If you remember, Ella has previously visited the Emergency Room before.  Click  HERE.

Unlike her previous experience at the ER, it was busy.  We had to wait, and wait, and wait.  All the while the anticipation built.  The videos distracted her, but not us.

Might as well take a picture or two.  We've been here for 90 minutes already. 

When all was said and done, Ella did amazing.  She absolutely hated being restrained, and  I absolutely hated restraining her.   Seeing her fight and question, not understanding the process or reasoning behind the doctor's actions was heartbreaking.  Her owie was so big and deep the doctor did two layers of stitches, ten across.

And we suppose Ella will have quite the battle scar and story to tell.   And you would think that that experience would slow Ella down and limit her climbing.  Not in the least bit.  Not even for a second. That's our girl: fearless, brave, and full of spirit.






Warning some pictures are gross and disturbing.

OUCH!

My poor baby girl. 

All stitched up with a story to tell. 

Silly and goofy like always.