ER Visit with Grace

Yesterday, while Mom and Dad were at chemo, Grace fell and gashed her forehead pretty bad. She came to me, covered in blood and blood still gushing from her head. I realized that head injuries tend to bleed a lot but I also felt that this was a bad one!

Thankfully, Mrs. Raymond was here dropping off a dinner for our family and offered to help in any way. After talking to my mom on the phone, we decided to take her to the ER. So, we scooped her up and Mrs. Raymond drove us to the ER. We arrived, and the waiting room was pretty full--what's new for Mary Bridge! I had to deal with a bureaucratic check-in woman who was really rude--I was already pretty worked up and she made things so much worse! We then waited for an hour, the whole time getting stares. I am sure people were wondering how we were all related and why is that woman wearing an apron! In all the hurry, Mrs. Raymond was still wearing her apron!

We were then called back for vitals and saw the triage nurse, who thought I was Gracie's Mom. : ) She told us it would be a long wait, but 20 min later they took us back to a room. We then saw another nurse who checked her all out and put some numbing medicine on the wound. She told us it had to sit there for 20 minutes. She asked Grace if she had taken anything and Grace informed her she had taken some Arnica. I was cringing--knowing that homeopathic doesn't go over too well in the hospital. The nurse told her that it was great stuff and had been telling someone about it just recently. I was so thankful! A few minutes later, a student came in and did the same examinations and asked all the same questions--"How did this happen?" "Are you Mom (to me)?" "Where is Grace's Mom?" I don't know how many people listened to Grace's heart, examined her body and asked her how she got her cut. She was an excellent trooper and let everyone poke and prod! I felt like telling them to leave the poor girl alone! After everything she already went through, she did not need everyone bothering her.

About an hour later, the Dr. finally came in with the student. Turns out the Dr. was one we had seen years before--that trip she asked Mom and I if we were Amish! :) I am sure she again thought something was wrong with us. You probably don't see ladies in skirts and modest dress in the ER very often! After the string of questions again and wondering how I could be the sister when we looked so much alike, (I felt like giving them a little lesson on genetics--sisters have the exact same genetic make-up, whereas the mother would only have half the same genetics as the daughter. So, there is a pretty good chance that sisters would look alike! ) and comments on how Grace is so adorable, they finally put their stuff together and got down to business.

Grace is so highly sensitive and I am sure some of the numbing medicine had worn off because of the length of time, so each time they tried to irrigate, she would jump. They paused the irrigation and injected more numbing medication. After that she seemed to not feel as much. The Dr. pulled out all her supplies and sewed up the wound. It took eight stitches and Grace was pretty worn out when everything was done. The Dr. told me to apply Arnica oil, which I could purchase at a health food store, and Basatracin to the wound as much as possibly. She told me the oil is really healing and should help with the scar! So, perhaps the medical community is now seeing some good in the homeopathic remedies! The Dr. offered stickers--wondered if she would like Dora or Scooby Doo stickers. Grace looked at her blankly and said she didn't know. The Dr. asked if she watched TV, I told her no. Grace was then offered an Otter Pop, which she refused and the Dr. mentioned how she was a strange child! :) So here we were, a cute little girl who does not watch TV, refuses popsicles and was extremely polite, coming to the hospital with her sister who was wearing a skirt and was femininely and modestly dressed and the family friend who was also modestly dressed and wearing an apron! I was wondering what they all thought!

I was so thankful to be done and walk out of there! I really hate the hospital and don't like spending any time there at all. I now have another story to tell and it was some really good bonding time for Grace and I. It was a challenge to overcome my fear of blood and injury, but as I look back on everything, I realize I was operating on adrenalin and the strength of the Lord. He is able to give us grace and strength to address any situation.