Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Door to the Floor

Is there anything so difficult as seeing your child in pain?

Nickerdoodle got blasted by a heavy steel door after school today, knocked his sturdy 110 lb. athletic frame to the floor.  His toe, arm and shoulder are bruised and swollen, very sore.  I'm betting his backside will be hurting tomorrow from falling on his tailbone.  He really got nailed bad.  I' m so grateful it wasn't his head, and luckily it was his left side and he's right handed.

The kids in the classroom he was passing were probably excited to get out because they have half days for exam week and threw open the door.  So now besides the stress of exams, my Doodle is in pain.  He's such a good natured kid though.  He was pleasant and polite, getting up to get things tonight when I easily could have gotten them for him.

At first when he got home I hugged him while he explained what happened.  I thoroughly checked him out, gave him Motrin for the swelling and pain.  Then I set him in his Dad's recliner with his foot raised.  Mr. Creative Doodle fashioned an ice pack around his toe/foot by taping it in place after it kept falling off.  It stayed on all afternoon!   I covered him with a blanket and fluffed a pillow, pretending I was a nurse to make him giggle.  I gave him choices for lunch and movie.  He ate popcorn, m & m's and blue raspberry pop (good for the soul) for lunch and we all watched Chickie's favorite flick, "Dunston Checks In".  We all love it, slapstick mayhem with an orangutan, art deco period decor for me - what could be better?  The kids love when I play the funny parts over and over...I've been known to rewind 10 x and more, everyone cracking up more each time (drives my husband crazy, but he wasn't home).  Doodle enjoyed a few requests for ice or more popcorn, asking with a funny smirk, sending Chickie or me to wait on him. Hey, he's normal - who doesn't love that?  Then he took a long nap but got right back into studying for the night.  Great responsible kid.

This brings up another important point - he should have gone to a teacher, to the office or called me for help - a lesson I now have taught them - after his accident.  But these things don't occur to us until they happen.  In normal cirumstances, his next hour teacher would notice and send him to the office.  He was likely embarrassed and just wanted to get to the bus, steely tunnel vision.  He probably didn't let himself start to realize his pain until he was situated and on his way home.  By the time he walked through our door though, he'd let down his guard and fully let his pain flow.  To think he had to walk home from the bus stop on his swollen, bleeding toe.  Ouch

For me, one of the most moving experiences as a parent is having my child come rushing to me for a comforting "Mama Hug".  Though I loathe to see my children in pain or sad, I love the reminder that I'm needed, that my care helps.  So touching, especially from an almost-teen who often pretends he doesn't hear you when his friends are around (Selective Hearing Syndrome, wink-wink).  It sends a chill through me, knots my stomach and raises my BP to see my child come through the door crying.  My protective Mama instinct instantly ramps up, primal, at the ready.

We may have to take a trip to the Dr. if Doodle's still having difficulty moving his arm tomorrow.  After his morning exams of course.  Because our fam (especially me) has caught every virus this season, I'll wear a full hazmat suit and spray the kids down with lysol in the parking lot.  Just kidding...here's to a healthier tomorrow.