Calin's Accident

Riding in the dirt track the day before his accident. 

The Tuesday after we got back from Thanksgiving, Calin and Clara and I set out on a usual walk around the block so Calin could ride his bike.  We often do this in the afternoon because Calin and Clara both love to be outside and it helps kill time waiting for Dad to come home.  Thankfully I made sure Calin put his helmet on before we left.  

We headed on our way and got to the corner above where we visit a goat.  From that corner down to the goat the street is downhill.  Calin has been getting really good at balancing and we get super excited when he lifts up his feet and rides.  So when he started down the hill with his feet up my first reaction was excitement cause he was cruising.  However, about 2 seconds later I realized he was not putting his feet back down. I started to panic as he kept going and picking up speed.  I started off with the stroller running behind him yelling for him to put his feet down and stop, but at that point I already knew he was going down.  I watched him fall and hit the pavement as I ran after him as the bike wobbled and he fell.  

This was how he was most of the afternoon after falling. 

As I caught up to him he was grabbing his mouth and I could see that there was already a LOT of blood.  I had no idea where the blood was coming from in his mouth but I could see that he had chipped his front tooth.  I threw the bike up on the stroller, picked Calin up and started home as fast as I could carrying Calin, pushing Clara, and while trying to call Robby on the phone to see if he was home yet to come and help me get the kids home.   Calin was screaming and crying and yelling "my bike! my bike!"  Poor kid was still so worried about his bike.  He kept saying it all the way home.  

Occasionally though we would be able to distract him and get a little smile. 

As we made it into the circle approaching our house we got almost to the driveway where Robby saw us and came out to grab Calin and help me get the kids inside.  We ran inside to start cleaning up Calin and to see if we could figure out where the bleeding was coming from.  His lip was pretty swollen and banged up and his tooth was chipped and he was still bleeding quite a bit from the inside of his upper lip.  We decided it would be best to take him in because we didn't know if he would need stitches or not.  

We tried to take him to insta care first where a nurse came out and looked at him before admitting us and told us they did not do the inside of the mouth so we'd have to go to the ER.  Thankfully they are just right by each other and we headed over there.  During all of this Calin was very worked up and would not let anyone near him or his mouth.  It made it really hard to figure out exactly how bad the cut was.  He would not even stand on the scale for them to figure out how much he weighed.  Poor kid was just in pain and so scared of what was going to happen.  

They admitted us and the doctor said he would need a cat scan and some stitches in his lip.  They told us they would need to sedate him in order to do this though because he would not lay still otherwise.  He fought the sedation hard and did not want to give in.  The doctors even commented on how it took longer and that he fought it.  It was really weird to watch though since he was not totally out and his eyes were still open.  It was hard to watch.  Once down Robby went with him to get the cat scan while I fed Clara because it was dinner time and I knew it would be a while before we got any food.  

Once they brought him back the doctor came to do the stitches.  The cut was right up at the top of his lip on the inside and the doctor said it was good we got it stitched up because otherwise it might have kept opening back up.  

Watching him come back from the sedation was painful and also somewhat hilarious.  He kept trying to pull all the wires and everything that was hooked on him off.  He was also trying to talk but nothing came out coherent.  Robby gave him some cars to hold so he would not try to take anything off anymore.  He then kept trying to drive his cars on the railing of the bed and it was hilarious and sad to watch as he still did not have full control of his movements.  

Slowly he returned to his normal self and we headed home to get him taken care of and settled.  On our way home we stopped to get some food at KFC.  We got him some mashed potatoes so it would be easy to eat.  We got home and he ate a little but mostly just seemed miserable and tired.  We went to go and start getting him ready for bed and he was reading with us and threw up all over Robby and I.  Darn side effects of the sedation.  Poor kid.  

Robby was having to hold him up to keep him from falling over. 

The afternoon and evening was just so sad.  I felt so bad for our poor little boy and wished I could have gone back and stopped him from cruising down that hill.  

Sorry for the novel, but this afternoon is embedded in my brain and I remember every moment so well.  It is all so clear in my memory.  Especially the moments carrying Calin, pushing Clara and wiping blood off of his chin and mouth as he bled everywhere while I tried to walk/run as fast as I could home.  Mostly it made me realize how even though I may do all I can to help keep my kids safe (wear a helmet, tell him to slow down, teach him to be safe) things still happen.  So even though I can't keep things from happening I can be there for them and help them through everything.  So glad he was ok and so grateful for our little boy.  He healed quickly and was right back up on his bike again the next day!

Riding around the block again the next day.