Friday 19 April 2013

ONE THING BECAME ANOTHER


So yesterday started off one way and ended in another. The morning was a productive hive of energy in the garden, Dad came over, and while I mowed and whipper sniped, He dug up garden beds and re-arranged planters. Jarvis got in on the act with his wheel barrow and pottered around collecting thing. Tamika sat on the door step drinking tea and taking photos.




It was a beautiful sunny autumn day, we discussed what we were going to plant and where. Dad wants to build even more garden beds as he thinks we have grown way too many seedlings. We were over near the passionfruit vine discussing how full of fruit it was, Jarvis was beside us digging in the dirt, an activity he loves, when our day changed.

(For those who have a squimsh tummy may want to stop reading)

Jarvis feel off the garden bed, not a big fall about twenty centimetres, but he fell face first into a metal garden spike. He was silent when I picked him up, I am not sure if it was my scream that made him cry, or the pain had set in. But I could not help myself, when I picked up my baby his face was covered in blood and it was spurting out of his face.

I ran upstairs with Jarvis in my arms, to get a clean cloth to put pressure on the bleed, and to try to wipe away some of the blood. By the time I got upstairs I was covered in blood and it was dripping off my arm. When I saw my baby’s blood dripping off me in a puddle on the bathroom floor I lost it a little.

This is Jarvis, after we had washed away the blood, This wash blood that was fresh and would not stop. This is the 'best' photo we have, as in the least amount of blood.

Tamika was amazing; she called the ambulance and helped Jarvis into the bath. The triple 000 operator told us to wash him down to find out where the source of blood was coming from and to apply firm pressure to the site. While Tamika was on the phone to triple 000, I called Justin. I do not want to think of how fast he rode his bike from the Valley to Camp Hill, but he arrived about the same time as the ambulance.

They were amazing, I have always said I could never ever be an ambulance worker, these two were so good. As soon as they, and Justin, arrived I felt calmer. I held Jarvis while they tapped his nose back together, and then dressed him as quickly and as gently as I could. I then turned to the ambulance lady and said we were ready to go. She gently told me to go wash myself up a bit and change my clothes. Tamika and I looked at each other and both realised we were covered in blood and looked like something from a horror show,

The ride to the Mater Children’s was so quick, but once there it was a long long wait. On arrival we were assessed and told Jarvis would need a plastic surgeon. Jarvis was such a good boy, no tears, no misbehaving, the only time he got cranky was when he saw other people eating. How do you tell your starving 16 month old they cannot have anything to drink or eat because they may have to have surgery?

Finally we see the surgeon, it was only a three hour wait but it felt like forever. I think we got the nicest doctor ever. She was so gentle and calm. Her assessment: Jarvis’s cut was extremely deep, however because it was such a clean cut and he did not chip into the bone, plus because he was so well behaved she thought she could get away with gluing his face back together rather than having to put him under and stitch his face.

So end of the story we have a little man with a glued face. Who came home and climbed the furniture as if nothing had happened.

I want to say a huge thank you to the two ambulance drivers, (I did ask their names, but cannot remember) the staff at the Mater Children’s Emergency Department, and to the amazing doctor. Thank you for helping a woman covered in blood, mud, and cow poo remain calm, and most of all thank for looking after my little Man. Jarvis you were so well behaved yesterday, I am so proud of you.

Photos were all taken by Tamika. 

39 comments:

  1. Do not understand how you would take photos. Is this something you want to frame? Do not get it at all. Am glad you didn't have to go down the stitches route. Hope it all heals well. Kelly

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    1. Not that I should have to explain to Anonymous, but Tamika took some photos so Justin's boss would see how serious it was and let him come home. Everything that happens to Jarvis I want to 'frame' this is his story, the good, the bad, and yes even the bumps and scraps is all part of the amazing journey I am taking with this child.

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    2. Don't explain yourself! I would take a photo for loads of different reasons...xx

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    3. Thank you for your support, Katrina

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  2. Poor Jarvis!!! and poor mama ! As horrible as it looks and I'm sure probably was; I'm glad he's okay now.

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    1. The thing is after Jarvis's initial cry when he fell down, everything from there on became a game. Tamika putting a towel on his nose to stem the blood, Jarvis thought they were playing peek a boo. I was a mess, he was laughing and smiling. Way tougher than I am.

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    2. They are so resilient!!! Anytime, Dominic gets hurt(like the time he took his tricycle down the stairs that 30 seconds I wasn't paying attention)he's over it way sooner than I am.

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  3. Perhaps it's her way of processing such a traumatic experience, Kelly. It's nice to avoid pinning guilt on a mum who obviously adores her children. In the nicest possible way, get over yourself!

    And now it's your turn to make ME cry! While my first son's experience wasn't quite so bad, we too had an awful-looking head injury when he was 10 months and he had blood pouring out of his forehead - the corner protector had come off the coffee table and he fell and smashed his head on it.

    Oh boy, these beautiful kids put us through the wringer don't they? Much love and support to you. xoxoxxo

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    1. What is it about when your baby/child hurts themselves it is the parent who suffers?
      And you are correct, images help us process the story. When Tamika was in hospital for a few months at 15, her therapist told me to document her illness and recovery. Five year on we can look at the images and see how far she has come.

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    2. I know! It's agonising.

      The lumbar puncture on my baby Jarvis was enough to kill me, it felt like. I swear a small part of me dies or retreats forever during these traumatic experiences.

      I have also taken images of a few injuries so there's a record of them which can be useful for the docs, or perhaps for the future. You should not need to explain yourself, grrrr.

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    3. Tamika had guillain barre syndrome, a lumbar puncture was just one of the many things they did on the road to her diagnosis, I do not think it is any easier trying to pin down a 15 year old than it is a baby. As a mother your heart is tearing apart. My favourite was when the doctor said casually "Ok so it is not brain cancer". I was like WTF! This was a choice?
      So the therapist said to start documenting. No one knew what was wrong, and how to help her (at Tamika's worse she was paralyzed from the waist down and the entire left side of her face and her throat.) So against wahat at first thought I started to take photos. In the end I found it helped both of us.
      So I have continued this documentation of my children no matter what. Life is not just smiling happy faces. Life is sometimes hard.

      ps how is your Jarvis going?

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  4. Poor Jarvis! Poor you! I thought Eve's foot was bad enough but that's just terrifying. Lots of love and thoughts of healing going out to you guys.

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    1. Does not matter how major or minor your child's injury is when they are you a Mum's heart hurts

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  5. ouch! what a scary experience for both of you! glad he's ok.

    [oomph.]

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    1. I think it was scarier for me... Jarvis was playing by the time he got into the ambulance

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  6. I have tears in my eyes.
    Accidents that involve children are just so awful. So scary. Your heart really does feel as if it has stopped.
    I am so glad that your Dad and Tamika were there to help you both and that Jason could get home.
    EMTs and DEMs nurses are amazing people...I am in such awe of first responders.
    We spent too much time at the Mater Children's when Toddler C had septic arthritis in his knee...everyone was wonderful.
    I have no doubt that Jarvis was incredibly brave.
    I hope that he is back to his normal self and heals quickly.
    And I hope that you are looking after yourself and are coping okay.

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    1. I did not even know children could get septic arthritis, sound horrific! I cannot sing the praises for everyone who took care of Jarvis loud enough. What they do on a daily basis is selfless and amazing.

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  7. Oh how scary!!! My goodness, my heart stopped whilst reading this. x

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    1. I admit I was not calm, thankfully Tamika took over. I am so lucky to have two amazing brave children

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  8. Poor little Jarvis. I thought that something really bad was happening to him...I'm glad he's ok now!

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    1. It was so scary for me. A day in the Emergency department is no fun, but it is lucky Jarvis is a tough kid.

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  9. You made me well up i was so relieved to hear all worked out OK (well i know a glued face is not OK but you know what I mean!) for the record I too would have grabbed a camera and documented it, it's what i do, it's as instinctual as breathing, it's what i did even before kids or this blogging stuff. hugs and love to you all xxxx

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    1. I will take a glued face over surgery and stitches any day! If it had of been me on my own I would not have left Jarvis to document. But Tamika, who was way better/calmer/more in control than me, was also here.

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  10. poor little guy!...poor mama, pops and sis.....it all happens so quickly doesn't it. I hope hes doing ok and im so pleased you got such great care.....makes the 3 hr wait a little less frustrating. your a brave mamma (even the brave ones scream!) x

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    1. You are right, one minute he was digging in the dirt, the next covered in blood. There were so many poor hurt/sick children in the emergency department I thought three hours was quick.

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  11. oh no! I cried too but what an amazing pair of children you have, well done to Tamika and Jarvis was so very brave. Let the healing begin with lots of cuddles too
    xxx

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    1. Tamika was amazing, she was so brave and just took over the situation for me. I am so proud of her

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  12. Oh my goodness! You can go from Normal Day to Panic and Madness with children! Poor Jarvis! I'm so glad he's okay, but I can just imagine the silence when he fell was more scary than anything you've experienced before! When things like this happen, you realised there are some amazing people in the health system. Where would we be without them? Hugs to you for being brave too. Having a brave mum really helps! x

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    1. Why is it when kids 'really' hurt themselves there is that silence before the tears? I am thankful for not only the people in the health care system, but Australia's health care system in general.
      ps I was not brave, my children were

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  13. Poor little fella, glad he is ok!

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  14. o.m.g. i woulda freaked out too
    funny how quickly kids bounce back though

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    1. I was not calm under pressure. Kids are amazing in their ability to move forward

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  15. So glad to hear he is OK Jarvis will get over this quite quickly, but the heart stopping panic for Mama is unbelievable.
    What is it with little ones and face wounds ????? they bleed BUCKETS ! so scary.
    My 2 year old was watching some carpentry and stood too near a back swing with a claw hammer, screaming, blood everywhere, running down his face out of his eyes and ears, my first thought was massive head injury !!!!and I thought my heart would explode with panic.....clean up gently and and all I found was a centimetre and a half cut on the forehead......nearly passed out with relief.
    Off to doctors, Xrays ok, no damage at all, some steri strips attatched, watch for concussion, apply "scarless healer" when closed up....all good.
    BUT at first sight my Dad thought he had killed him and my Mum thought his head was caved in...(blood out of eyes and ears) lucky they were in good health or we may have had heart attacks to deal with too.
    Toddler is 40 now, but that day ......burned into my brain forever !!!!!


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    1. How incredibly scary for you! It does not matter how old your child is they are forever your baby and everything they do remains with you, and sadly the scary things seems more prominent.

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  16. Oh my goodness, how awful for you guys!! I can't believe that. It's terrifying thinking about this. I don't know if I would have been able to be as calm or together as you were. Sounds like you acted quickly, did all the right things, and your little boy sounds like such a trooper. Wishing him a quick recovery. Oh man. So sorry this happend.

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    1. Out of the bad that happened I learnt a couple of this (Tamika is amazing under pressure and how good are our health service providers) so I guess even the bad things teach us a life leasson

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  17. oh.my.god. how absolutely terrifying. So glad everything turned out ok for you guys. I hope Jarvis is on the road to recovery without too much pain :(
    http://myfroley.blogspot.com

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    1. Jarvis was an amazing boy, by the time the ambulance came he was ready to play. Children remind you to not let thing get to you.

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