Jed Goes to the Emergency Room

On Friday, Jed was playing with his friends Christopher and Colby when he tripped over a planter and split his knee open on the sidewalk. Luckily Christopher's dad was home and rushed out to help him. I dove him to Saddleback--this is Jed in the waiting room waiting for a bed after the nurse did a quick eval and cleaned/wrapped up his wound.We finally got a bed -- it was a very busy night in the ER--35 patients, 32 beds, and only 3 doctors.The nurse came in and put a numbing solution on the laceration and then the doctor gave him some shots, but as you can see, it was still painful as the doctor stitched him up. Jed took it like a man!Grandpa helped out by holding down his foot.
Here's the doctor measuring the cut. It was and inch and a half long, and 1/2 " deep. Jed could see his patella. The doctor put 8 stitches on the inside and 6 on the outside. They even let us take his surgical tools home!
A Mother's Confession: I have to say that since Jed's been born, he hasn't really seriously hurt himself. I kept waiting for the day when he would break an arm or have to get stitches and it finally came--so is it bad to say I'm relieved? Once when he was around 2, he was standing on his little rocking chair, and he fell over and hit his chin on the tile floor. My mom said we could take him in to get stitches, or she could just put a butterfly bandage on it. Honestly, I didn't think I could watch a doctor stick a needle and thread in my son's chin, so I opted for the later. So, now here we are, over a decade later, and I was prepared. There was no opting out this time, as the wound was too deep. But I'm grateful that it was only a laceration and he didn't break any bones or tear any ligaments or anything. This rite of passage is over!