Just skip to the end for my actual check-in.
On Wednesday I said Taunt was up to 14k. Later that day, I think, my laptop decided to mess with me and I ended up losing some of Taunt.
On Thursday, I caught up and brought Taunt back up to 14k. I despise rewriting lost material.
On Friday, my daughter scalded herself and ended up in A&E. She spilled a drop of something hot, panicked and managed to knock the rest of it over her. They bandaged her hands and stomach and she got home late that night. I went into a weird place, somehow blaming writing on her accident. I wasn't writing at the time so I suppose I just want to blame something other than myself. I was two feet away from her and saw it happening but didn't get to her in time to stop it.
A second quicker and I might have gotten my own arms in the way and taken the worst of it for her. Just one second and I could have taken some of her pain. The screams alone broke my heart, I was shaking more than her. It's hard to keep your own child calm when you're about to fall apart yourself but they tend to bounce back a lot quicker than you. I couldn't even take her to the hospital because I'm still breastfeeding and we don't have a car (or carseats) so it just made more sense for her Dad to take her in a taxi instead of me taking her and the baby. The baby was upset all night anyway so maybe I should have gone. I basically fretted with the phone in my hand until they returned.
On Saturday morning, my OH took our daughter back to the hospital to see the plastic surgeon. It's a busy hospital and 8am is the only time you're guaranteed to see one. It was meant to be a ten minute visit but they decided her burns were worse than they thought so she's in there until Tuesday at the very least. That will be the day they decide if skin grafts are needed.
I stayed there last night and came home this morning to feed the baby basically. I'm having something to eat myself then spending time with the other kids before switching places with my OH and spending the night again. She's using my laptop to watch DVDs and she's being very brave. It's less than two weeks before her 4th birthday and she hasn't whined at all - even though she has a right too. She did give me attitude last night though, a sure sign she's doing well. :)
I wrote a little while she was asleep so Taunt is up to 15k. I probably won't get a chance to do much visiting this week so check out the other participants here.
Sounds like its been a trying week. I think no matter how much you keep an eye on the little ones they always get into trouble. Hope she makes a swift recover. Yay for you keeping writing.
ReplyDeleteOh, Claire, I'm so sorry that happened! Poor baby and poor mommy. :( I get it-I was about a foot away when my son knocked a plate rack off the wall and managed to slice open his face and cut off the end of his finger. All I could think was, "I'm a fucking idiot for hanging plates on the wall."
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're in a better place now than when it first happened.
I hope your daughter continues to give you attitude, a grouchy kid is a kid on the mend. :) Take care. The Benefiels are thinkin' about ya.
So sorry about your daughter's accident. Sounds like she's on the road to recovery. Sending good vibes that it will be a speedy one.
ReplyDeleteOh, Claire, that is just devastating!! I am a master clutz and burns terrify me. I've only had a little one in hospital for preemie issues, and can't imagine the strength it takes to cope with what is purely - an awful accident. It sounds like the fast action you and your husband took paid off. I'll keep you all in my prayers - you are handling this very, very well.
ReplyDeleteOMG, those childhood accidents are the worst part of parenting, aren't they? I've spent time in emergency rooms, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's not something I look back on fondly....sigh.
Hope everything works out, and you're doing great.
Here's my ROW 80 UPDATE
*hugs* It's hard when our children are hurting. Glad to hear she's a bit feisty. Children are amazing and resilient and don't beat yourself up about the accident. Will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers this week.
ReplyDeletegood news she's giving you attitude - it's when they just stare at the wall you need to worry = poor mite hope she recovers well - and you look after yourself - don't stress so much the small one gets the gripes - all the best
ReplyDeleteOh, fellow Claire, I'm so, so sorry that happened! :( I can't imagine a worse feeling than hearing your child in pain and not being able to help her. *hugs* to you and your precious little one, and you know what? It says really good things about her parents that she is able to be so brave and strong, even when she's scared. You done good. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone - it was really nice to come home and read all of your comments. She ended up in isolation because they thought she might have picked up a bug of some kind in hospital but everything's okay now, the vomiting might have been a reaction to the morphine. We're all home together - she has a seven day bandage on so we don't have to go back to the hospital for a week if all goes well. It's just a relief to be out of there - yesterday they cut the blisters on her hands with a scalpel and let her see it so she was terrified then today she went a little hysterical at bathtime when she saw her stomach (it looks awful but they said it's healing well) and also at the thoughts of them going at her with the scalpel again. She did great though, I'm really proud of her.
ReplyDelete@Stacey, in the nicest possible way, that made me feel better. :) I'm feeling like a terrible Mammy right now so it's nice to be reminded I'm not the first to feel like this.
@Shari, my eldest was four weeks early and was in the preemie unit for a couple of days so I saw how strong the parents of the babies who really needed help were and remember thinking I couldn't possibly cope as well as them.
@Claire, thanks so much for that. She really was a credit to us in the hospital. She had everyone wrapped around her little finger! The sweetest thing was when I went up to the hospital the first time, I brought the baby with me and my daughter was lying in bed, looking all frail, but she kept making faces and funny noises to get the baby to laugh. It's always nice to see the kids interacting but this was extra-special. :)
No matter how vigilant we are, no matter how closely we watch them, our children always, always find a way to get into trouble. That, of course, doesn't make us feel better when they're in the midst of a trauma. Just remember...you did well. You did what you needed to do. And we can never be quick enough, so we might as well give up THAT fantasy right now. Take care of yourself as you take care of your daughter - you'll both be stronger for it.
ReplyDeleteAnd lots of healing thoughts headed her way for a full and speedy recovery.