Thursday night was the absolute worst night of my life. I was making dinner for the kids and Husband had just left for a guy’s night. I was pouring the boiling pot of water and pasta into the colander in the sink when the pot slipped and a huge splash went into the sink and right back out, splashing Ben (who was about 2 feet away). He slipped and fell face down into the puddle of water, and by the time I scooped him up the skin on his arm and chest was peeling off.
I just started saying “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God” and stripped off his t-shirt, threw a towel over him and tried to call Husband.
No answer. Typical.
I couldn’t find my cell, so didn’t have anyone else’s numbers memorized.
I ran to the back of the house with Ben screaming the entire way to look for my phone and find my shoes so we could head to the ER. Sam ran behind us crying the whole way, completely naked and refusing to get dressed so we could go.
I tried Husband again-it rang and then went to voicemail. I called his parents (TG I was able to remember their number) and just started to freak out on the phone. I told them which ER I was going to and to meet me there.
I sat at Husband’s computer and looked up the number of his friend he was meeting, and called him. the damn phone kept hanging up so the poor guy only go half the story, but knew enough to just FIND Husband, and he ended up running out into the street and flagging him down when he pulled up (chatting on the phone, of course).
I had my shoes on, Sam was dressed but crying, Ben was still in his towel, and I couldn’t find my purse or the car keys (Husband had moved EVERYTHING, including my cell, and none of it was where I had left it). I tore around the house trying to find everything, and once it was located I shuffled the kids out the front door, locked it behind me, turned around….no car.
Husband had moved the car to the back of the house, and the gate had just been installed that day so I couldn’t just run around to the side. we had to go BACK inside, locate the damn gate remote (which dh had also moved), load the kids up in the car (trying to buckle Ben in without touching his burn was horrible) and my cell started to ring.
Husband: “What happened. How could this happen?”
not exactly what you want to hear…I dissolved into tears and just started sobbing. I felt so inadequate-I couldn’t even get my own kids into the car and to the ER. We were finally on the road and got to the ER. They took one look at his burn (the entire waiting room gasped) and whisked us back to start an IV and gave him morphine.
Husband showed up and apologized for his comments, and a little while later they debraded the wound and Ben was SO brave. He would flinch and suck in his breath, then look at me and whisper “I scared Mommy” or “‘dat hurts Mommy”.
they wrapped his chest up like a mummy (the burn is from his nipple to his diaper, and from his navel to his side. it’s about the size of my hand.)
I have to clean the wound three times a day and scrub off all the cream…please pray for us as we go through this! The first few cleanings went well, but this morning’s was horrendous. I was shaking like a leaf when it was finished and truly felt like I was going to pass out.
Afterwards Ben started to run a fever and I talked with the pediatric surgeon that we are set up to see on Monday and when he asked “Now, what happened?” I burst into tears. He probably thinks I’m losing it (maybe I am!).
We may or may not be admitted to the hospital for fluids and better pain management and wound care. Honestly, I’d rather go there right this second, just to know that someone else who actually knows what they are doing will be in charge. But for now, we watch and wait and hope he continues to be energetic and heals.
Just wanted to let you all know what was going on. And PLEASE-have a list of numbers by the phone. Not for the sitter, but for YOU! Husband has apologized a million times over for not answering my call (I’ve gotten on his case before about being hard to reach) and for moving all of my stuff (this is an ongoing issue-sadly, I think he’s learned a lesson).
One last thing-if your child is ever burned the ER dr said we should put saran wrap on the wound. it keeps the air from hitting it and making it hurt as bad, keeps it clean, and doesn’t leave debris behind like the towel I grabbed did.
