And then there are the normal childhood emergencies...

Well, we just returned home from a trip to the emergency room. I was working down in the basement, going through some boxes of "junk". Michael was playing near me, looking in a box. All of a sudden he asked me to get him a band-aid and then started crying saying he was sorry and it was an accident. I looked at him and there was blood pouring from his hand. In fact, there was so much blood, I couldn't see what he had done.

I scooped Michael up and hurried upstairs with him. After I started washing his hand, I saw a fairly large (compared to the size of his little hand) piece of skin peeled back on his left thumb. And it was still bleeding profusely. I applied a clean cloth with pressure and at first, the bleeding wouldn't stop. Michael has been bruising very easily the last couple of weeks and the bruises are slow to heal. I talked to Dr. Kennedy about it last week and she said it was probably because his platelet count was so low (but rising). I also have to wonder about the Heparin (a blood thinner) Michael receives every week. When he is done with his treatment, they give him Heparin in his port to prevent clotting. But my concern is that the Heparin has to enter Michael's bloodstream since there is nowhere else for it to go. I just wonder if this could be thinning his blood some. And you can be sure I will be asking this week.

After a few minutes of pressure, the bleeding slowed down considerably and I decided to take him to the emergency room. Jeff was at work and I got the phone book out to call him (since the Massena port is still programmed into our phone as his work number) but for the life of me I couldn't think of where he worked! So, I called our neighbors and Dee called Jeff for me while I left for the hospital. And then "Uncle" Jeff showed up at the emergency room and kept us company while we waited. (I think Michael was happy to see him!)

(*WARNING - I added a picture of Michael's injured finger at the end of this post, so please don't scroll down further if that sort of thing upsets you.)

So when we finally saw the doctor, she thought he was going to need stitches but after she cleaned the wound, she decided that it was a clean enough cut to be "super" glued. That didn't go very well. Michael can be a tad dramatic (but he's earned that right). He was crying and saying he didn't think he "could take anymore". And he didn't want any needles because he has to get needles in his port every week and he just couldn't take getting another one (BTW- he didn't get any needles). And he just wanted them to let him go home and he promised he would never touch broken glass again. By now, the patients and their families in the "rooms" around us were crying in sympathy.

Finally, they got it glued and put a little splint on it. We have to keep it dry for the next week and he can't bend his thumb for 2 or 3 days, but then he should be okay. (Me on the other hand...) He will also have to miss swimming lessons this week. I went downstairs to look after we got home and I think what happened was that Michael put his hand in a box and there was a broken candle holder in it and it cut his hand. (At least that is what it looks like at the end of the trail of blood.) Michael is asleep now and let's hope that his hand isn't too sore in the morning. Please keep Michael in your thoughts and prayers, JoAnne

P.S. I didn't get a chance to post yesterday - but Michael wasn't feeling very well. He wasn't eating much but still throwing up a lot. In the afternoon, I thought he was better so we went to do a little grocery shopping at Super Walmart. About half way through our list, I could tell Michael wasn't feeling well so I headed for the checkout. Just as I finished paying, he told me he was going to be sick. So I asked the cashier to watch my cart and we made a mad dash for the bathroom (and we made it). Now Michael has another place to add to his list of places he has thrown up (and he can name them all). Keep your fingers crossed that Michael will have a better day tomorrow.