"But He Coughs!" and "He has Bloods!"

Bless it.  Eli woke up with a cough, sounding awful.  Bless it.  

Isaac was convinced Eli was deadly sick.  He tucked Eli in my bed, brought him his blanket, and gave him any toy Eli asked for.  Isaac and Titus then proceeded to play on the bed, whilst Eli acted pitiful.  The boys were pretty shocked when I told them that it was school day, and though Eli has a cough, he still has to go.  "But he coughs!"  protested Isaac.  "No bud, Eli has allergies.  Just like the rest of us,"  I explained.   Tender moment of brotherly love, nonetheless.  A regiment of Claritin has started, which seems to have cleared up all the snot and coughs.  (This happened to us last year when we first moved here.  Seems like something is always in bloom in Coastal GA, so allergy season is year round!)   

Let's talk about what happened to Mr. Pitiful Titus.  

I was watching 3 boys, plus my own 3, on a Friday night.  Let's count them:  two 6 year olds, one 4 year old, two 3 year olds, and one 8 month old baby.  To help fill our boring life without Daddy, I willing offer to watch other people's children so that my own are entertained.  (Genius, I know.) 

This Friday night I also had my friend Shannon (confusing, I know) over to help me out.  She volunteered--and I'm so grateful she came!  

About 30 minutes into the playful Friday evening I hear terrible screaming from the living room.  Titus cries, "I NEED A BANDAID!  I NEED A BANDAID!"  Huge alligator tears, too. I know it's bad.  I see blood pouring out of his mouth. On closer inspection I realize that this isn't a normal mouth wound, but actual ER worthy injury.  There are clear and distinct puncture marks through the skin below the bottom lip.  His teeth went all the way through.  Oh crap.  Oh crap. Oh crap. 

Friend Shannon gets control of the situation in 2 seconds.  Directs me to take Titus to the sink and directs the boys to go play "quiet games" in the playroom.  At the skin I'm a little shaky, trying to think of what Matt would say--which is of course "Put pressure on it!  Put pressure on it!"  I get out a clean washcloth and start to pinch the skin together.  Friend Shannon comes in and says, "It needs to be wet so that it won't stick to the skin.  And we need ice."  At this point I realize that she should be with Titus, and I should hold the 8 month old.  We switch, and I get all that is needed for Titus and his lip.  

**I should point out during this point in the story that Friend Shannon is a pre-med student.  Awesome!  

**I should point out during this point in the story that Eli caused the injury.  He punched Titus in the face with a boxing glove.  Not Awesome!    

Things start to settle down in the house.  I put baby boy in his bouncer.  I go and calm Eli down, who is completely shaken.  "He has bloods!  I make him has bloods!"  Wailing and gnashing of the teeth.  Just imagine the scene in all the Eli-drama glory.

Friend Shannon also directs me to get a story for Titus, to read it to him while she applied the pressure and the ice.  I do so, and Titus calms down and is able to be still.  After a few minutes Friend Shannon starts to feel unwell and sinks to the floor.  She's like, "Um, I don't feel well, and I have no idea what this is about."  And I'm like, "You need a granola bar!"  And present 5 different boxes of granola bars for her to chose from.  

Titus is ready to rejoin the boys, needing a bandaid of course!  I give him one, and he goes on his way.  

Me and Friend Shannon start to discuss the need to go to the ER.  Do we take him?  The blood has clotted.  Do we take him?  We'd probably just sit in the waiting room for 2 hours and by that time a stitch wouldn't be that useful.  At this point we say no.  

Friend Paige comes over later in the evening and we have the same discussion.  We look at the lip one more time, and are all a bit shocked how it looks.  Dark and nasty.  "He needs a stitch."  I start to call around, seeing if the ER is open, and in walks the parents of the 3 boys.  This couple has great insight; Friend Jessica having once been a dental assistant assures me that it looks fine and that it will heal well, and Friend Riley having once been in the military assures me that all they would do at the ER is give him Tylenol and send him home.  

Me, Friend Shannon, and Friend Paige agree to that too.  We look in Titus' mouth in better light and see that it is actually healing smooth, and the dark nastiness that we were seeing before looked so awful because of the low lighting we were in.  

Before the Friends Jessica and Riley leave with their kids, the he offers to give a blessing of healing to Titus.  Thank you so much! 

The next day, on a Saturday, I talk to a person who is a medical professional.  He says that it looks like it is healing well, just be aware that the mouth is a nasty place and it could easily get infected.  I watch and monitor Titus like a hawk the next 2 days.  No fever and no change in color of the wound.  He healed! He healed!  

How it looks the morning he wakes up:

And how it looks 4 days after the incident: 

Also I've not been feeling great.  My ears have been acting up, aching on and off the last 3 weeks.  I'm pretty sure it's due to the allergy thing, and I'm pretty sure it's all clearing up, but it makes me feel like I'm a five years old!  Seriously, what 27 year old gets ear infections?!