A Tongue Tale

Last night was eventful.

We waited for Rinar, to be able to eat dinner with him. But just when he was supposed to be home, he called to tell me two tires had blown out and he would have to get it towed to the tire shop.  We ate dinner and just carried on as always.

I decided to let the kids stay up so that they could see their Dad.  The three little ones were having a fun time climbing up onto the coffee table and then jumping on to the couch, which was about five inches away. Innocent fun, right?

My phone rang and it was the hospital in St. George calling to survey me for Harry's hospital visit last week when he split his ear open falling down. He had to get five stitches. I couldn't hear the lady very well, so I went into my bedroom. I was halfway through the questions when Eli walked in, crying, blood running out of his mouth.  I could tell it was different because the blood seemed darker and more intense.

I will never be a healthcare professional. I am terrible.

I pretty much panicked.  I didn't know what to do. Here I am, by myself in a new city. I have no friends or support system.  It is obvious that he needs to go to the hospital and my husband is not home.  I say a silent prayer and Raef calls Rinar. I then tell him I don't know what to do.  So, he tells me to take Eli to the ER and he will get someone from work to come over and be with the kids.

I race out of the house. I am shaking. I am barely holding it together. I am trying to stay calm. I have blood all over my shirt. Eli is holding a blue towel and putting it in his mouth to staunch the bleeding. He had bitten completely through his tongue.

Thank goodness for GPS.  I plugged it in and amazingly enough there is a hospital less than 1/2 mile away. I ran in and I plopped him on a chair.  I was pretty much frantic and the nurse tells me to pull it together.  Okay. Deep breaths. There are no other patinets in the ER, so they take him right back.  I think we waited 5 minutes and then the doctor came. 10 minutes later the IV nurse was there. I was really worried that Eli would get upset when they put the IV in him. I prayed some more. Amazingly enough, he didn't cry or move or anything. They put the IV in and wrapped it up.

After they left, then he started trying to dismantle all of the stuff stuck to his body.

The doctor and his team came back in shortly and started to operate, after they sedated him. I started to get a little woozy and nauseous.  Then Rinar walked in and I left. They put 3 stitches on top of his tongue, and one underneath.

When I got home, I told the kids what had happened and then they told me that they had said a few prayers for Eli.  I was so touched. My two nine year-old boys took it upon themselves to remember their brother and say a prayer for him. I know that because of their faith and all of the prayers said for Eli, it helped him to be calm during this entire process.

Such a blessing.

Now he is still sleeping soundly in his bed. 

Yes, it was a yucky situation and I don't want to see bad things happen to my children. However, I know that my Father in Heaven was there for us every step of the way as we went through this little trial. I am so blessed.

Now, I go to burn that coffee table!