Our first visit to the ER

It was a regular day for our family until we left the house. I was on the way to the gym with the girls and was trying to make it to a 9:30 am class. I parked the car, strapped Cate in her stroller and walked along with Jane by my side. We were about three doors down from the gym, when Jane tripped, fell on her face and bit through her tongue. She had her hands in her coat pockets, so there was nothing to break her fall. It wasn't pretty and the blood started gushing from her mouth. I quickly grabbed Cate's glove and stuffed it in Jane's mouth. A few moms that were nearby offered to help, and I was able to get both girls inside the gym. We got settled in the family locker room and I cleaned up Jane's mouth. After consulting with my neighbor (also a gym member) and a nurse (friend of my neighbors), we agreed that Jane probably needed stitches. So, I called Trever and had him meet me at home. We agreed that he should take Jane to the hospital and that I would stay home with Cate. He is better at dealing with hospitals, blood and trauma, so this was a good thing, for me.

I finally heard from Trever at noon and he said that Jane was doing well and that she was just waking up. Apparently they tried to put her in a straight jacket (which my neighbor warned me about) but were not able to get her to hold still. I guess they gave her some heavy drugs and were able to get her to relax enough to put in three stitches. Trever said that the whole straight jacket experience was pretty traumatic. I hate to say it but I am glad I wasn't the one that had to witness the whole situation.

Jane is now home and is taking a nap in her room. She is in good spirits but seems very sedated. We have stocked the fridge and freezer with popsicles, ice cream and yogurt. She cannot drink out of a straw for the next few days but should be doing much better in a couple of days. I guess the moral of this story is keep your hands out of your pockets when you are walking. And, keep calm and carry on.