My boy got hurt pretty bad today. In the 11 years that I have been a mom, today was the first time I had to rush one of my kids to the emergency room. While that is a pretty good track record and I should be thankful that we have gone this long without this milestone, it was the most awful feeling I have ever experience in my life and I NEVER want to go through that again. Although, if you know my boy you will surely understand when I say I know that is just a pipe dream and today's trip will surely not be my last.
I am lucky to have two very active kids. They are super athletic, love being outdoors and somehow acquired a competitive streak, not sure where that comes from (uncomfortable cough and now looking away). Our typical weekends are filled with activities and this weekend wasn't any different with football games, 2 days of a swim meet and a triathlon. What was on the unusual side was that the kids weren't doing the same events so my husband and I had to divide and conquer. For the record, I know I didn't conquer a dang thing and this weekend actually kicked me squarely in the butt.
So I was on the boy duty this morning as we left the house before 5am to check him into his triathlon. This was not his first one, in fact, this was his third, so we thought we knew what we were getting into. We stopped at Starbucks, blared some LMFAO on the car stereo and traveled for about an hour to get to the race. Everything was going great. We got his gear checked in, scouted out the area and had some time to relax before his event. We were having a great time.
My Boy Pre Race
My boy managed to position himself well for the swim start and was one of the first in his age group to come out of the water. His transition time from the swim to the bike was blazing fast! Any positions he gave up in the water he made up for when he raced onto the bike course. My pride and excitement were at an all time high as he made the quick loop giving me a big smile as he headed to the open road on his bike. The bike course is 3 or 4 miles long so there are just some parts that as a spectator you are not able to see, but that short of a distance usually doesn't take the kids too long to reappear. Within 10 minutes the first kids in his age group were returning. As I waited, my camera was poised ready to capture his triumphant return. After a few more minutes and a large number of kids returned I knew something was wrong. My boy is a fierce competitor and he should of been back. I knew.
Without even asking anyone I just ran for the medical tent. Ironically, at the same time I was running I saw an event car rushing to the same area. I can't tell you how I knew, but I knew my boy was in that car. I knew he was hurt. My heart ached and I cursed my feet for not being able to carry me faster. I needed to see him, hold him, tell him everything was going to be OK.
God Bless the wonderful crew in the medical tent. Although it couldn't of been more than a few minutes that he was there, they were already talking to him like they were old friends, distracting him from his pain and trying to clean out the gash. There was a lot of blood. The three of us instantly knew that it was pretty bad and with a shared glance we acknowledge that this was more than a band aide wound, but we weren't going to let our very shaken patient know. Quickly, we cleaned out the wound, packed the gash with ointment and bandaged him up.
OUCH!
My boy is tough. He is strong. He is brave. He amazed me today. The wound on his shin was deep and took 8 stitches to close up. He squeezed my hand when the pain got bad, but the only time he even cried a little was when I was holding him when we were alone. I would have gladly taken his pain as my own if I could, but I don't know if I could have handled it as well as he did. He is remarkable.
Now my remarkable little man is sleeping soundly probably dreaming of his next adventure which is not to occur in at least 7 - 10 days per doctor's orders. Keeping him down is going to be a challenge but as I sit here being too exhausted to sleep I am forever grateful for that challenge and the fact that it was only 8 stitches and nothing more. I showered him with all his favorite things tonight, pizza, ice cream and new games on the iPad. Tomorrow I am keeping him home from school under the pretense that the wound has to be protected the first 24 hours so the skin has an opportunity to begin the healing process. What is really happening is that I am afraid to let him go. I need him near me just a little longer, his presence reassuring me that he is in fact, OK.
Today reminded my how much I love my children. They are everything that is bright and right in my world and I would be lost without them. It was also the first time I truly saw one of my children in real pain and I couldn't do anything to take it away. Today I truly know what it means to be a mother bear. I have protected my kids from bullies, broken friendships, unforgiving teachers and being overlooked by those they thought they could trust. I have fought when I thought they were wronged even when they themselves didn't understand it. None of that prepared me for today. I laid in a hospital bed with my child wrapped in my arms and that was all I could do. But I can tell you, there is absolutely nothing in this world that would have been able to pry him away from me.
I hope that when the time comes for me to let them go I will be able to, but please God, please not anytime soon.
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