Between a Rock and a Hard Place-Sarah's finger


What started off as a fun day in the park turned out to be a fun day at the hospital.
While playing at the park with her cousins, Sarah's finger got caught underneath a large rock being used by a one year old as a hammer.

She was such a trouper. She actually ripped her own fingernail off that was hanging by a thread. I am not exactly sure how many stitches her pointer finger received...four? five? We will be back in the hospital tomorrow for a wound check, and if I remember, I will count.

I remembered two of her dislikes while at the hospital. One was being weighed. This is normal procedure for Emergency Room visits. We have not been able to get a correct weight on her in months. The second...the papoose.
Sarah never liked being confined or swaddled. Even as a baby. She was not a fan of the "papoose" they used to hold her still. Being a tough little girl, she wriggled her uninjured hand free during the stitching, and found her one comfort...her bellybutton.
Below is the last picture ever taken of her uninjured pointer finger. I believe that she is a lefty, and that was the finger the rock found.

I held her displaced fingernail in my hand for an hour and a half while waiting for the doctor. Moments before he saw us, I threw it away. Bad idea. The doctor asked for the nail, like a dentist would ask for a broken off tooth. He said that he could replace the nail which would guide the new one as it grew in. Who would have known?

I felt horrible. I knew that my tossing of the nail would result in a horrifically mangled new nail. Irrationally, I worried about her trauma in having a grotesque fingernail as a pre-teen. I guess fake nails are always an option.
Hammer boy and Sarah minutes before the accident. It was not Jake's fault. He just happened to find an awesome rock...an awesome pointy sharp rock, heavy enough to crush a finger.
All of the cousins before the accident. When we got back from the hospital, they were still at the park, waiting. When I asked Rachel what they did while we were gone, she said, "we prayed for Sarah".
That was the best news I heard all day.

Comments

Christy Dyer said…
I have been worried because you haven't blogged and was going to write you! Poor Sarah. I too lost a nail a couple of years ago. Dan tossed it in the toilet. The Doctor said the same thing. I should have kept it. Live and Learn. I wear gel nails so it is an option! fun pictures of all the little ones.
The Bears said…
She ripped off her own nail! That is tuff! I'm glad she is such a trouper and her cousins sound so sweet.
Minna Dyer said…
We are good friends with the ER. Well, until we got our last hospital bill for Jane's two-stitch cut. I don't think I can forgive...
Jensens said…
awwww...poor Sarah. Hope her finger is feeling better soon!
Annette said…
Ouch! I bet that really hurt and still does, I could never pull my finger nail off by myself. Hope she gets better soon. It looks like you are having a really fun summer!
Ben and Shara said…
Wow what a girl!!
Thanks for the tip on the nail thing. who knew?? I'll keep that in mind for my next visit to the doctors. he hee knock on wood.
Mike & Traci said…
First off...Sorry it has been Forever since i have commented on your blog :( and I am sorry to see that Sarah got a hurt finger :( Well she seems like a pretty touch little girl & her nail will recover beautifuly!! And your right...who would have known that you needed to keep the finger nail. Well if this incident ever happens to me...I will be sure to Remember :)
Anonymous said…
Emergency room visits for little kids are a horrible form of torture for all involved. It sounds like Sarah came through with flying colors (thank goodness for belly buttons). Hope she feels better soon!