Get That Out Of The Yard Please!

Well, it has been 24 hours. This time last night we were just getting home from the ER. Let me back up a little a give you the low-down!

It was 7 pm, Sunday evening. We had just opened the windows to let in the cool air. I was sitting at the computer checking my email and friends on facebook. Erin went for a driver's lesson in the jeep with her father. Caleb was playing in the yard with a neighborhood friend. All was peaceful. My, how fast things can change.

I heard Caleb scream, "Mom, come here! Hurry! Quick!" I ran out the door but Caleb didn't like how fast I was going, and insisted I go faster. When I got to him I couldn't believe what I saw. I asked what happened. Caleb tripped over a horseshoe stake that was poking out of the ground. There was a gaping hole about 2 inches deep, 1 inch wide, and 2 inches long. WHAT! I ran back into the house to call David and get some bandages to cover the wound. When I tried to call David, his phone rang on the coffee table. I couldn't believe it! I tried to call my neighbor across the street to see if she would drive the neighborhood to see if she could find them. No answer. OK, I was frantic already. This did not help my nerves. Finally, she called me back. Just at that moment, at the end of the driveway, there they were. I frantically waved like a lunatic for them to come home. Erin, still learning how to drive, slowly maneuvered her way back to the house. I motioned for them to STOP. David hopped out of the passenger side of the Jeep and I explained to him that Caleb took a chunk out of his leg because he tripped over a horseshoe stake. There was no way around it. We would be taking another trip to the hospital for stitches.

Two years ago, Caleb tripped over something else and cut his shin open. That one required 6 stitches. From the looks of this wound, my 'worse-case scenario,' 'pessimistic' mind just knew that they were gonna have to remove skin from another part of his body to fill in the hole that the pole made in his leg. Luckily, the stake did not go that deep or go all the way through the leg.

We decided to go to the same small town medical center that stitched Caleb up before. Some people may not like those small town hospitals but that first time we went, we were in, stitched up, and out in UNDER an hour. UNcalled for with your bigger hospitals.

They would only let one parent back there at a time, so Erin and I waited in the waiting room, which did not settle my nerves any more. At one point during our wait, Erin told me to quit staring at the clock because I was going to break it! I paced back and forth, waiting to hear something. I used my cell phone and called some family members and friends until my phone went dead. Then, I heard screaming! I knew that scream. My little man! They were injecting him with Lidacaine, the numbing medicine. He did that last time. A few minutes later, my hubby came to give me an update. He came out so I could go back to see my little man. When I got back there, Caleb was calm. He told me he made sure everyone in the hospital knew he was hurting. LOL. I looked at the place where he was hurt. Left leg, about 2 inches to the upper left of the knee, right before the 'meaty' part of your thigh. When Caleb was laying in the yard, crying because this injury might prevent us from being able to enjoy some of those 'extra' activities, I had no idea how they were going to be able to pull the skin together to even stitch him up. During his tearful rant of not wanting to go because he didn't want us to spend the money, we had to tell him to not worry about those things and let's worry about getting you better.

Back to the leg. When I went back to see him, mind you they had already injected him with the numbing meds, I looked at it and thought, "WOW!" Where did that extra "skin" come from? The 'meat' under the skin was gone at the house. I remember picking skin off of the other leg. I was disgusted from picking it up. I almost couldn't believe what I was doing or what I was seeing. Will he be able to move his leg? Will he be able to play sports? Again, the worse-case scenarios going through my head.

The doctor came back to the room, so I left to go get David. At least there were no more screams. When what seemed like forever, but wasn't, here they came. Caleb walking on his own was a great sight to see. He was walking like a pirate and insisted I buy him a patch and hook! Not on your life! At least he didn't lose his sense of humor. He walked out of there with only 5 stitches. 5. I do not have a clue how except to say that God gave our bodies the ability to repair itself when we encounter a traumatic experience. I am not going to say it was a miracle, because I think a miracle is something where no one can explain it in ANY way. But, I know that God blessed our family that day. He kept Caleb safe and prevented it from being worse that it could have been. I thank God for protecting our family!

I remember sitting in the waiting room at 7:30 p.m. while his father, my husband, our pastor and spiritual leader, prayed for our son and our family. At 9:20, we were driving home. Unless it is a catastrophe, I will not go to any big hospital. Caleb has received excellent, quick service with friendly nurses and staff. There is no reason to go anywhere else!

Needless to say, the horseshoe stake is no longer in the yard and we are still praying that Caleb will heal quickly and properly!