Around 12:15 or so my work phone rang and it was Isaac telling me to log out and he was on his way to get me. I asked why since we didn't have our 8 hours in yet. He quickly said the school (Mill Creek Towne Elementary) had just called him and said that Mikayla was being taken to the hospital by ambulance and we should meet her there. I hung up with him and called the school myself. As soon as I heard a voice on the other end, I quickly announced who I was and before I knew it there was a different voice on the phone who introduced himself as the paramedic. He was very nice and calm. He explained that 2 children were going, one with a head injury and one with a mouth injury and that my daughter was the mouth injury. He must've known that I was about to say there was no reason to go to the hospital, when he said "the hospital has great plastic surgeons that work well with children"....or something to affect. I can only truly recall hearing "plastic surgeon" and before I knew it, I was crying and thanked him and quickly got off the phone (after ensuring he take her to the hospital of my choice--you know, the one that accepts our insurance).
Isaac is a great driver. I let him drive us there and I never once complained about squealing tires or quick turns, because I was sidetracked with making arrangements for Erica and Jacob after school. Since i didn't know what happened, I had to ensure they were taken care of after school....but possibly through the night. I quickly called a sister I visit teach who helped me calm down by letting me know that someone will ride with Mikayla in the ambulance and she is not alone. I hung up with her and called my own visiting teacher (who thankfully has a son in Mikayla's class), so I told her that Bryce would have a great story when she picked him up from school. As I was explaining, she was telling me that she would just pick up Erica and go to my house and pick up Jacob and take them both to her house. So that was taken care of and we were pulling into the hospital.
So Isaac dropped me off (did I mention I was only 2.5 weeks out from having knee surgery at the same hospital) to quickly go in (notice I didn't say "run" in)! I didn't even have to stop walking. As I was walking in, I was announcing my name and that my daughter was brought by ambulance, so they pointed me to a door that they automatically opened for me where I was greeted by a desk of nurses. I was walking toward them announcing who i was and that my daughter was brought in and a nice nurse said "oh room 6" so I never stopped. I think she was attempting to show me to the room, but there was no need, I was already in the room by the time she stood up.
I was so happy to see Mikayla's classroom teacher, Mrs. Glossup, whom she adores! Mikayla was laying with a huge gauze over the left side of her face. The nurse explained to me that she was not allowed to talk. So there she lay staring at me with her wide blue eyes and didn't say a word. I bent down to kiss her on the forehead and then the doctor asked to speak to me in the hall. Perfect timing on Isaac's part, who rounded the corner just as the doctor started. The doctor was a pediatric surgeon who was waiting on us to arrive so she could begin the stitching up of the lip. She explained that everyone would need to stay seated while she numbed and stitched the lip. She said it could take her up to an hour to complete. She said we would need to leave the hospital when she finished and take Mikayla to the dentist to have her teeth checked and she recommended the plastic surgeon that we needed to see.
Then we went in and she pulled back the gauze and i was the one sitting on the bed beside Mikayla. As the doctor pulled the gauze back, Mikayla was watching my face. This is where my high school days of being in drama came in handy. I sat there and just kept talking to her and smiling and telling her it was going to be fine.....all the while my heart was racing and my hands started shaking. There's something about seeing a section of your 8 year old's top lip hanging below her bottom lip that suddenly had me scared. No wonder the doctor said we had to stay seated. But my face never would've shown to Mikayla how my heart was feeling.
The lidocaine hurts and burns so much. I knew it was hurting her. My heart was breaking for her, but i just kept my voice as calm as possible and she remained very still as tears streaked down toward her ears. The doctor was right, it took her about 52 minutes to complete the stitches. She made one complete top lip again. It was swollen, but we left there and headed for the dentist.
So I started this post several weeks ago....the plastic surgeon re stitched the lip a week later and then a week later, removed them! We keep sunscreen on the scar and go back in a few months to see him so he can check the healing!!
