The other day, for the first time in our four years of parenting (thank God), we experienced something that required a trip to the emergency department. Fortunately, it wasn’t an absolute “emergency” (depending upon who you ask however), but an emergency never the less. You see, my little four year old decided to put something up her nose. And of course, it got stuck. The irony, in this situation is that 1. I never imagined it would be my clever (or not so clever) girl to send us to the emergency department; and 2. The little object was in fact from her toy medical kit. The irony.
I realised (again) that something that should be relatively quite simple is in fact extraordinarily challenging & emotional. What many of the doctors at the emergency department wards don’t understand is that you are reasoning with a four year old. A simple “kiss” to try & blow out the object (don’t ask) is in fact not just a kiss, but trauma. Lying on a hospital bed is not fun at all… even with the remote control beds that go up & down. It made me actually wonder if these doctors do in fact get trained in child communication & reasoning 101? My simple guess was no.
The poor little dear was completely oblivious to her actions. I think she actually forgot that something was in her hands, if that is at all possible. She wanted the damn thing out but had no idea how it was actually going to get out.
She was scared. Scared it was going to hurt.
A little girl that does not like strangers, new situations or new environments was suddenly put into a situation where everyone was prodding & probing her, all while being held down in something that resembled a straight jacket. Even the comfort of Daddy didn’t help.
It was hard for us all. No parent wants to see their child in absolute hysterics of anxiety and fear. It wasn’t the pain. It was the fear. Part of me wonders what is actually even worse.
In the end she learnt that the only thing that goes up your nose is snot. The following day we went & bought a bracelet (two in fact) for being so brave. She tells her story with an added “and it didn’t even hurt”.
The irony.
Linking up with Essentially Jess
