I'll publish that post tomorrow.
Last night, while the kids were eating dinner (Friday is date night so we don't eat dinner with them), I was sitting about ten feet away (nursing Baby Bear and dorking around on Facebook). Lil Prince let out a whine (that I almost completely ignored due to the sheer volume of whines he had uttered that day) followed shortly by a shriek. I jumped to my feet. He was standing in the kitchen, blood dripping from his hand, pulling at the fat pad on his left middle finger which was literally hanging, almost completely severed.
Apparently, he had reached into the trash after an empty green bean can, stuck his finger between the lid and the can (because, for draining purposes, I hadn't fully removed the lid - a practice I am now rethinking), and then proceeded to yank it back out.
I gasped once, and then narrowed my focus in the specific way that is enabled by blood and shrieking. I grabbed a wad of napkins and squeezed his finger between them. He screamed that I was hurting him, and I screamed that I was sorry. I think that's the only thing I said besides calling, "Jesus," over and over again.
The comfort and power contained within that marvelous name never ceases to amaze me!
Papa Bear was at the new townhouse without a phone, and I was at home with a dead cordless phone (why can I never remember to put the danged thing back on the charger?!). I walked Lil Prince down the hall, because our emergency phone is in a cabinet in the bathroom, and called my wonderful brother, the computer guy and E.M.T. As I prayed that God would impress upon Papa Bear to hurry home, I was comforted by a precious story that I heard recently from a dear friend. Her son has a serious medical condition with heartbreaking side-effects, and in a fit of despondency, she called her mom and cried, "I just don't know how I can keep telling him that everything is going to be OK?!". Her godly mother responded softly, "Even if he dies, it will still be OK."
Eternal perspective: peace is impossible without it.
Of course, in this case, the worst thing that could happen was that Lil Prince would live without a fingerprint on his left-middle finger! But God likes to make big points though the little opportunities in my life.
Perspective: peace is impossible without it.
Right then, Papa Bear walked through the door and calmly took charge of bandaging the wound while I called the world's most wonderful babysitter (and my
(Hamming it up for Mama)
Nurse Renee (who was very impressed with Papa Bear's USMC bandaging skills) was absolutely fantastic. Plus, she called us super parents even though I had just let my son come close to cutting off his finger.
If only all nurses could be like her!
Lil Prince did his very best job of being big and brave for her.
His very best.
The crying didn't last long, and we spent the rest of the wait just entertaining each other. Lil Prince was so sweet that Nurse Renee grabbed him a couple of items from the "good kid toys" bin. And he deserved them. He was just precious.
They gave him a shot of Ketamine to sedate him for the procedure. He could move his terrified little eyes, and his heart was beating though his chest, but he was otherwise rendered motionless. It was scary and heartbreaking, and I just couldn't stop thanking God for my healthy children.
Nurse Mary (who is a friend from church) was present for the procedure, and everything went perfectly (despite taking about four hours from arrival to release).
He attempted to smile as soon as he had regained some control of his muscles. And I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the very first thing he did, but it's forever etched in my mind. As I leaned over to touch my forehead to his, he slowly formed an exaggerated pucker with his perfect little lips.
Oh how I love my loving little man!
He couldn't have anything to drink until he could form the words to ask. I really think that watching him struggle to speak was the emotionally trying peak of my parenting journey so far. It is going to take a long time at least a few days for his whine (we're in a definite whiny stage) to grate on my nerves.
Of course, Lil Prince enjoyed being sandwiched between us for the night (so much for date night), and with a little Tylenol he doesn't seem to be feeling any pain at all today.
I've been through some difficult things in my life, but my children have all been blessed with their health. If you have a child who is fighting illness, would you please share your needs in the comment section. I would be especially honored to pray for you today. 
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