I think there will be times in your children's lives that you will remember forever, whether it be the really, really good ones - or - the really, really bad ones.
Sunday was a really, really bad one. We went up to my sister's house to see her (Aunt "Reebs"), Uncle Jason & Cousin Roman. We were outside playing on the swing set, pitching baseballs to Brett & getting bit by a few mosquitoes... so we got out the bug spray.
I didn't see what exactly happened (I was pitching to Brett) but when I turned around at the sound of screams, Davis had the bottle of bug spray up near his eye - he was frozen in pain. I ran to get him, we raced inside to the bathroom where I flushed his eye out for over 15 minutes. I filled the sink, had him open his eyes under water, I smashed handfuls of water into his eyelids. I soaked towels, pressed them over his face & tried to squeeze the water into his eyes. I worked feverishly for over 15 minutes trying to give him some relief... but he was still crying hysterically & when I would force him to open his eyes he could only do it for a split second & I could see that they were red.
So when I did all I could do, we took him to an Urgent Care place. Long story, short... we got him checked in & checked out. They wanted to do an "irrigation". I pictured what I had seen in my chemistry class in highschool (the only thing I remember from chemistry in highschool) where it was a little contraption that you put your face in to quickly rinse the eyeballs. I knew he'd be annoyed... but thought it'd be quick & over with after a quick little rinse.
Wrong-O.
5 nurses came in with a big contraption that they laid down. Davis laid on top of it, then they velcroed his whole body shut. All I could see was his shins, his head & part of his hands. They also had one of those IV poles with 2 - 1,000 mL bags of sodium chloride. 1 per eye. I saw how much it was & hoped they only had to use a portion of it.
Wrong-O.
The 5 nurses held his head, pried his eyelids open & held the plastic tubing over his eyeballs while the bags started draining... the tubes were small, so it took those bags a pretty long time to drain. He got hysterical after about 10 seconds of it... and when I saw how long it was taking, I said "Do we have to finish those bags?" And they said ".....yeah. Or 15 minutes - whichever comes first. We're hoping to finish the bags first!!!"
The poor guy had his eyeballs pried open with water spilling into them for about 13 minutes. As I explain it... you know how when you get water squirted in your eye, how all you want to do is BLINK & RUB YOUR EYES? He wasn't able to do either while enduring 13 minutes of it.
He was hysterical (for good reason) and I was so glad he was only 4 and he hasn't learned any naughty, nasty words. Because the worst we got was:
"IT'S GETTING IN MY EYESSSSSSSSSSSSS!" {which did make me laugh a little}
"I WANT TO WATCH T.VVVVVVVVVVVVV.!!!" {there was a TV in the room with Dora on}
"I'M SO TIRED OF THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!"
"CAN WE PLEASE BE DONEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
"I WANT DADDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!"
"CAN YOU PLEASE STOP?! I HAVE TO GO POTTY!!!!"
"IT'S COMING OUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!" {the potty}
"GET ME OUT OF HEREEEE. I'M GETTING TIRED OF THIS!"
So as the bags were about 4/5 done (took a freakin' lifetime) one of the nurses estimated that if they counted to 50 they'd be done. So she had Davis (through sobs) help her count to 50. And miraculously (thank you God) it was indeed over. 2,000 mL of water that had passed through his eyeballs was now all over the floor. They got him out.... and right away, the sweet, sweet boy perked up and was back to adorable little self. He was shaking because he was wet & cold and they asked if he wanted "a warm blankie". He said "no... I'll just put my shirt on." So we put his Missouri Tigers jersey back on. Then I asked if he needed to go potty & we went. (for the record he did not have an accident... I think it was just the sensation of all the water that made it seem that way to him)
The nurses then proceeded to win back his love & trust. They asked if he wanted a popsicle & I said "oooo earlier he asked if he was going to get a STICKER. But a POPSCICLE?!?!" And they said "Umm... I think that was worth more than A STICKER." So they left to get the popsicle, but not before asking what color he wanted. He said "Green! Because that's my favorite color." They sort of winced at the possibility of not finding a green one for their best patient... but sure enough, they brought him a green one. A TWIN PACK. He didn't want both, though..."because it would take me a long time." So we split it - we both got one. (I think I deserved a little treat, too) They also brought him sheets of stickers... and then when they still didn't feel like it was enough, they disappeared again to go find more loot for the boy. A couple of them confessed to me "Can you tell we don't like doing this [the traumatic irrigation]??!!!?!" They felt terrible for having to do that to him. Their last trip in bearing gifts, brought him a box of Mr.Potato Head pieces that go in pumpkins (turning a real pumpkin into a pirate & a witch Mr.Potato Head!). OH & he ALSO got a new Pirate seek-n-find book that his dear Aunt Reebs bought him next door at Toys-R-Us. (She was with us for moral support, and took Libby next door to help kill time...)
I love these photos of him. It is just minutes after what was (& I pray will remain) the most traumatic event of his life... his hair is still wet from the procedure, yet he's happy as a lark. No grudges, no heading for the hills... he is just a brave, happy soul.
I know some might be thinking "It was just bug spray". But it was also 2 hours of pain & agony for him... and as his mother it was so hard to watch, hard to be responsible for him, his safety & his well-being. And at the same time I do know "it was just bug spray". So I feel for any parents who have ever had to go through something worse. Having to watch your child suffer while the only thing you can do is stand at his side & kiss his little shins just rips your heart out.
Kyle & I are blessed to have 3 healthy children & I've never been so thankful that it was just bug spray! We love you, buddy!
