8/8/8 - The get-together and the ER Visit

Tonight after work we went over to a friend's house to hang out on their deck. It was a beautiful evening, the kids were happy and content, there was a Brewers game on the radio and a fire pit roaring.

And then Smiley and our friend's dog collided. I'm not sure what happened except that it was an accident and seems to be nothing more than two bodies trying to occupy the same space at once, but it was not good.

Smiley started screaming immediately. We think it was the dog's tooth or claw, but whatever it was it ripped a inch long, very deep gash into Smiley's forehead just above his left eyebrow.

I drove him to the hospital and Lisa met me there (she needed to make sure the kids could stay, etc). Boy was I glad she was there! When it comes to important things, in Smiley's eyes there is 'Mama' and 'Not-Mama', to steal an old joke.

The male half of our couple friends had driven Lisa to the hospital and stayed to keep us company, leaving just before the stitches went in.

Unlike YaYa, who at the same age took her Easter stitches it in stride, Smiley fought like a lion. He was doped up with oral tranquilizers with his arms encased in a pillowcase and his body wrapped in a restraining papoose. Even so we STILL needed Lisa to hold down his legs while I strained to hold down his torso and a male nurse struggled to keep his head still.

He screamed and screamed and bucked and fought the whole time, at many points crying 'Mama! Mama!" .

Along with the visuals, it wasn't a very comfortable 10 minutes. In the end, a mere one internal stitch and 5 on the outside.

And then it was over. Smiley had wet himself in his fight and was clearly embarrassed even through the fog of the drugs, but he soon fell asleep  in Mama's arms; he's scream if I even tried to take over the duty.

I overheard the doctor joking that they'd have to rethink what the maximum dosage of the drugs would be in the future, alluding to how it failed to calm him down, and that he hadn't had such a fighter in years. That wasn't a compliment. The doctor was worn out and definitely ranked it as an unpleasant night of work. I'm with him on that.

It's one thing to take it without flinching like YaYa but there's something to be said for a steadfast refusal to accept the unacceptable and fight on. Props to Smiley for that.

Here's a pic of him pre-stitches in the ER.