Today did not go as planned. The boys and I got a ride in La Ceiba to meet Kim and do some shopping in a souvenir shop. We met Kim at the hotel. Took a tax to the souvenir shop. Got out and were exploring the hammocks outside the shop. Jaden got in one two-person hammock and Clay wanted to get in one too. The one that was closest was quite high off the ground so I just lifted Clay up there. I stood beside him the whole time and gave instructions to Jaden and Clay about what not to do in hammocks and to be careful because it is easy to fall out. Both boys have been sitting in hammocks frequently at missionary houses and at staff housing (our home). No one had fallen out and they seemed to understand the instability of hammocks. It is important to note that these hammocks were both two-person hammocks with wooden rods across each end and probably tip easier than one-person hammocks.
Kim came over to ask me a question and I took my eyes off of Clay and next thing I know he is tipping over and I am trying to grab him and watch him nail his head into the stone bench/step below the hammock. I try grabbing him before he hits the concrete ground and miss and he hits his head again. I am freaking out and quickly scoop him up and turn away toward the store. A lady runs over and quickly puts her hand to Clay's huge cut on his forehead to apply pressure as blood is gushing out of his head. Clay is crying. I am crying. A man comes over and says God is with you because you have a nurse with you (holding Clays wound) and says he can take us to the hospital. I am agreeing God is with us and please take us. We all leave in his car together.
We arrive at Hospital D'Antoni (private hospital, but still questionable care). We get rushed in to a bed. I proceed to lay with Clay over the next 20 minutes and hold him still. I try to calm him down amidst my tears and the tape in my head repeating, "I shouldn't have put him up there. I am so sorry I let this happen to you." Clay screamed like crazy, even though the doctor tried to numb the area (not very well). We didn't know what to do. Our new friends left. I began wondering should be have had Clay stitched up here or tried to get to the hospital where we are staying (1 1/2 hours away). We have no ride and no phone. We also looked for a phone number and couldn't find anyway to call anyone. We had a meeting place in about an hour to our ride. We decide to just go to the meeting place but first I pay the bill...$50. At least we got off cheap relative to American ER's but the care was not great.
Later I realized that the doctor didn't clean out the wound. And I found out that the doctor stitched Clay incorrectly, with the wrong thread and the wrong stitch. I'm sure he will have a scar. The wound is incredibly deep and about 1 1/2 cm long above his left eyebrow.
Poor Clay has been so traumatized by today. In reality he says he doesn't even remember what happened and it doesn't hurt. Now I just need to get over my trauma.
Bryan and the surgeon here looked at the wound tonight and okayed it but put Clay on antibiotics just in case of infection.
We are praying for an uneventful next few days until we return home.
2 comments:
I hope all is well with Clay and he recovers quickly. Take it easy on yourself, everyone makes mistakes and we can't control everything :-) See you guys at the airport on Monday night, call if you need anything or if anything changes with your flights.
Thanks. I am getting over it. He will have a scar but I don't think it will be too bad. I am sure happy that nothing worse happened to him. Now I am just worried about him being clumsy. I would've thought it would be Jaden who had scars by now because he is so daring but I think Clay is clumsier. I may have to watch him closer than I thought.
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