First Stitches

Jillian received her first stitches today ... and she's only 14 months old. If she's anything like her Mommy, there will probably be many more stitches to come.

This morning, while playing around in the living room, Jillian decided to climb her toy refrigerator. She reached up to the top shelf and pulled herself up, only to slip and smack her mouth on a lower shelf. Mommy saw the whole thing happen, and as soon as Jillian hit her lip, it started spurting blood everywhere. Mommy immediately put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, and then got her cleaned up. Jillian was very upset! Mommy knew it was a pretty deep gash, so she called Daddy at work to ask for help driving Jillian to the urgent care clinic in Vancouver. Daddy came home and we loaded up for a quick trip.

When we got to the clinic and while Mommy was checking in, Jillian ran around with her split lip, exploring and having a good time in the waiting room. It was like nothing had even happened. Eventually, we went to our examination room, and when the physician assistant came to visit, it took only a moment for her to look at Jillian's lip and decide that she would need stitches. That's when she went to get someone else to help out (with holding Jillian down).

The nurse came in, got out a heavy blanket, and wrapped Jillian in the "burrito-wrap" ... and just like when she was a baby, Jillian got very mad!!! She doesn't like being confined! Mommy and Daddy helped hold her down while the nurse held her head, and the PA injected saline solution into her lip. Then she quickly put in 2 stitches. Jillian screamed the whole time, but once it was over and she got out the blanket, she was OK again.

On our way home, we stopped by Burgerville and picked up a vanilla milkshake. It was kind of like how Mommy got a soft-serve ice cream after one of her owies. Jillian slurped down the shake, and was in a much better mood afterwards.