We went to the pier again today. And I brought Grace back to the condo to get a juice and go potty. David stayed at the pier with Faith, the double stroller, and the pier cart. He had 3 lines in the water and the bucket full of fresh bait. On our way back to the pier, Grace wanted to run. And then she fell face-first in the gravel. She tried to catch herself but just wasn't fast enough.
I ran to her and looked her over. She opened her mouth and I saw that her front tooth looked pushed back. Her gums were bleeding and her lip was already swollen to twice its normal size. So I picked her up and ran back to the condo and all the way up two flights of stairs. We went straight to the kitchen so I could get a better look. I brushed off as much of the gravel as I could and re-inspected her mouth. My heart jumped into my throat when I reconfirmed that her front tooth wasn't in its normal position. All the while I kept telling Grace that "Momma was going to make it better. Momma is going to fix it." Then I picked up the phone and called David telling him simply that Grace fell and he needed to come home now.
Then I found Grace's dentist's card on the refrigerator and called praying that someone would answer. Of course, no one did but the voicemail had another number in case of emergencies. This definitely qualified in my opinion. If the dentist didn't work out then we were heading to the emergency room. Fortunately, Dr. Jones answered and told us to meet her at her office in 10 minutes. I don't think I've ever been so scared or worried. This was my baby. And she was hurt. And I couldn't fix it alone.
By the time I got Grace in the car, David was back. He managed to pack Faith up, load up all the fishing gear, and get it all home with the help of a neighbor. I thank the good Lord that we have such kind neighbors and such a logical husband. David is my calm in the midst of storms. He keeps me focused and helps me not panic. He is better than I deserve and I thank God each and every day for bringing into my life.
Well, we loaded Faith into the car, grabbed a popsicle for Grace, then headed on our way. After we arrived, Dr. Jones took us straight back to the exam room and cleaned Grace up. Poor baby still had gravel on her face and in some of her cuts. Fortunately, she didn't need stitches. Then Dr. Jones confirmed that Grace displaced her tooth, but it wasn't loose which was a great thing. She took some xrays to make sure there wasn't any root damage or bone fractures. And there wasn't as far as Dr. Jones could tell.
Dr. Jones did tell us that Grace's tooth should be fine but we'll keep a close eye on it and she suggested putting Grace on antibiotics to prevent an infection that could cause an abscess. Then she gave Grace a princess crown and gift certificate for an ice cream at Chick-fil-a. All in all, Grace is just fine. She'll need to eat soft foods for the next couple of days and take her antibiotic to prevent an infection, but she's okay. She's a tough little girl.
But then she looked up at me and said, "Momma. My teeth feel wrong." And it was all I could do to not cry. After Grace went to bed I finally broke down and cried my heart out. I felt so silly but I just couldn't help it. It had been such a terrifying event during which I refused to let Grace see how worried I was. And I had all kinds of emotions built up that I just couldn't hold in any longer. Worry. Fear. Anxiety. Relief. I am so grateful that she is okay. In fact, I think her fall may have been harder on me...
No comments:
Post a Comment