Bled Her Own Blood

Let me set the stage, Saturday afternoon at my friend Elizabeth’s bridal shower at my neat-nick friend Leah’s house…Isabella discovers crackers. Picture a 10-month old baby with a slobbery round cracker in each hand and crumbs on her face, trickling onto the coffee table and Oriental rug.

Having just learned to pull herself up, I was a bit nervous about her using Leah’s coffee table for leverage. But, it’s a big world out there and it’s my job to protect her but also allow her to explore.

All was fine as she grabbed five more crackers (minimum) from the silver tray and smushed them on her face and into Leah’s rug. Just as I was beginning to feel more comfortable with her “stability,” she slipped.

I, sitting just beside her on the floor, picked her up, cradled her in my arms, and covered her from a dozen or so concerned friends as I softly repeated “You’re okay Isabella.”

Was she okay? I really wasn’t sure. But that’s what you have to say, right?

Once I was ready to actually take a look see if she, in fact, was okay, I saw blood on her mouth and on my shoulder where her mouth had been.

To be honest, I was a little panicked. I can handle a lot, but blood, especially coming from my child (whose blood I’d never seen!)….where’s the doctor?

Thankfully, there was a nurse in the house. Ashley, a NICU physicians assistant at MCG and one of my oldest most dear girlfriends, was right behind me already and ready to examine my sweetheart.

The bleeding stopped almost immediately and Isabella jumped right back into banging her head on the ground, pulling up on anyone and everything (except the coffee table, I had to draw the line), and being her cute, sweet self.

Though I can’t always count on a nurse or doctor being “in the house” each time Isabella gets hurt, I sure am lucky that Ashley was there the first time.