"What's up with Elizabeth's foot" is what you're probably asking yourself. Well, let me tell ya.She has a pretty bad burn on the bottom of her right foot.
Today, as we were leaving swim lessons, Elizabeth decided to "test her boundaries" with me and stood in the middle of the parking lot. She was standing right behind a car that was getting ready to back up. Twice I firmly told Elizabeth, "come here"..and she ignored me. I quickly grabbed her by the hand and started walking. She started crying...and then screaming. I just figured she was mad that she didn't get her way. After about 10 feet of walking, she picked up her feet and started hanging from my one hand. I made her stand on her own 2 feet and that's when I noticed she just had one of her flip-flops on. The other one was back where I had grabbed her.
So I went back, picked up the flip flop and instructed her to get to the van. We all get in the van and start heading home (thankfully, my parents live about 1.5 miles from the pool!)...and she just keeps sobbing...unlike I've ever heard before. I got more and more irritated at her because she wouldn't "stop her fuss". At a stop sign I turned around to tell her, one more time, to calm down...and that's when I caught a glimpse of the bottom of her right foot. It didn't look right...kinda like when you have a blister and it pops...the skin real white and loose-looking.
I felt terrible for being so upset with her!
So I stepped on the gas and got home as quick as I could, called the pediatrician's office (which was closed for lunch), and started soaking her foot in lukewarm water.
I put a real loose bandage on it, gave her some Tylenol, and put all 3 kids down for nap.
Wouldn't you know-within 5 minutes of Elizabeth falling asleep, the peds office called and they wanted to see the foot...and they had an opening in 15 minutes.
I had hemmed and hawed about whether I should have gone to the peds..and I'm so glad I did. By the time we were actually seen (burn happened at 1pm and seen by ped around 3:15) the burn had blistered and was pretty red around the edges.
Poor baby!
The doc soaked it, treated it, and bandaged it up. I get to repeat the procedure tomorrow and then we go back in for a follow-up Thursday morning...mainly to make sure an infection hasn't set in.
Now we have to carry her EVERYWHERE as her foot is too tender for her to put weight on ...and let me tell you -it has not taken her long to figure out how to milk this for all she can. :) Seriously! She has told me at least 20 times "mommy-owie" and points to her foot and kinda "snaps" her fingers at me for me to pick her up. That's not going over so well for mommy! I've noticed that, if I'm out of the room, she's perfectly content...but the minute I walk back in there is lot of whimpering and whining and fussing. Little stinker!
Part of me is already somewhat annoyed that she is turning the cry on and off...but then I have to remember that for the first 21 months of her life she was cared for..but not the same way a mommy does. I'm pretty sure her nannies didn't have time to kiss and cuddle every boo-boo away. And this isn't just any old boo-boo...this is a pretty bad one!
If you think of it, please keep us, especially Elizabeth, in your prayers. I'm imagining a burn to the foot will take extra time to heal since it's such a sensitive area.
**and if you're wondering what's going on in the last picture above, Elizabeth is writhing in pain and Andrew decided to pray for her right there, at her bed. What a sweet boy!**
taken about 30 minutes before "the incident". :)
12 comments:
This makes my stomach sick. The pain has to be terrible. I guess now is the time to use that Ergo. I wonder if you could get creative and have the kids push her around the house in the dolly stroller - or maybe this is just God's gift to force you to slow down and hold and cuddle her more - kind of like how he used my sickness to allow me that time with my littles. We are praying for Elizabeth.
Oh!! Poor Elizabeth! I just read yesterday how dangerously hot some playground equipment get in the summer time. I will absolutely be praying for your sweet girl!!
That just makes me cry! Poor girl. We're praying for her. Enjoy all the extra snuggly time!
Poor Elizabeth! I was wondering what you meant about "minor medical emergency." I put Mallory on a Little Tykes-type slide at the playground last week and thought she was just scared when she whined, until I felt how hot that plastic was. Praying E's foot heals quickly. And that picture of Andrew praying - I had to choke back the tears! What a precious tender heart!
Oh, poor girl! I will pray for her!
Thank God it wasn't worse...that she didn't walk longer on the hot pavement...that the Dr. could see her right away, etc. I'll take what you wrote and the other comments as a warning to myself to be extra careful about outdoor surfaces with my boys.
While I'm praying for Elizabeth's recovery, I'll also pray for your heart to be full of grace during this time. You've got a lot going on right now, but I know His strength can carry you along.
Oh a burn hurts SO bad....even a minor one, so I can imagine how she feels.
You are probably right in your understanding of he orphanage care versue her mommy care. She's a smart little girl and in an orphanage they earn quickly how to manipulate to get what they want or need. I'm praying for both of you!
~Lynn
(((Elizabeth))) Sending some prayers for speedy recovery.
Our little Elizabeth!!! We will pray for quick recovery! I love the picture!!! KJ
Jeanette, maybe this isn't what you want to hear right now, but I appreciate you sharing this because it made a very effective object lesson for my boys this evening about the importance of obeying to stay under God's "umbrella" of protection. We've often talked about how when we disobey, we step out from under the umbrella and we can get hurt in all kinds of different ways. (I'm not saying that bad things only happen when we disobey, because I've learned Job's lesson that sometimes bad things happen anyway.) But I do think it's an important lesson for our children to learn that disobedience does have consequences, and God can protect them if they are walking in obedience. Make sense?
Anyway, I'm very, very sorry that this happened to Elizabeth; but someday when she's older, you can tell her that this episode was an example for several little boys that she's never met!
Sorry - had to delete our comment - too many spelling errors/typos ....
Pray on, Andrew! You're a good, good brother! We've been out of Blogland for awhile, except to post about Joanna Mei's journey to the USA - hoping all is well with Elizabeth.
Re: your observation about orphanage workers not having time to love on the kids - so true. Joanna Mei whines and yelps like a puppy when we walk into the room, but can be quiet for long periods of time in her Baby Einstein jumper. She just soaks in every bit of affection we can give her .... on her own terms, of course. She may be part cat .... frelines do the same tning.
Blessings to you and your family. We'll be checking in more frequently.
So sorry to hear about Elizabeth's foot. Praying for her.
So glad that God has blessed her with a mommy who is able to pick her up when she needs it, kiss her owies and take care of her. She may be milking is but she has lots of time to make up for the first 21 months.
After waiting 28 months to adopt....and still waiting...i cannot wait to be the victim of overdone whimpers and requests to be carried.
Post a Comment