More Stitches for Poor Jo

It was a loooong day of driving, but we made it to the hotel in Atlanta, GA. We stopped at Cracker Barrell for dinner just outside of Atlanta. The kids took some painted rocks that said "relocate me". So they did. :) After that we were all eager to get everyone down into bed. There were only 2 queen beds, so we put Chuck, Perry & Jo in one, me & Spenc in the other, and we made a bed for Kaden on the floor between the beds. Jo was on the end next to our bed. Just minutes after lights out, we heard THUD and Josie screaming! Flipped the light on and found her on the floor crying. I thought she'd just slipped off and got scared. But when i picked her up, Perry started yelling "She's bleeding!!" She had hit the corner of the nightstand on the way down to the floor. It made a deep corner shaped hole in her eyebrow. We tried to clean her up in the bathroom and pressed a clean cloth onto it. She needed stitches, so off she & I went to the ER.

I carried her in my arms while she cried. I felt so awful and desperate to get her help. I went to the concierge desk to ask for the nearest hospital. She gave me a map, but when I got there, it was closed!! It wasn't open 24hrs. UGH! So i went to the next closest hospital but it was closed too. Seriously!? I was frantic and Josie was screaming in her carseat that it hurt so bad. I called Spencer, then called another hospital before heading there. They had a Pediatric ER, but it was 25mins away. I made it there in 15. (Don't ask how)

I parked and carried Jo in  my arms inside. She'd stopped crying when I held her in the waiting room.

She kept saying, "Mommy, it feels like ants crawling on my eyebrow." That  meant blood was running down her face, which meant I wasn't holding the washcloth close enough to her head. I was trying not to press too hard because that made her cry again. They brought her back within 30mins of waiting, removed the blood soaked bandaid we applied, and cleaned the wound. Then they put gauze with medicine & taped it. We waited for a couple more hours before the pediatric surgeon brought her back. 

I have to say even though we were there for such a long time, people in Atlanta are SO nice! They all helped my girl feel cared for & calm. Southern hospitality is a real thing!!

The nurse & doctor were amazing! Josie didn't flinch when they flushed out the wound or when they gave her a numbing shot (and that needle was BIG!). I had to keep looking away during every part. But Josie just smiled through every stitch. They kept saying how tough she is. She is the bravest & toughest girl i have ever met! Way tougher than me. The staff called her the ER rock star of the day! They even gave her a bear to take home. She named him Dr. Corduroy. :)

 We left the hotel to find the ER at 9:30pm and got back into bed at around 3am. But Jo was a champ about it all. Even in the morning when she was super tired. 

Mommy was tired too, but less of a champ about it all. I didn't handle it well. I hate when my babies are hurt and I can't fix it right away. Breaks my heart.

In order to let Jo & I sleep some more, Daddy took the boys for a walk outside. The explored a little of Atlanta around the hotel. They had a nice walk over the freeway, found a plant they'd never seen before, & took some pictures. Jo & I  appreciated the extra quiet time to sleep. :) Thanks Daddy!!