ER

Things that went right today:

1) A pet groomer that comes to my house. How awesome is that?

2) My nasty cold is almost gone

3) Painted my fingernails purple for fun

On Friday night as the pizza was arriving and shortly before we were due to take the family to the movies our plans took a sudden turn. We heard a door slam followed by screaming and ran upstairs to find blood. A lot of it. Coming from my five year old son's finger. We couldn't see it very well but could tell it was pretty bad so we wrapped it up in a towel and dashed to the urgent care nearby. As the doctor there unwrapped the towel her shocked expression told the tale. It was worse than we had initially realized. The bleeding had slowed by then so we could now see that the top segment of his index finger was actually about 50% severed. The room did a little spin for me as I absorbed what I was seeing. My poor oldest son who was there was also stunned. He wants to be a doctor someday and as such has seen a lot of surgeries and things, but this was hard even for him to see because it involved his little brother. The urgent care people assessed quickly that this was beyond their ability to treat at their facility. So we had to get back in the car and drive him over to the hospital 15 minutes away. This was one of the longest drives of my life. As much as the dr had tried to be reassuring it was evident she was not sure what was going to happen to his finger. That it was serious. And I had to stay focused and drive. My eldest had given our little patient a quick priesthood blessing in the urgent care parking lot which had done a lot to calm my nerves, but it still took all of the courage I could muster to smile back at my sweet guy and tell him not to worry. That Mommy was there and it was all going to be ok. He was so scared, but amazingly brave. Braver than I felt inside for sure. At the emergency room of the hospital the staff there got him right in and immediately called in a plastic surgeon to do the repair. While waiting for him to arrive an x ray revealed that the tip of his finger bone was also broken. All in all we were there for about 6 hours but at the end of those we came home very grateful. First for tender mercies and a competent surgeon. With such a severe cut we had feared the worst in terms of recovery. But by a miracle the break was above the growth plate and joint so should heal fine with no lasting damage and we are pretty sure the cut bypassed the nerves. So while it is still too soon to tell, he will more than likely regain full mobility and most of the feeling in his finger as well. He will need some hand therapy sessions for sure, but should make a full recovery with no more than a nasty scar that he can brag to his friends about at school. As frightening as it was, it could have been so much worse. It hurts to see your children hurting, but my heart is full of gratitude today that my little one will be alright.

I am also so thankful for the wonderful staff at the hospital. I cannot say enough to describe how good they were to us. They brought my son toys and made him laugh. They held my hand. They brought us food. They were so kind and warm and loving. There were not just medical professionals...they were true caregivers. If I had to spend 6 hours in a hospital that night I couldn't have asked for a nicer group of folks to spend it with. They made me feel calm and safe even in a scary situation. I will always love them for that gift.

Steak salad

Things that went right today:

1) Got my computer back!

2) My son's surgeon saved his broken finger

3) Got a yummy loaf of bread from a friend

I offered to take my son out to lunch a few months ago. Without thinking through the potential consequences I told him he could choose where we went. We were near our home at the neighborhood shopping center and of course he selected a place that was within his line of sight at the time (with teenage boys it is important for food to be close at hand...no waiting). He also chose the place with the most "guy" energy. Naturally. The sports bar on the corner. I had seen it before but had deliberately avoided it. Sports theme restaurants are not really my dining destination of choice typically. They are usually smokey and loud and seem more like a venue for a end of the year soccer party than a planned meal. Not to mention that you can generally assume that the menu is packed with artery clogging fare which is not on my current diet plan. Plus it was obvious from the outside that this one was definitely a bar first...restaurant second. But true to my promise off we went.

We got inside and it pretty much was what I had expected. Huge TV screens blasting too many different games at high volume to do justice to any of them. Smoke, lights, total sensory overload. But I figured it was a fun way to spend time with my son anyway so I was upbeat...especially since to my pleasant surprise I discovered a steak salad on the menu. Things were looking up. And then came the bread. All I can say is...well...heaven sent! Seriously. Light fluffy rolls with a hint of honey taste to them. Melt in the mouth goodness. So I ate three. There went the diet but I did not even care. They were worth it. Not long after arrived the best steak salad I have ever tasted. I cannot really define what makes it so wonderful. It's a pretty ordinary salad really, but something about it makes my mouth water just thinking of it. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I am not usually much of a steak person but I LOVED that salad. I scarfed every morsel and would have licked the plate if I thought I could have gotten away with it. No kidding. For the following week I thought of that salad ridiculously often until I couldn't stand it anymore and made my husband take me back. He raised his brows a little in amusement when I begged to go to the sports bar, but he sensed my desperation and has learned over time that it can be dangerous to get between me and a food craving. So off we went and guess what? He loved his kabobs too. Now over the past few months we have been back a half dozen times. We have become a bit obsessed actually. It is kind of getting embarrassing now so we may need to hold off for awhile, but every time I go I have the same thing....Steak salad and yummy rolls. And every time I leave stuffed and satisfied. Bliss!

So the moral of the story? I am thankful this day that I followed my son's lead. That I tried something out of my comfort zone. Had I followed my own instincts and habits I would have missed out on so much deliciousness. Sometimes it pays to try something new. Or give a second look before judging something's worth. There are treasures untold that can be ours if we are not too blind or afraid to discover them.