Stitches Follow-up

Loving Peyton is so easy.  Being her mother is hard, though.

I tried to take Peyton to get her stitches removed yesterday, but as we neared the hospital she freaked out a little.  For the rest of the day we talked about how it would be so cool to get her stitches out.  We talked about how if she got them out she could get a treat.

The treat was all the motivation she needed.  I caught her 2 times yesterday (and Aunt Emily caught her once) with tweezers (and nail clippers) trying to take her own stitches out.  When asked what she was doing she replied, "I want a treat!"

She seemed eager to go back to the hospital today to have them removed.  We all know, though, that nothing with Peyton can just be simple and routine.  Peyton picked so much at her stitches that she picked off the little strings that would have made them easy to remove.  The first nurse could not get them.  She called a second nurse to help.  Between the 2 of them they still could not remove these 2 little stitches.  A third nurse was called, all the while getting Peyton more and more upset.  They still had trouble and decided to get a doctor.  By this time they had Peyton strapped to the bed so that she couldn't move her arms or legs.  She was crying and screaming, "Save me, Mom!  Save me!  Please!  I be good!"  It broke my heart.  I was holding Juju and rubbing Peyton's forehead and Juju was screaming and crying and reaching for Peyton.  I suppose P broke Juju's heart, too, because she thought she was up for the job of saving her big sister.

The no-nonsense doctor showed up and seemed a little irritated at the nurses.  He was at the desk giving me sympathetic nods earlier.  He was able to get them out but even he had difficulty.  I didn't expect there to be that much blood from getting stitches removed.  I mean, there wasn't a ton, but I didn't expect bleeding at all.

Anyway, the nurses felt so terrible for Peyton that they sent her on her way with 5 packs of Smarties.  Peyton was happy when we got home and told me that she needed a nap.  I think I need a nap.  I would bet that those poor nurses could use a nap, too.