“Mommmmy”
“Mommmmy”
It is faint and has no panic in it, which is why it takes me a moment, as I step out of the shower, to realize my daughter is paging me. It isn’t quite time for her to get up. (Meaning her clock has yet to turn yellow.) I opened her door to find her sitting, quietly, on her bed watching a pool of blood accumulate on her shirt as the stream trickles from her nose.
She had obviously sat, watching for a few minutes before calling me and why not? It actually started with a few sleeve wipes, assuming it was snot. At some point she realized it was red and rather than panic she took the stance of a scientist and observed what was happening. She moved aside the book she was reading, leaned over a bit, and watched the blood drip onto her shirt and collect in a puddle.
Eventually she realized she had taken in what was happening and wasn’t too sure what to do next so she called me, quietly, hesitantly, as she didn’t want to interrupt whatever was happening.
We talked about bloody noses and how to pinch your nose and how much blood stains so it really is better to grab a tissue right away.
The clothes were soaked in cold water and then gently scrubbed and tossed in the washer. Her tummy had to be washed as the blood had soaked through the shirt. But learning how to pinch at the bridge of the nose with enough force to staunch the bleeding took quite a bit longer. If you pinch at the end no blood comes out, so that must do it – right?!
Lessons are now learned and the first bloody nose is in the books, but thankfully that is just a figure of speech.
I used to get really bloody noses when I was little - they would come in the middle of the night, and my sheets would be covered in it! I hope you sort it out for next time
ReplyDeleteMe too--got to be so chronic my mom had to take me to a doctor--a few times--to cauterize my nose with nose with silver nitrate. I remember it burning. Fun times.
DeleteAt least she did not panic. I have seen some kids get so freaked out by their own blood. I hope she holds on to her scientist view of things:) Great details.
ReplyDeleteThe first bloody nose is in the books,
ReplyDeleteshe said, as I gave her a funny look,
and took her hand and held her tight,
murmuring words to make her feel all right,
but all she wanted to do was turn the page,
of the book that she had in her hand that day
now sprinkled with blood like annotated art
before we both realized what happened,
she had lent the author her heart.
Sometimes, for Slice of Life, I like to lift lines from blog posts and craft short poems as comments. Thanks for sharing your words with me. I hope the poem honors your words.
-Kevin
Ah - so scary - yet such important lessons. The dry air, the endless colds, and the long winter have made nose-bleed-training a necessary component of life! Perhaps Dogtrax should write this as a book!
ReplyDeleteA lesson we all learn at some time in our lives. The fact that she didn't panic says a lot about your daughter.
ReplyDeleteA bloody nose, the first one! Always a new mom challenge, handled with class!!!!
ReplyDeleteDigital Bonnie