In my family, my mother and I in particular are known for over-dramatization. That is, freaking out/worrying about stuff on a level that far exceeds the actual problem, or in this case, incident.
My worst fear today was realized (see what I mean?). Eddie fell from our bed, head-first. I kind of knew it would happen eventually, but every time he was on our bed, I always hoped it wouldn't. [* in the interest of full disclosure, he did fall from a bed in a hotel in Orlando, but that was a roll off the bed, 1/3 the distance onto carpet, not the head-first dive of this morning]
My stress level rises when he is on our bed, but at 6 or 7am when we get Eddie from his crib, it doesn't rise enough (until now) to get me up for the day. The irony of course is that Eddie and I have recently started laying in bed watching the Wiggles (a TV show) while I wake up. Only today, I decided to bolt out of bed and get ready for the day--I should have stayed in bed.
Our bed is up very high off the floor--I need a stool to get into bed. This same stool is what Eddie hit his head on. I guess I should be thankful that he stopped at the stool and didn't continue the additional 8 inches to the hardwood floor. Not that the stool was any too padded, but physics and all, less acceleration, etc.
I was standing right next to where he fell. It's kind of a blur now, I don't think I want to remember it. Eddie of course cried. He was head-first into the stool. I took Eddie up to Den, who tried to reassure me Eddie would be fine. I took a few minutes to get beyond the sickness in my stomach, wondering if my neglegence just caused him permanent damage (more overdramatization, I'm sure). I won't go into all his details, but needless to say, I've been paying close attention to everything and not letting him go to sleep. And no doubt will worry when he sleeps very long during his naps today.
The nanny came this morning, and reassured me that Eddie would be fine. She also noticed the goose-egg that had developed in the 45 min. since it occured. I keep repeating in my head, "This is just an opener to things that will happen to him as a kid--some of which I won't know about, or won't be around for." Like when he decides he can fly from the top bunk of a bunk bed. Or falls from a treehouse. But still, I should be able to protect him at this age.
Then, as I procrastinate in starting work this morning, I read on Auntie M's blog about someone who died after a head-injury sustained from a fall. Ugh.
See how the drama happens? I'll post pictures of a post-fall Eddie later today. Maybe the goose egg will be gone by then.
6 comments:
One of our twins fell off an end table when he was 18 months old. I was so worried about his head, his brain, etc.. I never looked at anything else. I did not let him nap, I checked his pupil, worried he'd throw up. Only 6 hours later I realized his ARM was BROKEN and that is why he was crying! Overdramatizing is what we mothers DO. It's our job. But it turns out children are very resilient, and hopefully Eddie will be fine.
Betta Jerome
Oh, I'm so sorry E... I have been there and it's not a good feeling. Gracie fell face first about 6 inches out of her carseat onto the hardword kitchen floor when she was five months old, because the handle wasn't latched all the way and I hadn't buckled her in to transport her from one room of the house while napping to another. (She did a lot of carseat sleeping the first colicky five months.) It's the worst emptiness in your stomach possible, I think. But keep your eye on him, and call the doctor if it makes you feel better, and chalk it up to unpleasant experience. I'm sure he'll be OK : ) It's a good thing they don't remember that kind of stuff, eh?
As long as at some level you can keep reminding yourself that part of it is the recreational worrying you inherited from your foremothers, you'll survive and Eddie will grow up normal and healthy -- even if he has a few "Here's where I fell down on the bleachers" scars and stories.
And I know you won't be like one of my childhood friends' mother, forbidding us to do anything that could possibly result in a scrape. Her mother even freaked out over paper cuts (although she never forbade coloring books, thank heavens).
Fortunately, the frontal portion of the skull is the thickest and most resistant to damage. Intelligent design or evolution?
On the other hand, the rear of the skull is the weakest and most liable to damage.
G'pa O
Reading other people's injury experiences sure helps put things in perspective.
As my parenting philosophy emerges, I do try and balance letting him learn through trial and error, but the urge will always be there to want to put him in bubble wrap. Must resist.
His dad's boy cousins at that age had goose eggs for about 6 months straight. I tho't they might be permanent marks. They are now fine upstanding men. One's a grandpa himself.
From his WI g'mom with love and soothing tho'ts.
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