Christian Women in Leadership

3-year-old girls kicking my butt

one of my least favorite duties in the E.R. where I work, or at least one of the most difficult duties I am called upon to do, is restraining kids when they need stitches. I've discovered that I have the most difficulty with little girls around the age of three.

the problem is, they are not old enough to understand what we are doing, when the worse part is over with (the "numbing medicine" injection), etc. So they are pretty much terrified the entire 10-15 minutes when the doctor or nurse is suturing them, and they never calm down, instead they fight against the process the entire time.

so, last night all I had to do was hold the head of a little three-year-old girl who had slipped in the bath and had a laceration to her chin--the rest of her body was [somewhat] restrained in a papoose, which is kind of like a straight jacket for kids who need stitches. She fought against us the entire ten minutes the doctor was suturing her chin and she never calmed down once. these kids when they have adrenalin! they are as strong as oxes.

after the doctor had completed the stiches in about ten minutes, I felt like I was in muscle failure. My entire body was like a weak noodle, my arms where sore and had no energy left, my leg muscles were shaking and felt almost like they couldn't support me anymore--I think it was all because of this little girl's super-human strength!

closing comment: at least the little girl's mom was cool. She wasn't panicked at all when her daughter was spazing.

posted by the princess @ 7/17/2005 02:38:00 PM