Raspberry Smiles

I didn’t know this could or should be done, but is can and has.  Harrison can attest to that. 

Yesterday we had a mouth injury with lots of screaming and blood.  Boys were fighting over a dirty Croc shoe;  Harry lost that battle.  He calmed down, but certainly didn’t let me get a look.  Later that evening at my fam’s Christmas, Harry stuck his tongue out at my brother, and the response was severe! 

We spent the better part of a half hour trying to get Harrison to stick out his tongue so Grandma could get a look.  She never did get that look, but Harry’s Daddy’s response was enough to warrant a call to the triage nurse and subsequent ER visit. 

Now, a 16 month old is simply not going to stick their tongue out while a PA xylocaines it and stitches it up.  It took a papoose restraint, 2 male RN’s a stragetically placed pillow case and Mom.  Harrison Tiger still managed to free 2 legs and his Right arm.  He’s fierce.  The single stitch was completed toot sweet and in less than 10 minutes, and soon after Harrison was snoozing it up in the ER.  We actually had to wake him because after anesthetizing his tongue the PA wanted to make certain he could swallow juice. 

Harrison is back to his jovial self eating, drinking and climbing the outside of the stairwell banister.  He’s lucky he wasn’t in the ER with a head injury for how risky of behavior he engages in for a 16 month old.

I will remind Harrison of this incident as he ages to discourage any hardware placed through the tongue.  And now that I mention it: how did Uncle Russ react so strongly when his very own tongue is pierced?