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Friday 22 June 2007

Blood........

I have been a blood donor for a number of years, even got a ' badge' for giving 25 pints, and then some, the sight of my own blood has never bothered me at all. I've had quite a few operations, asleep and awake, and never batted an eyelid, so can someone tell me why when it came to seeing my children's blood I went to pieces?

What brought this on?


Well the other night I was watching Kramer v Kramer on TV. Yes I know it's an old film but I haven't seen it before and I wasn't tired so thought I'd catch up. Anyway, you remember the part where Ted (Dustin Hoffman) has taken Billy (Justin Henry) to the park and Billy falls off the climbing frame and smashes his eye, and Ted picks him up and runs through the streets at 90 miles an hour to get him to the hospital? When they get there Ted is in a panic because Billy is crying, covered in blood and there's nothing he can do but leave it to the doctor to stitch Billy's eye, whilst he tries to soothe him. Well it brought memories of my own kids childhood accidents when I just panicked!


When eldest son (N) was about 12 months old he had just started walking round the furniture and was doing really well when he slipped and managed to bang his top lip (not easy to do). You cannot imagine the amount of blood that came from what, afterwards, looked like a paper cut! I just panicked when I saw the blood, anyone would think he had chopped his head off! I grabbed him and flew out of the house to my neighbour, thrust him into her arms and said "he's bleeding!" then I turned and fled sobbing my heart out. My wonderful neighbour cleaned him up and soothed his tears then returned my little son to me looking like nothing had happened.

Then there was the time youngest son (D) was probably 6 years old and was playing outside with N, suddenly they both appeared with N holding a gauze pad to D's head and it was covered in blood! I almost fainted right there and then, my knees were shaking I felt sick, I couldn't even take the gauze away to look at the damage. N explained they had been playing in a friend's garden and D has slipped and banged his head on a wall, luckily friend's mum was a nurse and she'd cleaned it up but suggested it needed a couple of stiches.

Thank God MWM was home to drive us to the hospital. At the hospital MWM let us out at Emergency whilst he went to park the car and I rushed D to the reception desk. The receptionist started with the questions - name, date of birth, address - I couldn't remember a damn thing! D, at six years old and bleeding had to give the receptionist the information she required. They rushed us straight through to a cubicle to see a doctor where he informed us that D would need a couple of stiches, but because the cut was on his forehead, where there wasn't much flesh, it would be better to stitch it without a local anaesthetic. Oh dear God, as if my baby wasn't hurting enough! D was very brave and didn't flinch during the stiching, however I was a complete mess, I just sat holding his hand blubbering.

See what I mean? Where's the logic? You could cut your own arm off and eat it, but see a bit of blood on your child and you're reduced to a blithering idiot!

Talking of children, D and his partner Fi have decided to grace the www with their own blog, see Dan's Fi-ver (Dance Fever!). It's early days, but keep tuning in, he has a wicked sense of humour!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm the same! I can handle grazes and nosebleeds, but last year, my 9 yr old slipped on a rock on the beach at Holyhead and cut her head open. The cut was less than an inch wide, but the blood *gushed*. I almost lost it! The children cried, I cried and the onlookers must have thought Jaws had landed...

Have a great weekend

Akelamalu said...

misslionheart
There's just explanation for it is there?!!??

Dan's Fi-ver said...

Strangely enough, my hairline's receding just enough now so the scar on my forehead can be seen...oh, I remember it well!! I was only brave because I had my mum there with me...thanks mum
x

And thanks for the plug, too!!

Akelamalu said...

dan's fi-ver
I wasn't much use to you was I babe? But I DO LOVE YOU! x

buffalodick said...

I have always noticed that there are some people that will faint at the sight of blood, while others don't seem to realize it's supposed to be in you-not squirting out of you! Once when I was about 5, I was swinging with my stomach on the seat of the swing, finishing a Tootsie roll pop, when I slipped and put the stick all the way through my throat. Ran home screaming, looking like I had been attacked by an axe murderer! My mother was busy and annoyed until she turned around and saw me! Fastest trip to the hospital ever!

Anonymous said...

I wonder why hair is such a problem? I mean we have all come a long way from the days when we had hair everywhere. I like your story and came here from another site where I happened to see you names.

I am back from my self-imposed vacation.

Abraham Lincoln
Brookville Daily Photo

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

i know what you mean! and grandchildren!! it's even worse...

smiles, bee

Pig in the Kitchen said...

I have just wandered in here after seeing you waving on Drunk Mummy's blog for a few weeks. I was entranced by the butterfly cursor, and then up welled the music! I really like it (although I had to turn it down in case it woke the baby!).
I'm afraid i've got sidetracked by your fabulous multi-sensory blog and haven't actually finished reading the blood post!
thank-you for cheering me up, there is sewage leaking into my cellar, the plumber hasn't turned up, i'm contemplating a lunchtime drink...and you have made me feel a whole lot better!
Pigx

Akelamalu said...

buffalodickdy I almost gagged at the thought of the lolly stick down your throat! It's a wonder your Mother didn't faint. :(

Akelamalu said...

abraham lincoln thanks for stopping by, I'm glad you enjoyed my story. :)

Akelamalu said...

Hi pig in the kitchen thanks for calling in. I'm so glad you've enjoyed your visit. Sounds like you have some 'trouble at t'mill' as we say here in Lancashire, have the drink it'll help you cope! :)

Akelamalu said...

Oh Bee you are so right about grandchildren. Even Mum and Dad scolding them gets me all worked up!

Catch said...

I am the same way...when one of my kids or grandkids got a boo boo that involved blood....Im ready to pass out! Im no good to any of them...I kinda hold my hands over my ears ( why?..so I cant hear? lol). But if I am alone I know that I am the only one to take action and I seem to get the job done. But if another adult is there...I go to pieces and let them handle it ! I think its just the Mother in us!! Have a great weekend. Ill check out Ds blog.

Akelamalu said...

Catch what are we like eh? You have a great weekend too honey. :)

Jenny! said...

I don't have a problem with blood, guts, gore, but my son even gets a little knee scrape or hang nail and I am in pieces! Its the mother instinct!

buffalodick said...

I still have the scar after almost 50 yrs! Missed my jugular by not much... Whenever I see a kid running with a sucker in his mouth, I usually bitch out the kid or his parent! Not a big fan of Tootsie Roll Pops to this day....

Akelamalu said...

Yes, I think you're right Jenny it is the mother instinct.

Akelamalu said...

Buffalodickdy I won't let my grandchildren move if they have a lollipop for the same reason.

Mimi Lenox said...

Congratulations!You've won an award at Mimi Writes.

http://mimiwrites.blogspot.com/2007/06/im-rocker-girl-oh-yeah.html

Portrait of Peter said...

I understand where you are coming from, I have seen it so many times.

Thank you for your kind comments too.

Pat said...

That was an interesting story today!

I used to donate blood and then I saw so much of it for the 3 1/2 years that my husband was on dialysis.

I'll be back!

Akelamalu said...

I have just seen your post Mimi - thankyou so much, I'm touched. x

Akelamalu said...

portraitofpeter you're welcome.

Akelamalu said...

That must have been horrendous for you Pat. Always lovely to see you here.

RUTH said...

I fully understand...you should see the state I get in when my poor baby girls are at the hospital having their own babies! When Manda was having Nicole the waiting room was only 2 doors down from the labour room and I could hear her!! I almost passed out in anguish.
Rx

Akelamalu said...

Ruth I can really understand that. My Mum wouldn't come to the hospital to visit me when I went in to have my eldest, until he was born. She sat at home with pains in her stomach and vomiting into a bowl!

Anonymous said...

Afternoon Akelamau~

You know...not being a parent, I don't know this for sure, but the bond between a parent and child, feels to me, like the deepest, non-explainable "spiritual connection" anyone could have. Especially with the mother. And if a parent should for some reason, lose a child...the loss must be so devastating.

It's odd...because I'm NOT a parent...and yet I can actually feel that pain in the depths of my soul.

So it's no wonder you were (to say the least)...upset...I would have been too. In a way...it must feel as though your childs pain...became yours.

Anyway...thank you for sharing this "slice of life" with us. It reminded me of that invisible, yet powerful energy called....LOVE!

Talk to you later.

Be well,
Ron

CG said...

Ouch!! I'm just the same about my children bleeding!!

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean! I could handle most things, but when one of them had a nosebleed, I completely freaked out!! There was just SO...MUCH...BLOOD! I was CERTAIN that they were going to bleed to death from their noses. LOL!

And once one of the kids needed stitches and I was worse than the kid was! The dr. actually told me that I'd have to leave if I didn't get it together! =)

Oh well, what's a mom to do?

katie eggeman said...

I have always been the calm on in emergencies, but the couple of bleeding issues with both girls made me fall apart. It is funny (not Ha Ha) that slight head wounds can bleed so profusely.

Akelamalu said...

Ron I mean this is the nicest possible way - YOU should have been a mother, you have all the understanding and obvious love that the job entails! x

Akelamalu said...

cg
Yep, it hurts alright!

Akelamalu said...

Donna
LOL - we do tend to make fools of ourselves don't we?

Akelamalu said...

Bankerchick
I'm usually calm too, except when my kids were involved! :(

Barb said...

I remember that part in the movie as if I saw it yesterday!

Around My Kitchen Table said...

When my nephew had to have stitches in his head, my sister fainted in the doctor's. When it came to having them out, I had to take him in because she couldn't face it!

Akelamalu said...

skittles I felt for poor little Billy, but not as much as I did for his Dad! :(

Akelamalu said...

around my kitchen table
LOL sound about right! :)