A BIG ouchie!

Well, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall last night. Everyone tells me that with boys I can get used to multiple injuries; however, I just don't think this would be something I could ever get used to. 

Here's the story:

Every night before we go to bed we have clean-up time. The boys are supposed to pick up their toys and I usually try to tidy up everywhere else while they are working on that. Last night mom and I were in the kitchen while the boys picked up toys in the living room. The next thing I knew Jagger was headed toward the kitchen crying with bloody mouth. The first thing I thought was "hold it together, Arika!" I'll have to say that I did pretty well, at least for that minute. I tried to get him cleaned up enough to tell what had happened but just couldn't see for all the blood. Lawson said he saw him fall and that he had fallen into the fireplace. Now anyone that knows me knows that I live in fear of that stone hearth anyway. I'm always fearful that one of my kids is going to fall into it, knowing in the back of my mind that it is just inevitable.

So, as it turns out, Jagger hit the stone with his upper gums which happened to knock his teeth loose. I spent a good deal of time on the phone with various people including a retired hometown dentist, a good friend's mom (for advice on who to call), the ER, a pediatrician and trying to reach a pedodontist (pediatric dentist). We were finally advised that a trip to the ER was probably not necessary as we would spend hours waiting and they wouldn't be able to do anything for his teeth anyway. I left a message with the pediatric dentist for them to call me since the pediatrician thought he needed x-rays to make sure nothing was permanently or severely damaged. Once all the phone calls were made, the bleeding stopped and Jagger was dozing in mom's lap I finally fell apart. I felt so bad that he was hurt and that I hadn't been able to stop it. Now I know, logically, in my own mind that you can't watch your kids every second of every day; however convincing a hormonal basket case ready to give birth any minute seems to be a different issue at hand!

I got a call back from the dentist first thing this morning and they worked us right in. Jagger was very apprehensive about going letting us know that he was scared. We tried to make it as positive as possible. When we got there he was a completely different child--not scared at all! I tell you, I know he's mine and I'm somewhat (ok, a lot) biased but he was PERFECT at the dentist. He was such a big boy. He went back with the nurse for her to take x-rays (without me!) and never whined or complained a bit. When it was time for him to get in the exam chair, he climbed right up (again, without me) like he had done it a million times. He let the doctor examine him and never fussed a bit. I had always hoped to get pictures of their first time to the dentist but I just didn't have it in me to take pictures of such a traumatic event (even if it was more traumatic for me than it seemed to be for Jagger). 

So, now the outcome: His upper gums suffered the brunt of the fall which caused his upper left front tooth to be knocked down and VERY loose. We have a week to see if it will tighten up on it's own but have been warned that is very unlikely. He can't bite into anything and can only have soft things to eat. Trying to keep him from jumping or hitting his mouth, injuring it further is proving to be very difficult! As active as he is, he is still full steam ahead and this little injury hasn't slowed him down ANY. If the tooth is still just as loose next Wednesday when we are scheduled to go back they will have to pull the tooth and he will be snaggle-toothed for a little longer than he would have been otherwise. The good news, though, there is no permanent damage and no damage to the permanent tooth buds that are developing now. So, although very unpleasant, not a bad report.

The picture above is his new smile. It doesn't look so bad as you can't see the gums which is where most of the damage is. He's a little swollen and that front tooth hangs down a lot farther than the other teeth but he's still smiling. Gotta love him! As his pappy tells him often, he's as tough as a week in jail!