Ripped Toenail

Last Thursday I took Aiden with me to Wal-Mart so I could buy 50 bottles of soda pop for a Pop Toss activity for Young Womens (church girl group.) At first I had him in the cart and put the soda around him, but by the end, there wasn't any room for him to sit. So I let him out of the cart. Well, as toddlers expertly do, he kept getting in the way of the cart, grabbing things off shelves, and making things progress very slowly at his speed. I decided that he was probably old enough to ride on the cart like I used to do as a kid, so I showed him how to hang on while I pushed him.

I stopped once to look at something and he got off. That's fine - I just told him to get back on when it was time to move again. As we were moving the second time, he jumped off the cart before I stopped, but I caught the cart in time from hitting him and scolded him a bit. I told him that he needs to stay on the cart while it's moving or else he could get hurt. Well wouldn't you know it, as soon as I start moving again, he jumps off a third time. This time, however, I didn't catch the cart in time and the front wheel went right over his big toe.

Instant screaming.

I hugged and cradled him, thinking it was just a bruise, but then I looked down at his foot and saw that the wheel had mostly ripped off his big toenail. I had no idea what to do. I tried putting him back in the cart so I could take him to the front of the store and go home, but he wouldn't let me put him down. (I still have 50 bottles of soda in the cart.) By this time, blood was dripping down his shoe. Right then, a lady walked by and offered to help - either by holding Aiden or putting him in her cart while we made our way to the check-out. I told her that I needed a First-Aid kit because this was no temper-tantrum. We saw an employee, asked her if they had a first-aid center, and she took us into the back. While I sat cradling him, managers kept walking in asking if he was okay and how did it happen and asking me to sign paper work. I started balling my eyes out at that point. I just wanted to console my son! They lessened up a bit and were very kind. They gave Aiden some fruit snacks and gave me some tissues. They even opened up a bottle of Motrin so I could give him some pain killers. Complimentary. And this whole time, the lady that first offered to help was there by my side until someone came for us. Taylor and Mike (my father-in-law) showed up soon and took Aiden home while I hurriedly checked out the darn soda.

(Funny story about why Taylor and Mike came... but this is getting long enough. It involves mixed messages on a phone call, confusion as to who is this boy's father??, and me hanging up on Rex out of anger. Sounds like a Soap Opera!)

So to make a long story longer, once I got home, Rex and I took Aiden to the doctor. He was still crying and wouldn't let anyone come near his foot, so the doctor said we either had to take him to the hospital where they could sedate him, or potentially traumatize him by physically holding him down while she cleaned the toe and removed the toenail.

Being the terrific parents we are, we chose the second option.

So poor little Aiden was wrapped in a sheet "Burrito Style," as the nurses called it, to pin his arms to his sides. Rex held Aiden's legs down and I held and comforted him. I started by singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" but stopped short once I realized he was definitely NOT happy... and he couldn't even clap his hands. How's that for poor timing??

So finally after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, Aiden's toe was cleaned and bandaged. The doctor said to not remove the bandage for another 48 hours, gave us some antibiotics, and sent us on our way. (That bandage didn't even last five minutes.)

And now, back at home, Aiden is still running and playing as if nothing happened. Can't decide if that's good or bad since the scab has opened up a couple times from him running around. Here are a few pictures. Just a warning, the third picture is a bit graphic, so just look at the first two if you get particularly queasy.