Bit Lip

You just don't know what each week will bring.  

On Sunday when we had our family meeting I reminded Kaden he had horse camp this week and then jokingly told him not to break his arm. It's funny because last summer when Kaden went to horse camp I really worried because we didn't have any kind of health insurance at the time, but Kaden was totally fine all week. Blue, meanwhile, slipped at the playground that week earning himself an Urgent Care visit and 5 stitches in his chin.  

Kaden has gone to horse camp a few days over the holiday break and again during spring break.  No problems.  But summer horse camp seems to be jinxed for us. No broken arm, just a dog bite to the face and a chunk missing from his lip.

The picture doesn't do it justice.  Which is a good thing.  Believe me.

This happened sometime in the morning, but they just cleaned Kaden up, stuck a band aid on his face, and threw him on a horse for a trail ride.  

That's right. We weren't called.

So, Kevin picks up Kaden at 5pm takes one look at his face and doesn't take any time to chew anybody out, just takes Kaden to Urgent Care.  (Ah Urgent Care, with three boys - how we love thee...)  They cleaned him up and adhered Dermabond. (You can't stitch a missing chunk.)

A little before 8pm my boys finally got home. Kaden sat down to pizza and promptly lost the Dermabond. Meanwhile Kevin went back out to fill his antibiotic prescription. 

This am was round two...

Urgent Care opens at 8am so I arrived with Kaden while my mom stayed with Toby and Blue.  I wanted to know if the doc wanted to try again with the Dermabond. He didn't, but he did comment that I should tape record the impending confrontation at the camp. He'd love to hear that.  HA!

We got back home and I called a plastic surgeon.   

No, I wasn't suddenly in the mood for a tummy tuck. (If I could get through my teen years without getting my ears pinned, I think I will forever be able to resist plastic surgery.) At Urgent Care they referred a plastic surgeon for another opinion on Kaden's face. The plastic surgeon's office said they had nothing till late August and I was all prepared to take a late August appointment  and then get on facebook and see if anyone could recommend another plastic surgeon who might see us sooner, but while we're on the phone she realized they'd had a cancellation - could I come in ten minutes?  I say, it all depends on traffic and start hollering at kids to get on shoes as I'm still on the phone taking down directions.

My mom took Blue with her to drop him at his camp and I got Kaden and Toby and off to the plastic surgeon we went.  

The  plastic surgeon seemed annoyed Kaden wasn't seen by a doctor right away. Bacteria blah blah blah. Tell me about it, Doc. No need to fuel my fire when I still have a confrontation facing me. 

The verdict of this appointment was that we are to keep his dog created lip-hole wet with polysporin, like constantly.  We want to avoid scabbing. We are to come back in a few months and he'll see what he can do with the inevitable scar.

In the words of my MD brother-in-law, "Chicks. Dig. Scars."

I guess.

I hope.  

The thing about Kaden is that he's not particularly athletic and he seems to be missing the nerd gene. He's just an easy-going, well-natured boy who happens to be really good looking. (I don't think my pics do him justice, I've had people stop us in public before just to comment on his looks.) So I'm trying my best to usher him through childhood with this asset left intact!

And now you want to know about the camp confrontation, do you?

You've heard that between Kevin and me, I am the mean one, have you?  (This is totally true.)

After the plastic surgeon we went to horse camp. I wasn't planning on leaving Kaden. I want to give Kaden some healing time before he's back to roughing it up in the great outdoors. (Today has been movie day!) And I knew that whether or not Kaden would ever be going back would depend on how our conversation went. 

Here's how it went:  I said things like - it is ridiculous that I wasn't called, you made a terrible decision, it's a good thing I wasn't here yesterday because I was furious and believe me you are glad that I have had time to cool off... I told her we held her responsible and Kaden returning to camp was contingent upon her taking the right steps next and then I talked to her about the medical expenses we'd already accrued. To everything she nodded and said ok.  At the end I asked what she was thinking and she said she would do what she needed to do. With this response, second chance earned.

I told her we'll be back Monday and Kaden can do his remaining three days at the first half of next week and I'll have bills etc with me then.  

That's where it stands.

The dog will NOT be back at camp. 

Oh and if you start placing bets that on Monday Kaden falls off a horse and breaks his arm, I will find you and beat you up.

Comments

[Marissa]

Matt told me.....please see FB.

[Kevin]

to marissa, i hope you see this and then i expect an apology. one of the first things i did this morning was give him a REALLY big hug from aunt marissa.

[Marissa]

I closed my eyes so I wouldn't see the pic and then scrolled up from the bottom to read, I can't do open wounds. Poor sweet boy. We called Kevin last night to check on K and I told him to give him a hug from me. I'm sure Kevin didn't do that so will you? xoxo and we'll see you soooooooon!

[Gran]

I want him. I'm glad he's got you in his camp. Love you all - Gran