Being Two

Two is a dangerous age. I've always feared for the safety of my children, but especially between the ages of 18 months and 3...they are so curious and have no idea of what will really hurt them. Because things like this can happen: Monday started out as any other day (well, besides Everett puking on the floor - that was a bonus). I put Everett down for a nap and I headed to the basement to do some walking on the treadmill. The girls came down too, which is also normal. Maren started setting up her chairs around the treadmill and I stopped, put them at a safe distance and told Maren that she needed to stay away from the treadmill...it is dangerous. She ran off to another part of the basement and not 5 minutes later I heard her whiny cry behind me - her little hand was stuck under the roller. I quickly turned off the machine and pulled her out, but the damage was done. Three of her cute, chubby fingers were burned badly. I will save you the picture I took with my phone once things were under control, I'll just say that I knew it was bad enough that it required medical attention. We went to her pediatrician who gave her the bandage above and referred us to the burn clinic.

Yesterday morning we drove to Salt Lake where they opened her wrapping, poked and cleaned her up a little, and then re-wrapped her. They were worried about her ring finger, because it was burned the deepest, perhaps even down to tendon and joint (gross, huh?). They gave her a splint on that finger to prevent any further damage, and they will check her out in another week to see how things are healing on their own. They are also concerned that as scar tissue forms, she may loose some mobility in that one finger. For now, we are doing some physical therapy at home with her, and change her wrapping once a day. So, how is Maren? Well, she's a trooper. Our pediatrician was so impressed at how calm she was - no tears or anything - as he looked and touched. The story was not the same at the burn clinic. She cried and cried as they unwrapped and then touched - although they were very very gentle. However, once bandages were back on, our happy girl was back once again. She's been her normal, happy two-year-old self as long as no one is touching her owie. Her wrappings are annoying - eating is a challenge for her because the bandages get in the way.

And how is mom and dad? Well, we feel bad of course for our little Missy. Mom is a bit of a wuss when it comes to injuries - she nearly threw up at the pediatrician's office, and almost passed out at the clinic and had to leave the room. Being 12 weeks pregnant and already feeling sick certainly doesn't help either. Dad, thankfully, is much more heavy-stomached and is willing to take her to her appointments and change her wrappings. Thank heavens for dads!

Oh, and all of this reminds me a little of this: That's me when I was two - my finger had been nearly cut off when it was caught in a door. And maybe I shouldn't mention the fact that that same year, I nearly drowned to my death in our farm's manure pit. Thanks forever be to my five-year-old brother who fished me out. See what I mean? Being two is dangerous.