ALERT: If you are squeamish, you may like to skip this post!
Yesterday, unfortunately I had cause to observe someone else’s stitching technique. While The Reader and I were off at our pattern-drafting class, The Husband and The Gymnast were enjoying the sunshine at a local park. The Gymnast came off her bike, split her chin open (for the third time, no less!) and chipped a tooth.
My husband raced her off to the hospital emergency department, and there texted me to let me know. He was happy for us to stay at the class until the end, but then The Gymnast decided she really wanted me there.
Oh, the poor thing. She had a small but deep hole in the front of her chin, requiring only one stitch this time. It was in a different spot to both of the previous times, which was good, because one day there won’t be enough skin there to stitch back together. She also had grazes all over.
It took quite a bit of persuading to get her to allow the doctor to stitch her chin. I knew she would be interested in the process, so we got the doctor to show her the needle (a tiny little curved needle about 7mm long) and thread (blue nylon?) and to explain what she would do. They wanted to cover her head with a sheet (with a hole in it) so that she could not see what was happening, however the idea of covering her head really made her scared. We agreed that she could go without the covering if she shut her eyes. The doctor told her that she would not start until The Gymnast told her she was ready. Well, she was not ready…
The Gymnast had lots of questions, but she was very very scared. She’s had needles and stitches before, so she was anticipating the pain. The only way I could get her to allow the doctor to put the stitch in was to offer to pray for her. It was amazing: as soon as I started praying out loud she immediately calmed down, and shut her eyes ready for the doctor to start work.
I continued praying as the doctor slipped the needle through the skin (no flinching, so obviously the local anaesthetic was working!), but then it became all a little too interesting, so I stopped praying and started telling The Gymnast what the doctor was doing: she’s done half a knot, now it’s a double knot, now it’s a triple knot, and now it is a quadruple knot.
It was actually really interesting. When the doctor had finished, she turned to me and said, “You didn’t finish your prayer.” So I quickly added, “Amen!”
The Gymnast is quite stiff and sore today, but there’s no sign of infection. Hopefully it will stay that way, and heal well and quickly. It will be a rather medical week as we’ll have to deal with the chipped tooth and then get the stitch out later in the week. That’s not going to be fun…
The doctor did suggest that if we didn’t want to go to our GP to have the stitch taken out, that I could do it myself. She said that her mum took all her stitches out. I don’t think that would do anything positive for the parent/child relationship in this case!
For those who are further interested in medical stitching techniques, check out this link to a surgical stitch sampler. I had a feeling that I might have had the sampler on White Threads previously, and sure enough, it was mentioned in the comments section from my post when The Gymnast previously split her chin open!
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Oh, dear, but I loved your post. I’m a stitcher and a Nurse Practitioner so I can imagine you were intrigued by the medical stitching. I’ve removed stitches from our cats, dogs, my husband, patients, and myself! Not nearly as bad coming out as going in!
You did a good job, Mom! The praying WAS the key!
Lynn
Lynn, the doctor did this really weird thing (to me, anyway) where she wound the thread around the pliers-y things and then pulled the needle through those wraps to tie the knot. I can’t quite remember what she did (not sure what was being held by what!), but it was really interesting. I wish I’d paid more attention, even though I felt I was paying attention! I guess I didn’t have my “now I am learning” hat on. I had my “concerned for my daughter” hat on.
I’ve taken stitches out of my cats too – it didn’t bother them at all, and it was far less stressful than taking them to the vet.
My DD never got stitches, but she was a trampolinist (competed at State level). In her last year of competing, she ended up with a cracked wrist and a broken foot (with two weeks between casts) – we’d have preferred stitches!
I think it would be a lot easier for The Gymnast to have it done at home – get her to suck on a square of chocolate, a wonderful decoy! Best of luck!
Easier at home… it sounds good in theory, but I’m just not sure I’d be able to convince her.
Eek! Poor thing! My sister did the same thing – multiple times many years ago – pools, falling off bikes etc. It really is quite terrifying seeing the needle go into the skin.
Thank you for saying that, Jennifer. Some kids just do it again and again. The doctor who checked the wound yesterday before the stitch was removed said that her son has split his chin four times. I think it is active kids who take risks, and learn by taking risks, that it probably mostly happens to. There is nothing wrong with my child’s balance or anything like that. For goodness sake, she can do a cartwheel on a balance beam 1m off the ground!
After having the stitch removed yesterday she commented on the fact that it didn’t hurt as much as the previous time. Hopefully she’ll remember that for if there ever is a next time… 🙂 The doctor and I did stress to The Gymnast that she doesn’t need to try to equal or beat the doctor’s son’s record, and she agreed!