Mathew gets stitches

Are you like me?

Do you "wait and see what happens" when your kids get sick?

Do you do everything in your power to avoid going to the doctor with your kids?

EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER?

I'm the mom that feels vindicated when I read that most ear infections will resolve themselves just a couple days after most kids finish their big pink bottle of amoxicillin.  I feel a sense of satisfaction when we manage to get over whatever germiness has come our way without dragging ourselves into the pediatrician and getting a healthy dose of "Well....it could be..."

It could be?

Sir. You do not deserve my 30 dollar copay.

You deserve the mess that my other 4 kids made of your 3rd circle of he_ _.
I mean, examination room.

Yes. They touched every one of those sterile tongue depressors. And that's what you get.

So then the nurse calls me from school. She says that Mathew has fallen and I'll need to come pick him up.  And I'm thinking she needs to bust out her box of bandaids. But you don't get to say that to the school nurse because then the jig is up and she knows what kind of mother I am. THAT kind. The "It's not THAT bad" kind.

So I go down there and I take a look and give him hugs and I have every intention of bringing him home and treating his wounds with a movie and a little Sonic drive-thru. Then he can wear jeans to school tomorrow and no one will know that I have avoided the doctor once again.

And then she says it.

"I'll call you after school to see how many stitches were required and check up on him."

BLAST!

I either have to stitch this kid up myself, or we have to go in there.

So we admit defeat and we head to Urgent Care.

And he gets his 5 stitches.

And for good measure, the well-meaning nurse gives my kids three very sticky cherry flavored otter pops. This nurse obviously did not understand what kind of mess an 18-month old can make with a melting stick of dyed sugar water.

It was awesome.

But when the nurse called, I dutifully informed her that he had received his 5 stitches and even though I believe in my heart of hearts that a little super glue and a bandaid would have done the trick, I know that my secret is safe with me.

The jig is not up.

I live to rationalize ear infections another day.