12...

... is the number of stitches my poor son got today. We've just been through hell and back.

430pm

Nanny took Mountain Boy down for a walk while i take a quick rest after playing with him all morning followed by real heavy duty grocery shopping.

5pm

Couldn't really sleep so i took a long bath. Washed my hair, while drying up and putting on my pajamas, i heard the phone ring. Uhm probably just some delivery guy so i ignored. Phone rang 2nd time, okay somethings up. Nanny didn't even explain, she just said "We need to go to the hospital Mountain Boy hurt his hand". I didn't ask what happened i just ran out with my hair uncombed and make-up half removed.

I saw the nanny looking super worried and she was clutching Mountain Boy's bloody arm which looked kinda grey. uh-oh.... LUCKILY i stay in a service apartment and the staff had a cab on standby so we hopped on. In the cab the nanny tried to explain that the boy outran her and he fell on a piece of land which was recently leveled next to our apartment carpark.

Mountain Boy was worried, but i knew that he would be worse if we were worried too so i told the nanny to snap out of it and just be cheerful.

530pm

Arrived at the first clinic. I knew that not every hospital in Beijing could handle everything so i called Mountain Man along the way and asked him to send his company car for us.

True enough, Beijing Vista clinic could not handle deeper lacerations (mothers take note). And that was when i first saw the wound. 6cm long, at least 1.5cm deep. Skin, flesh, i didn't dare to look further. Brave front, brave front.

6pm

Company car arrived. Thank god driver was good. He made a couple of traffic offenses to get us to the 2nd hospital but it was totally worth it and we weren't caught.

Mountain Boy was so brave. Other than the occasional whimpers, he was totally happy. Drinking, eating, laughing... Waving to the cars and buses.

645pm

Arrived at Beijing United Family Hospital Emergency. Only 1 emergency doctor (whom i will not name) and he took his time to see us. He was chatting with staff, other patients that didn't have a crying child stuck to them.

745pm (waited almost an hour!)

He came in looking all cool. I wasn't. I didn't care if he was almost 2 metres tall, and that he had chairman written on his scrubs. I told him that there was no sense of urgency in the hospital and it upset me. He said that he had gotten updates from the nurse and if it was really urgent he would have attended to me. BASTARD! I was not happy with that comment. I told him that i was in his plain sight the whole time if it wasn't serious couldn't he have walked over to assure me that it wasn't that serious!? He then had other excuses and i stopped him short and said, "save it".

He looked at the wound and i swore he flinched. He recommended immediately that we put Mountain Boy under GA and stitch him up. Chairman or not, i said i wanted a PD's opinion. He was offended like i was crazy... Anyway he said the choice was mine, and he wouldn't be doing the procedure anyway cos the other doctor was taking over. WHAT A WASTE OF MY BREATH.

All the nurses and PDs recommended going with Chairman's suggestion. Fine i was ready to do GA.

8pm

Went to xray room. He cried murder. I couldn't go in with him so it was double pain for him. Luckily no broken bones.

815pm

Dr William Chickering came over to us in the waiting room and asked to see the wound. He said he had a differing opinion from the Chairidiot and wanted to do a local instead. It would have been easier to go under GA(Ketamine) but it wouldn't be without risks of spasms etc, low but still a risk.

I saw across the room Dr WC and Chairidiot sort of arguing with each other about the right way to go about this. Of course i had doubts, i wondered if Dr William Chickering would trump Chairidiot in his idiocy. But i thought hey... Go with my guts, let's do local.

830pm

4 adults had to hold Mountain Boy down. Dr WC administered local anesthesia, he wriggled and cried like hell.

832pm

I was singing him a lullaby in the operating room and he went to sleep cos it was his bedtime, ALL THESE WHILE Dr WC was still doing the sutures (a word i'd never thought i'd use unless i was quoting Grey's Anatomy).

840pm

Chairidiot peered into the room and gave his thumbs up. He then came in and exclaimed that Dr WC was a magician. Dr WC just humbly said... "I had a feeling he would sleep anyway".

He then very patiently explained to me what i should be doing the next two days and i feel eternally indebted to him. I say God Bless Dr William Chickering- if you're reading, Thank you.

I was unbelievably calm. Not angry with nanny, it could have happened if i were looking after him too. He is very fast and stubborn when it comes to wanting to do his thing. And i guess i was glad in a way that i didn't have to bear the guilt tonight cos i really needed to be brave for Mountain Boy.

I took some pics of his hand. Brace yourself it's coming right up.