Sandals in the Snow

This morning I was one of those crazy people who wear flip flops when it's snowing.

I've been wearing my flip flops lately because my other shoes seem to be hurting my heel. By the time I thought about putting on boots, it was too late because I had to get the kids to school on time. And I had to take my baby to the doctor because he had a bad burn on his leg.

It all started yesterday...

George woke up at exactly 6, which was when I was going to go running. He's such a good sleeper, though, I can not complain! I got him back to bed and was out the door by 6:30. I immediately thought, "dang, I should just run outside," because it was so nice out. But it was also still dark, and for some reason I was nervous about running outside after my last bad run, so I went to the gym and ran on the indoor track.

I ran for 30 minutes then hurried home, but everything was nice and calm there. George was asleep and the kids were all ready for school. Pete dropped them off so I could take a shower before taking Elle to preschool and George to his 2 month check-up.

The check-up went beautifully! He's very healthy and doing great! He's now 23.5 inches long and 14 pounds! He's also got really good head control for a 2-month old. I'm so proud! :)

The worst part of the check-up was when he had to get his shots. One of them was tetanus, and we all know how much those hurt! I nursed him after he got his shots, he calmed down and fell asleep on the way home. He then slept for about 3 hours.

When he woke up, he was not a happy camper. He was just screaming. I fed him, but that only calmed him down for a few minutes and he kept crying while he was trying to drink. It was so sad. When he was done, he was still screaming so I brought him down to Pete and ran to the store to get some baby Tylenol. That seemed to help a little, but he was still really sad. I finally got him to sleep, but he wouldn't let me put him down so I sat there holding him for a couple hours. After the kids got home at around 3, he woke up screaming again, but it wasn't time for more medicine yet.

Our doctor had told me that putting something warm on his leg could help it feel better so I heated up one of the kids' little rice bag heating pads for 40 seconds in the microwave. It felt warm, but not too hot so I didn't think anything of putting it on his leg. He was still so sad, though so I wrapped him up with the heating pad still on his leg and held him.

That was a mistake.

He didn't calm down at all, so after a few minutes I decided the hot pad wasn't working and I thought it also might be a little too warm. I pulled it out, but just kept him wrapped up and just held him while he finally went to sleep, crying off and on, for about 2 hours.

He woke up, and I went to change him. Pete was literally walking out the door to go running, when I looked at George's leg and was shocked to see a huge blister just above his knee! Right away I thought it had something to do with his shots. I hurried and called Pete over. He said it looked like a burn, and it just took me a second to remember the hot pad.

I was able to hold it together long enough to call and leave a message for our doctor, but after that I just started crying. When the doctor called back, Pete talked to her and she said it did sound like a burn and that something like that wouldn't happen from the shots. She said we could drain it if it looked really tight, to leave it open to the air and to bring him in in the morning. I'm so glad I caught Pete before he left because I was having a hard time staying calm.

I can't even explain how bad I felt. I couldn't believe I had done this to my baby! Now it seems so obvious and so stupid to wrap that heating pad up with him, right on his bare skin. The doctor said she wouldn't have guessed it would burn him either, though, and that they like that kind of heating pads because they're so safe.

After we drained the blister, George calmed down a little bit, then I was able to feed him and he fell asleep. Again, I just held him, I didn't dare put him down. Pete's brother came over and they gave him a blessing while he was sleeping. When he woke up he seemed to feel so much better! He even gave his uncle a little smile, and was acting more like his usual happy self. I was able to lay him down on his changing table for him to look around, smile and kick his good leg while we had dinner.

I was worried he wouldn't sleep well, but I laid him down at about 8 when the other kids went to bed and he just went right to sleep. What a little darling! He did wake up again at 9, which was good because it was time to give him more Tylenol, but then he went back to sleep. He woke up at 3 and 6:30 to eat and get changed then he slept until just before 8 when it was time to take the kids to school and him to the doctor.

The doctor cut off the dead skin and bandaged his leg up. She said we'll be able to stop bandaging it after about a week, and that there was healthy skin underneath so it should heal without leaving a scar. What a relief. I still have a hard time looking at him without crying, but he's going to be ok. It doesn't even seem to be really bothering him anymore, and the pain from the shots seems to be gone too. I'm so glad he's back to his normal smiley self. He's such a sweet baby, and shouldn't have to have any pain!

I can't help but think that if I hadn't put that heat pad on his leg, he'd be better by now. It's really hard not to be mad at myself. Hindsight is 20/20, though.