toothpick and tetanus shot

Yesterday Little Jay was walking through the house, and apparently a toothpick was stuck in a fluffy throw rug and jabbed into his foot. It went in about an inch and he pulled it out--life goes on. Well today it's really sore and the whole side of his foot is swollen, so I sent him to the doctor, probably should have some attention earlier rather than later.

I told him to go to a Minute Clinic, gave him the insurance card and a blank check for the copay. A bit later he called: They don't treat puncture wounds. I told him go over to urgent care then and have them deal with it. I told him where an urgent care is. He called an hour later: He's not 18 until April, so they can't see him without a parent, and they don't open till 5:00. So he came home and I wrote a note so they'd look at his damned foot, and he went back. Tetanus shot and augmentin, all for blundering into a toothpick.

When he finally got home he said, "That took THREE hours to accomplish." It always does. But he's expected to live, so this is good.

What's funny about this is that "Little" Jay has size 15 feet, long and narrow. He has toes bigger than my pinky finger. It's weird.

But we get what we get.

When he came home with this exhausted story of obtaining attention for his fairly simple medical problem I was heartless enough to say, "See why I didn't want to come with you? It's always like this."

The kid has a heart of gold...always has. His leg was broken at baseball practice when he was 14 and he was THE most patient and gracious incapacitated person that very long summer. All the waiting on him I had to do, from start to finish, wrapping a trash bag around his cast so he could shower, limping him out to the patio and back, fetching him food... he was patient and undemanding, grateful. I don't deserve him, spaz that I am. He's got one of those like.....really good hearts. love, Val