Suzie Q, age six, was at our house during cooking time and when she had a chance to open a can of soup she said, “I’ve never opened a can by myself before.”
My back was turned to the sink and before I could finish saying, “Wait and I’ll help you—“
I was interrupted by a wailing “owwwwwa, owwwwwah, owwwwwahhhhh!”
She pulled the lid off herself and sliced into a finger.
Comfort, pressure, call the mom.
Guess what? No answer at Suzie Q’s home. [Can I just say right now I hate it when parents leave their six year olds to wander the neighborhood? I also hate it when kids are at my home and their parents don't know where they are and I don't know where the parents are! Grrrrr!]
Call the mom’s cell phone.
Me: Suzie Q’s finger is cut and you need to come get her
The non-Mom: Ummm… will you please hold on a second?
(pause of about 30 seconds)
The non-Mom: I think the thing to do in this case is apply steady pressure for 10 to 20 minutes
Me thinking –oh, did you just google ‘what to do about cuts’ on your phone while I waited?
Me: She’s really upset. The gash is uneven. We’re applying pressure. You need to come home & get her.
The non-Mom: Let me talk to her.
She talked to Suzie Q AND HUNG UP without checking back in with me!!!
Suzie Q continued to bleed despite constant pressure and elevation and even ice. I called The non-Mom after 10 minutes, after 20 minute, after 30 minutes. She came after 45 minutes. I called later to check up on Suzie Q and the non-Mom said, “It still would stop bleeding, not even for me, I ended up taking her to the clinic for stitches.”
Again, it’s not like me to wish a kid motherless, but I kind of think poor Suzie Q already is.
