The Curse of Scout Camp

My life is actually very calm. I could be considered a boring person. But nearly every time Spence goes camping with the Scouts some drama occurs in my life.

For example: The first 3 day camp he went on I had my miscarriage.

This summer's 6 day Scout camp our home's a/c broke and I lived in the heat, 4 months pregnant, for 4 days. (Spence was nice and cool in the Uintas)

And now today, while Spence was at an Aaronic Priesthood planning retreat, we end up in the ER.

To preface, Savannah sticks every thing in her mouth. Last month she jammed chocolate chips up her nose, and then the next day tried to put orange tic-tac candy up it. She loves to use her body to explore food and toys.

So this morning she comes to me and cant get this off her thumb!

She found a little flash light, dismantled it, and jammed her thumb in to a double ringed piece of aluminum!

First we tried soap, cold water, and lotion. The more I tugged, the more swollen her thumb became.

Next we tried a glass of ice water, to reduce the swelling.

As you can see we are still in good spirits, just a little snot from crying.

I still could not get the dumb ring off. So I decided to try to clip it off with the awesome Cutco kitchen shears.

Bad idea, it made the ring cut in to her skin and now we were all panicking as the thumb began to turn purple!

The first stop was the Urgent Care Clinic down the street. Now you might think "Kids must do this all the time and they have tools for this type of thing. Right?" Wrong. The receptionist sent us away and said to try the ER.

As I am driving away I am thinking, This is stupid. It is a stupid ring, just CUT IT OFF! But with no husband and no help, I am off to the ER. On the way I call my in-laws and ask them to come get Cooper, because ER's have long waits, and I don't need 2 kids.

Now at the ER we are being admitted by the nurse, when Bert, my father-in-law, shows up with his clippers from his tool box. You know, the ones like thick pliers, but with the sharp cutting edge. But his were not sharp, they had been well used. He tells myself and the 2 nurses that he is going to cut it off. No big deal.

This is what it looked like that he was trying to cut off (yes we have more than one flashlight with identical parts). Savy was screaming, the thumb was turning more purple by the scream, and 2 nurses plus myself are trying to holding her still, while Bert is straining to cut the outer aluminum band. It took about 6 good tries to break the outer band.

Now I am thinking, We are in an ER. There has to be a nurse who does this all the time with sharp cutters who can just come and snip this off. But here I am holding a screaming Savy, waiting for this all to be over. (Cooper by the way is in an empty waiting room goofing around).

Lets just say we got it off. Savy has a few puncture wounds, and a nice briused/papercut-like ring around her thumb, but it is off! What a way to start off a Saturday at 9 am. And next time this happens, I think I will try the Fire Department first, they have sharp tools and smart EMT's, Right?

Here is an updated picture from Sunday, the red ring is now a scab!