Flappy

I got a call from the Elementary on Tuesday, expecting it to be the School Nurse.  Many times it is for Brennon (honestly, as I wrack my brain, I don't think she has called for anyone but Brennon)-- he had to take two puffs of his inhaler, he got hit by a ball on the playground, he says his head hurts and needs some medicine, etc.  On Tuesday, it actually was Brennon.  "Mom, I fell on the playground and hurt my knee.  It was on the new ground and my skin is really black.  I have flappy skin.  They wanted me to call you."  Having him call me did the trick, I went immediately to get him.

Randy and I doctored the knee for a few days, watching it very closely.  It actually was bad, I'm glad they had him call me; the flappy skin was actually a cause for concern.  Two mornings after it happened, I knew I needed to scrub a bit to get some of the debris out that had risen to the surface from the night before.  I was scared to do it, scared to tell him, scared to hurt him.

"Brennon, I need to scrub this with hydrogen peroxide.  I will make it very quick, but it needs to be done.  It is getting infected because there is still rocks and dirt in it.  I need you to take a deep breath and hold it while I scrub.  I will go back-and-forth only five times, and then I will be done."

As he looked at me with horror, his eyes filling with tears, he asked me not to.  "Mom, that is really going to hurt.  Please don't do this."  I told him that if we didn't get it done at home, he'd had to go to the doctor.  Within a breath, he said, "Mom, I have found that if I pinch myself really hard, it takes away from the other hurt."  And so he pinched his calf while I scrubbed his knee.

When I told him I was finished, that he could stop, his breath came out in a huff.  "Is that all?  Mom, I thought you were going to rip off the flappy skin."

I was shocked.  One, that he mistook scrubbing for ripping off a fat chunk of skin.  And, Two, because it didn't take him very long to go from cringe to courage.  He just took a deep breath, pinched himself hard, and trusted me.

It took many doctor sessions, but I am happy to report that his knee is much better.  My Brennon may not like fast boats or rollercoasters.  My Brennon may not like to try new foods.  My Brennon may not be as outgoing, adventurous, or as fearless as others.  But he has his moments of intense courage.  We may not see his courage often, but when he shines, it is blinding.

I am going to follow his example.  I am going to hold my breath and pinch my leg while Sue and Doctor Hawkins doctor us today.  Time will tell whether they scrub or rip.