What a day. Well Brayden was at Scout camp and.....The funny thing about Scout Camp is they let them use knives. At home I say "Put that knife up you're going to cut yourself." Then we send him to camp and there is a million 12 year olds running around with knives. I think they teach them 1st aid on day one, knife sharpening on day two. Then they use the training on day three after they let them use the sharp knives.
Not really, it was an accident. I get this call from the Stake Scout leader and he says "Rachel, Brayden has had an accident and has cut his wrist, it's bleeding pretty bad so I think he cut a vain or something. A couple of leaders are taking him to the Emergency Room and will be there in 30 minutes." That was it. Well this is the same kid that has broken his left arm on the 4Th of July and was flow to Flagstaff, then 2 years ago I get a call from the School, "Mrs. Wiltbank, we are taking Brayden to the Hospital he has broken his left arm and it is a compound fracture will you meet us there we are going in the Ambulance." So we went to Showlow and had to have a titanium rod put in surgically and had to stay a week in the Hospital because he had to be on intervenes antibiotics.
So off to the E.R. Bart and I go thinking he has slit his wrist and we are in for a long and scary night. I am thinking of total blood loss and transfusions and helicopters and.....we wait, and fret, and try to call Scout leaders, we watch each car coming in the parking lot. Then an ambulance, then another, then another...still no Brayden. The E.R. is packed! I am so grateful we have a Hospital no matter what size it is. There were 3 Ambulances in the dock, I should have taken a picture. It looked like a total mess. So we wait and wait, finally we see a pick-up pull up with 2 leaders we never met and in another pick-up our Brother-in-law Erick right behind them.(Little story on Erick, he was in the E.R. that morning getting his finger stitch up, he cut it using one of those da-- knives then went back to camp. It took 8 stiches for him, sorry to tell on you Erick) I'm waiting for dripping blood and Brayden passed out and all the gore, I had time to think...WAAAYYYY to much time, and here comes Brayden with, of all limbs the left arm, held above his head. There was blood, not a whole lot and a cut, on the top of his wrist, it was deep but not on the part that people cut to die, which is where my mind keep thinking it was. I still couldn't look at it. I am getting more squeamish the older I get. The E.R. is full so they stick us and our semi bloody child out in the hall. We wait, kind of like the greeters at wal-mart, by the door to the E.R. Everyone sees us and our semi bloody child and have to stop and say "What happened?" I say "Scout Camp" then I hear all of their stories of Scout Camp and all I can say is "What are WE THINKIN'!" Knives, boys, guns,(Not really, they don't let them bring guns, just in L.A.) So it's finally our turn, Brayden is turning a little white, my mind and stomach is a little sick and they start to clean the wound. That was the part we didn't like. It hurt but then comes the shot. IT was bad. I couldn't handle it, I walked out and left the strong one with him, Bart. Bart is good with stuff like that. He wrapped his arms around his head and held him close to his chest while squirmy mom is out side looking for a gurney for myself, what a wimp!! 3 or 4 stitches later Brayden is asking me when he can go back to Scout Camp, I say "NEVER" I don't think my nerves can take it. We come home and he takes a couple of IBP and takes a bath and heads for bed. It's 1:30 am and I am still wound up!!
Brayden is definitely the third child, very active and daring, wants to do anything. He was the child I found standing on TOP of the fridge when he barley could walk. When he was 2 he plugged the sink up with the stopper and turned the water on full blast while I was in the shower. At 3, we took him to the Dr. with a big hook in his thigh to get it taken out. If it's going to happen to someone, I hate to say it, but it will be him. I worry when he does something like wants to play football, I feel I have to keep him safe because he's the fragile one. He would be mad at me for saying that but wouldn't you feel that way too?
So this is how it happened, Brayden and his cousin where headed somewhere and a kid had a carving tool for wood. Some how the kid moved wrong and the knife came in contact with Brayden's arm. It really could have been a lot worse. Bart and I prayed on the way to the Hospital and the only time Brayden cried was when he said "Mom I'll be okay, they gave me a blessing and I know everything is going to be alright." I could tell he was given a blessing because he remained so calm. I am so grateful for Scout leaders who know how to take care of my bleeding child and that they are worthy to hold the Priesthood and bless my child. I guess I'll have faith and take him to Scout Camp tomorrow. The unnerved, Rachel
