I was recently at Cardel Place in Northeast Calgary. My two oldest kids attend a sort of preschool class there (which they love!). We were almost home when I realized that I left my iphone there. I went back.
My oldest daughter, who is now five and my son, who is 3 1/2 wanted to walk up the stairs. We usually use the elevator, as my other two girls are almost 2, and 4 months. I decided we could take the stairs; I had left the baby carseat in the van. Up we went, I was carrying the baby facing out in one arm, and holding onto the 2 year old so she wouldn’t fall.
I tripped.
I fell forward, and from there it’s a little blurry, but my little baby was fine. Makenna (2 year old) fell forward and cracked her head on the stairs. She hit really hard. I picked her up (in one arm? I was still holding the baby), and saw a very large hole on her forehead.
And then there was blood.
It gushed, there was blood everywhere. We got to the top of the steps and I ran toward the most people (it happened to be election day, so there was a polling station set up). I sat on the floor and started hollering for help. I was not calm, not cool and not collected! I was nearly hysterical. My little girl was bleeding so much. The blood was pouring out of her head, pooling in her eyes, in her nose and her mouth. I didn’t know if her nose was broken or if she had lost any teeth. All I knew was that there was a hole in her forehead and she was bleeding non-stop.
The people around started to come to my rescue. They took, my baby, so I could focus on Makenna. The older two were taken aside and reassured. The first aid staff were amazing! They came to me and took charge. They managed to stop the bleeding, wrapped her head and helped us calm down. The whole time this is going on, Makenna was screaming and pushing people away. An ambulance was called, and when they arrived I was put on the stretcher with Makenna. The staff stayed with us. They asked me if there was anyone they could contact for me. We tried to contact my husband, and my mom; neither of which were reachable. The staff took their numbers and said they would continue trying.
On our way to the ambulance I mentioned my phone. One of the staff said he had picked it up and put it in the lost and found. He knew just where it was, and he would get it for me! When he came back with the phone I managed to get a hold of my mom and my husband, both of whom had received calls from the staff. The staff from Cardel Place followed me out while helping my other children, and loaded us into the ambulance. They even gave my kids a box of Girl Guide Cookies!
Makenna ended up getting three stiches inside and five on the outside. She did really well at the hospital, and is no worse for the wear.
I was so impressed with the help we got while we were at Cardel Place. I don’t know how I would have managed without them there. I want to thank everyone who was there, including Cardel Place staff, the people who were working the polling station, EMS and the nurses and doctors at the Children’s Hospital.
Makenna now will have a scar on her forehead, that hopefully will fade in time. I on the other hand I will have this nightmare engraved in my memory forever. I am so grateful that there were so many people willing to help a harried Mother of 4!
