Aaaaaaargh!

My beloved third born.

Was in the studio lab at school the other day. That would be Saturday.

She'd just inserted a brand new exacto blade ,into her exacto knife, and was making the final adjustments to her model. (Due on Monday.)

And, she didn't use her safety skills.

Instead of sitting, with her legs under the desk as she cut?

She stood. And pulled down - HARD- on that new-bladed exacto knife.

And, as she concentrated on outlining her model? The knife slipped on and out...into her thigh. (She must've had alot of pressure behind the knife.) Kind of when you're cutting a slice of thick, hard bread, (and then all of a sudden it slips through, the knife,that is), and you're thanking your lucky stars that the knife didn't go through *you.* Turns out Amanda's laceration to her thigh? It was 7 inches long, and 2 inches deep.

Her studio mates were freaking awesome. A guy took off his T-shirt, and tightly wrapped her leg. Other kids lay her down and elevated her legs. She was definitely shocky. They called 911. (Aussie readers: would that be 000? It's been too long for me to remember how to dial an ambulance..)

We eventually got a call from the ambulance people. They'd bandaged the wound, done orthostatic BP's, deemed her safe to get a ride with friends to the hospital vs. an $800 ambulance trip.

I called our insurance company...they okey'd the ER visit.

Off she went and 31 internal and external stitches later? She was discharged.

Our dearest girl....she sent us phone photos of the laceration. I have to be honest. The first one? The one of the open wound? Made me feel sick. And I'm a seasoned nurse for the love of god. I have seen blood and gore that would make your hair fall out. But the picture of my girl's laceration? Oy! Bring me the bucket.

Now? She's sending daily photos of the healing.(Per doctor daddy's request.) And she'll see a follow-up doc on Thursday for a wound check.

Do you know what? If that knife had gone 3" higher? It would have severed her femoral artery.

Facts like this?...Keep me awake at night in a perpetual state of insomnia.

My beautiful third born. Could've been removed from us in a heart beat.

Impossible to get my head around.