Ball to the Face - OUCH!

Last Saturday was a very traumatic day, and one I hope we never have to repeat. But with 3 boys, I guess you never know (knock on wood).

We were at Caden's baseball game. Caden was playing the pitcher position (coach pitch - the pitcher just fields the balls). The second batter of the game, the kid nailed the ball - hard grounder that took a bad hop right into Caden's face! I saw something huge come out of Caden's mouth followed by blood and his coaches running out to him. When I got to him, I could see that the large white thing was his PERMANENT front tooth - root, ligiments, and all! His upper lip was split open all the way through from the base of his nose to the top of the pink line of your lip. Needless to saw, I was panicing but trying to put my brave face on as Geoff and I rushed him to the ER.

The ER was the worst thing I have been through so far with any of my boys. Caden was SO scared. He was scared about stitches but I knew his tooth was the bigger problem. Since the root and everything was out it's not like he sould just get a cap or veneer or something because there was nothing it could attatch to. While we were waiting for the oral surgeon to come the ER doctor came in, apologized ahead of time, and said "we need to get this tooth back in immediately if it has a chance of implanting". So without any pain medication or anything he shoved the entire thing back in Caden's mouth (seriously probably an inch or longer) as I pinned Caden down and he literally shook and writhed in pain. The nurse followed in soon after with a shot of Demerol which calmed him down in about 5 minutes. But those five minutes were hell. He was screaming, crying, begging me to just take the tooth out (I had to hold it in place), and gagging on his own blood. UGGHHH!

When he was finally calmed down, the nurses came in with 2 more shots. And antibiotic and an antinausia (because they were certain he would have to go under for surgery). I freaked about the antibiotic because he has had allergies to both penecillin and augmentin (so far so good - we are on day 7). The oral surgeon finally got there, board shorts and all - you gotta love Maui ;) - and was able to stitch him up and splint the tooth with just shots of novicane. Caden was so, so brave and stayed so still for him. At least one good thing, he didn't have to be put under for surgery, although the shots of novicane to a mouth that seriously looked like raw hamberger meat must have been so seriously painful.

Oh my poor baby boy. I still have tears now just writing about it. I, of course, have been stressed about everything. Will he ever look the same? How many procedures will he have to his tooth (the oral surgeon already warned us that it will be MANY over the next 10 years - great)? Will he be allergic to any of the 5 shots they gave him in the hospital? Will the kids at school be nice to him? On and on and on....... Caden, meanwhile, is already talking about next season of baseball - geesh! He is so brave and crazy - nothing fazes him.

So one week later, here is where we are at. Stitches are all out, swelling around the mouth is almost all gone, still on a liquid diet for one more week (some soft foods added throughout the week), no water for one more week, no activity for 5 more weeks (seriously, this will be near impossible), cement splint attached to front two teeth stays on for 5 more weeks. School pictures are in 5 days. Great! At least he'll have a good story to go with it.

All in all, I am so thankful. It sucks that it happened but I guess it could have been worse. I am SO grateful that he hasn't had any allergies so far and it looks like he will be cute again soon.

FYI - if this ever happens to your kid and there are still live ligiments attached to the root of the tooth (looks like see through tissue paper) put the tooth in milk or just hold the tooth in the childs mouth until it can be implanted. Do NOT put the tooth on ice - oops! We froze his tooth which means there is a good chance it will implant to the bone. You don't want that.