From the OR for me to the ER for Connor…

After Paul and I left my hospital we were going to catch a bite to eat. I wanted my favorite (like duh) Mexican place—my throat was killing me from the tube and only a bean burrito wouldn’t hurt it. That’s my story anyways…Well we get there. I go and sit down and Paul is in line to place our order. And then his phone rings.

He looks over at me and says Connor is hurt. He got bit. It’s pretty bad. Carrie is heading the ER now.

CRAP.

“Let’s Go now!”

So we get to the ER where they are at—which is at a different hospital than the one my surgery was done at. I am holding onto the counter because I am still woozy from the general. The nurses think that I am woozy from the blood on Connor. Nope. And then I have to explain that I just had surgery, blah blah blah. We get back to our little room. Carrie takes the other kids home for us. The PA comes in and says that it is a little gaping and needs one stitch. They burrito wrap him in sheets. One nurse is holding his head. Paul is holding his upper body and I am holding down his legs and feet. Seriously. Kids have the strength of Zeus when it comes to the things they really don’t want to do right? I actually have few tears too for my little man. Paul couldn’t figure out why. Hmmm…My son is screaming to get off of him. He doesn’t like you. He wants down. He is having a needle poked through his face. I am exhausted. Hungry. Oh—hormonal too. How could I not let a few tears out? And then another nurse came in and held his feet and I got by his face and told him they were almost done. He calmed down then. And they were done a few seconds later. He sat up as soon as they let him. I told him to say thank you for helping me. He said with tears still rolling and a sad voice, “Thank you.”

So here he is before the process.

It doesn’t look bad I know. And it wasn’t. Only one small stitch. But what caused this? Connor will not leave the dog alone. She warned him a few weeks ago that she doesn’t like having her tail yanked on. She simply turned her head and opened her mouth. No biting. Then the day before this happened, Connor was messing with her. She turned and opened her mouth on his face (that is what he has closest to her). No biting still. Just warning. And then this. Holly had obviously had enough of Connor messing with her. Now Animal Control is involved. We have to watch her for 10 days to make sure she doesn’t get sick (rabies) or anything. She is current on all her shots so that isn’t what I am worried about. Obviously my son isn’t ready to be around a dog and follow the basic rules. Don’t pull their tails. Don’t give them chokehold hugs. Don’t get in their faces. Etc. etc.

I am torn. I really do think Holly is a great dog. I really do love her. BUT at the risk of my kids face for the next time he makes her mad? NOT WORTH IT. I know he should know better. I would hope that he would have learned his lesson. Is it worth the risk though? Or what if Sage makes her mad? The Animal Control officer said that if she had been trying to be malicious—it would have been soooo much worse. It looked like to him that she was just trying to get away. It still…is weighing very heavily on my mind and heart. This seems like a no-brainer though right? Paul and I are not in agreement. He is convinced that it will just take time and Holly is fine and it won’t happen again…etc etc. I am not. And what if it doesn’t?

Any thoughts on this?