Heh heh. Related to this incident

Hands slipped forward, chin connected wirh the floor!

Found this “comic” app for iPhone. Heh.

Now there’s a title that will get the spam bots excited!

Last night, I was going to photo-document Caitlin’s thigh’s healing, to capture the pink patch now that all the brown dried skin has fallen off, to share with you here. I had already taken a shot of when those bits were just starting to fall off.

In that first photo session, I had asked her to put her hand where it was (in that shot mentioned above). While going to take this second shot, we were on the bed and she was a little cheeky wanting to lie down; effectively she couldn’t reach / place her hand strategically as instructed.

I asked her to sit up, put her hand where it would cover the bits; mentioning that it’s rude to take photos of one’s private parts.

“Private … what?”

“Private parts”, implying the bits.

She contemplated for a while. She already knows the implications of the bits, in that she does get quite squirmy about whom she allows to help her wash them. She only didn’t know how to refer to the concept of the private parts.

This morning in the car ride to school, not surprisingly she brings up a conversation she had from some time back. This time it was from our chat last night.

“Praaaiiiiii… what did you call it again, Daddee?”

“Private parts.”

I don’t know why I continued further after reiterating the “rudeness” of being photographed: That if anyone touches her private parts also, to tell Daddee.

Specifically, I said only Mummee, Daddee, both Grandma’s, Dr Pixie, and our domestic helper are allowed to touch her private parts, and even then it was only to help her wash her bits. Dr Pixie is an exception, cos she’s a doctor- she’s allowed to touch because she is helping look after us.

I am pretty sure she got it. I am also pretty sure she will even repeat this to, say, her (female) teachers, if they were to try and help her wash up after a visit; but which she tells me they don’t (help) anyway.

She did also ask what I’d do with the people who did touch her private parts. Trust a 4 year old to probe further! Other than beating the crap out of them, I decided to only offer that I’d tell the police. She asked further; but we kinda agreed that somehow the perpetrator would be visiting the police station with me somewhat voluntarily!

I hadn’t planned on broaching this subject this early; I hadn’t thought about it actually. But since it came up, and that she was likely to be able to comprehend anyways; which she did, I think this topic went down well.

Don’t you think?

So all the dry brown skin has pretty much “dropped off” the wound / site now; leaving a pink patch (or “continent” as one of Caitlin’s cousin exclaimed) there. It still looks quite fragile, so we’ll leave it for at least another week before we begin considering indulging in (one of) her favourite activities- the pool. But in all, there is no more open / exposed skin anymore.

So now I think we can start considering the other aspect from the healing of this accident- getting rid of the the scar.

I know some of you have suggested mederma and equivalents. Do you have anymore, or any experience with this and other brands, and how they have worked out for you? Would appreciate any(more) suggestions…

While she is only 4, and also that I am her father, there will be a time in her life where she’d like to be able to wear a short skirt; or at least that I will (have to) allow her to! I wouldn’t want my daughter (even if it wasn’t Caitlin) to be weary of something like this and feel inhibited from enjoying her young adult life….

A quick update.

I took this photo last night, and sent it to Dr Pixie.

It’s not as painful as it looks. In fact the only feedback I get now is that it is ticklish!

It looks shiny because of the flash on my camera. It is actually dry, but the “new” skin is smooth and dry, effectively giving it a sheen.

Dr Pixie replied saying that it looks like it is healing “cleanly”, but that it is likely to leave a lighter pigmentation as a result of scarring. I initially enquired if I could apply Eurax on the site, since Caitlin has been complaining that it is very itchy, and we don’t want her to be scratching the area at all!

She said no, which was also my initial reaction; general reaction, to letting things heal as naturally as possible.

Dr Pixie did say to continue using the SSD though, which we did because it does have antiseptic properties in it, and since there are still skin areas that need peeling but which may likely be peeled by itchy fingers leading to hey-I-am-not-ready-to-be-exposed-yet new unready skin being open to infection….

Caitlin is already asking when she can go (back to) swimming… I’d like to bring her too. She needs the break.

At school only this week; Monday (blues) in fact.
Grandma and Hot Mummee dropped by to settle some issues with Caitlin’s schooling.

The school had suggested we check out a neighbouring suburb’s franchise which is offering the Pre-2 Chinese medium, that we could transfer Caitlin to that school if we choose to.

After “spying” on that school / class and knowing that they still conversed in English in that class (whereas the present one they speak in Mandarin fully), the two ladies decided to let Caitlin remain.

After informing the principal of the decision, the two ladies were in the vicinity of Caitlin’s ongoing class.

Hot Mummee’s remark to me that night was something like this:
“.. she’s actually quite disciplined…”
“.. she saw us from the class, and only smiled and waved a little wave. She didn’t run out crying “I want Mummee…” or anything like that ..”
“.. she was even behaving when the class was let out to wash their hands; not recess time yet. It was only on Grandma’s insistence that she came over for a hug, and one for Mummee too..”

Reminds me of her first day at school. Walked straight in. Never looked back.

Recent scalding accident
Despite the I-can-only-imagine pain from the accident, she’s actually been quite steady about the whole thing. Sure, she was sobby on the same night, being “banished” from her usual arrangement to sleep in the other room / bed cos of the medication / cream (we did keep her company). But she didn’t really complain.

The next days she was very conscious of the burn site, heeding our advise to watch our for small accidents that may rupture the blister. She had to wear only shorts, folding up the right leg to keep it exposed / uncovered, being very careful when going to the toilet. She walks with a limp, right hand holding up the folded shorts; which we are not sure if it’s put on or that it does sting from the impact of foot / leg connecting with the ground. In any case it was quite amusing / cute / heart wrenching to see this.

Other than these physical quirkiness, she was / is her usual happy-go-lucky self.

Update on the scald site
This morning after she was ready for school, I applied the SSD again. This is the second time she exclaimed it was ticklish rather than painful; I think the first ticklish time was last night but she still say it hurt.

It also felt harder, like soft scabby, under the pad of my finger. Meaning the site is no longer raw. Which to me is good news.

Caitlin took this shot, among others, after the last post regarding the burn site’s blister bursting.

I think it should get easier managing the site now, since there is nothing left to burst! It wasn’t easy ensuring the site was kept safe from bumps and other small mishaps. We’ll just have to make sure it is kept clean.

A short update post.

Don’t mean to gross you out; and it’s not as yuck as it looks..

These were taken by Caitlin herself with my phone. Don’t know what prompted her to, likely cos she was just toying with the camera than intending to photo-document it.

Still, it will effectively be what they are.

She has been very good about it, really looking after the site ensuring no harm come to it, not breaking the blister.

The blisters themselves are a little smaller now, making the sac sag, making the fluid inside swish around!

The white bits are actually the SSD cream.

On the first night when talking to Dr Pixie, she was suggesting getting Caitlin some panadol due the the pain. I have been positively-reinforcing her that she’s been “a brave girl”, because other than the immediate hours she’s been very good about, didn’t need any painkillers.

Update: Saturday afternoon, Jan 10

Caitlin is actually due for her MMR shot between now and 6 years old. So we brought her to see Dr Pixie; to also let her have a look at the scald.

Like most other people who first saw it, I am sure her heart sank too. Everyone I spoke to about the incident never knew how bad it was.

Anyway she said to leave it alone, don’t rupture the sac, and don’t need to apply the SSD anymore.

Unless..

The sac ruptures. At which time we should start applying SSD again at the puncture site, since SSD itself has antiseptic agents in it. There is no need for the SSD on the dried areas though.

However, if the site does indeed get infected due to this puncture of the sac/skin; the signs include reddish fluid discharges, then we should administer fucisic acid, likely under the brand of Fucidin.

Because Caitlin could still wait a little longer for her MMR shot, Dr Pixie thought to spare her another trauma of an innoculation (INJECTION!!)

So, We came home. And wouldnt you know it, the sac ruptured!

I don’t think it was intentional, from being itchy fingered or accidental bumps. It was likely that the swishing was too much and the skin (was thinning?) couldn’t hold much longer.

It doesn’t look so gross now, but it also means we gotta watch out ensuring the site is kept clean, now that there is a puncture exposing bare skin.

There are a few things in life that you kinda expect to happen to you; and when you are a parent- to your children.

You expect them to fall down once a while.
You expect them to get hurt once a while.
You expect them to get a bump on the head, a cut there, a bruise here.

But you don’t expect them to be scalded.

At dinner tonite, Grandma was serving up dinner. Caitlin was seated already next to me, at the far side of the table against the doorway into the dining area. Grandma was coming in with bowls of hot soup. She makes them really hot. She reached forward to put a bowl down infront of Caitlin for her, and it slipped out of her hand, away from her, towards Caitlin.

Without really thinking I made the mistake of trying to sweep away the soup from her lap; thinking to remove the hot element from skin.
Grandma comes in to carry her off the wet seat.
I went to get some cloth- anything, to wet with cold water to put over the area.
Grandma says NO.
By which time Mummee was rushing down after hearing the scream. She was shouting DO NOT GET ICE.
My wet cloth was ignored. I could see some peeled skin. It looks like what it’d be like a few days after being sunburnt.
Mummee came with toothpaste, and we all started to spread it over the area.
Caitlin starts to settle.

The old school Chinese old wives way was NOT to encourage quick contraction after a hot expansion. My basic first aid was ignored. We then remembered some ointment bought from China by either grandparents, which had quickly healed the assistant’s hands during the sideshow (more like freakshow) demo, where he applied the ointment immediately after grasping red hot iron bar- don’t ask.

4-5 hours later we are back at our apartment, our regular routine, ready for bed. Mummee’s gentle dabs removed the toothpaste ready for another application of Chinese ointment. Cleared, we could see the damage. Blisters. Multiple of them. Bigger and smaller than peanuts. And the roll of broken skin.

I called Dr Pixie to ask what else we could do other than to air it. She said to go get sulphur silver diazine. It would help with the burn, and it is also antiseptic.

In the conversation I related the whole ordeal, whether it was likely to scar- YES. Provided the blisters aren’t popped during this whole time. but definitely there will be different pigmentation during / after healing.

But I made the worst mistake. I effectively already removed some skin when I swept her lap. It would be those area that is guaranteed to scar; don’t even talk about popping the blisters, I had already effectively done that.

I went to the only 24 hours pharmacy I could think of- Pantai Hospital, not too far from here. Got 60g of the cream, at RM12.40. They call is Flamazine

She is sleeping now with Mummee.

In the coming days these are what I am anticipating:
- her in her school uniform- how do we ensure the area is kept medicated?
- her in her school uniform- how do we ensure she doesn’t get the area accidentally bumped / scraped / pop the blisters?
- her in regular clothes- to remove them to go pee? Who’s gonna help her removal?
- her in bed- same precautions as above?

I feel like shit. I feel much worse actually.

I kid you not. This was what Caleb did a few days ago.

I was at work and Grandma called to tell me of this.

Apparently he was crying quite profusely. You know how at each Waaa… babies would then draw their breath for the next Waaa…? Well, he didn’t. So he turned blue in the lips, then in the face, and went limp.

Grandma had the shock of her life. She quickly stroked him, patted him on the body and face, and then Caleb woke up.

So, upon finding out this I quickly called Dr Pixie to tell her of this.

Is this a physiological condition?
An inherited condition?
A psychological condition?
Are there any dangers to this?
WHAT’S GOING ON??

Very calmly, Dr Pixie tells me that this is nothing new. Kids do this to get attention, to get things their way; that there is nothing to worry about.

The only thing she said was out of the ordinary was that Caleb is (already) doing this at such a young age of 9 months; my own niece / her own daughter did this once when she was 2.

She did say these words though: Do not give in to the boy’s demands. This is how kids become spoilt brats – they start getting adults to give into them and the trouble starts.

Most of the explanation and conversation revolved around behavioural attitude rather than anything medical.

You can imagine my astonishment at hearing all this. But then when I was hearing this explanation I was reminded of the saying about kids who “.. held his breath till he turned blue to get his way…” It all kinda clicked at the point.

I knew this boy was likely going to be a difficult child with that behaviour, but now with this incident, or shall I more accurately say, manipulative behaviour, we really have a troublemaker in our hands…..

I looked up the internet to research this. I did find a lot of the same things as what Dr Pixie said, plus more:

Here are some links which I visited:

http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/toddler-discipline.html

http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/child-behavior-management.html

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pediatrics-1429/Crying-Toddler-1.htm

And at the end is an excerpt from the last link above.

What a scare! Other than that quote above, none of us had ever heard of anything like this before, what more a 9 month old already starting to try manipulating the situation and people. Grandma still doesn’t believe this and asked to recheck this “condition”.

In a lot of ways, it kinda shows that this could possibly be a very smart boy.

I only hope that this genius will only use his power for good and not evil…..! Well at least be on his parents’ side! He already looks at his Daddee in a certain way!

Breath-Holding Spells
What is a breath-holding spell?
A breath-holding spell is when your child holds his breath when he is suddenly injured, frustrated, angry, or frightened. Breath-holding spells begin between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. They occur only while the child is awake.
During a breath-holding spell:
• Your child may make 1 or 2 cries and then hold his breath in expiration until he becomes blue around the lips and passes out.
• Your child may stiffen and may have a few twitches or muscle jerks.
• Your child will breathe normally again and become fully alert in less than 1 minute.
What is the cause?
An abnormal reflex allows 5% of normal children to hold their breath long enough to pass out. Most children do not do this deliberately.
Holding the breath (when frustrated) and becoming bluish without passing out is such a common reaction in young infants that it is not considered abnormal.
How long does it last?
Breath-holding spells usually occur from 1 or 2 times a day to 1 or 2 times a month. Children usually stop having breath-holding spells by the time they are 4 or 5 years old.
Breath-holding spells are not dangerous, and they don’t lead to epilepsy or brain damage.
How can I take care of my child?
• Treatment during attacks of breath-holding
These attacks are harmless and always stop by themselves. Time the length of a few attacks, using a watch with a second hand.
During an attack, do not hold your child upright. Instead, he should lie flat. This position will increase blood flow to the brain and may prevent some of the muscle jerking. Put a cold wet washcloth on your child’s forehead until he starts breathing again. Don’t start resuscitation or call a rescue squad–it’s not necessary. Also, don’t put anything in your child’s mouth because it could make him choke or vomit.
• Treatment after attacks of breath-holding
Give your child a brief hug and go about your business. A relaxed attitude is best. If you are frightened, don’t let your child know it. If your child had a temper tantrum because he wanted his way, don’t give in to him after the attack.
• Prevention of injuries
The main injury risk of a breath-holding spell is a head injury. If your child starts to have an attack while standing near a hard surface, go to him quickly and help lower him to the floor.
What can I do to help prevent breath-holding spells?
Most attacks from falling down or a sudden fright can’t be prevented. Neither can most attacks that are triggered by anger. However, some children can be distracted from their breath-holding if you intervene before they become blue. Tell your child to come to you for a hug or to look at something interesting. Ask him if he wants a drink of juice.
If your child is having attacks every day, he probably has learned to trigger some of the attacks himself. This can happen when parents run to the child and pick him up every time he starts to cry, or when they give him his way as soon as the attack is over. Avoid these responses and your child won’t have an undue number of attacks.
When should I call my child’s health care provider?
Call during office hours if:
• More than one spell occurs each week.
• The attacks change.
• You have other concerns or questions.

Caution: Call a rescue squad (911) if your child has a different kind of attack during which he stops breathing for more than 1 minute or turns white (not blue).

When babies are just being babies, you tend to forgive them when they are flailing their arms and legs around and inadvertently hits or knocks something over. You know they are only learning and practising their motor skills, and most times over-exert these motors.

Examples of accidents and over-exertions include smacking the carrier’s face, head-butting the carrier’s nose, smacking the bottle silly, jerking backwards while being carried and giving the carrier a heart attack, shooting little fountains and then innocently glaring up at you when you are cursing the most evil of curses under your breath, pinching your underarm when you are carrying him koala-style, learning to stand by sticking his feet into your chest like he is ready to backflip off you, etc.

But when they start to repeat the exact same thing with their limbs, you know they are starting to have a certain degree of control.

And when they are using their limbs stretching to reach a cup or a pale of water that is precariously perched on the edge of the counter-top, you know you got a trouble maker on your hands.

Mind you, the little man isn’t walking yet. He’s only starting to crawl (yup, towards the edge of the bed too), so he’s still always being carried at present.

But it was this morning that gave me a little insight into our little trouble maker’s cheekiness.

It was my turn to feed him overnight. As with all milk feeds, we use a big cup with a little hot water to stick the bottle into to keep the milk warm in between burps or diaper changes. This morning moreover, our little man has developed (again) a slight cough, and coughed-puked some yuck onto my chest / shirt as well as onto himself. Cursing, I had to go get a pale of water to wipe his chest before putting on fresh pj’s.

So I was carrying him whilst doing all this. I had the pale perched on the counter-top by the kitchen sink, waiting for the filtered water to fill it.

He stuck his foot out toes almost touching it; if successful I reckon he’d be able to knock the pale over. I moved / swung away. He retracted.

I swung back into original position. He stuck his foot out again.

I swung away, he retracted.

I swung back into original position. He stuck his foot out again.

I tell you: This little man is a trouble maker. Other descriptions come to mind but I will spare you the vulgarities.

And then, when you hold him out to look at him eye-to-eye what-the-hell-do-u-think-u-are-doing mano-a-mano giving him the why-you-little death stare, he stares back at you.

Wide eyed, mouth agape, Hmm? Yes?, eyes darting around your face tracing and etching and committing your face into his life-long memory, waiting in anticipation for you to smile at him.

I found myself clucking my tongue at him, which I know makes him smile.

He chuckles instead. All’s well in his 8 month old universe.

Wait till I can start walking, he’s probably already thinking.

I am doomed.

For the next, what, 20 years at least?

Got me tagged for another, err, tag; by Moomykin

Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. List 5 things that could make your life very different should it come true.
3. Tag 5 other people.

1. If I didn’t play dead, I would have drowned that day at the rapids, at Kuala Kubu Baru.
See, since I was young free and single I joined various activities to get to know people. One of them was the outdoor adventure group that rock-climbs (they (used to?) run the indoor climbing gym at The Summit) and also white water rafting. On one of the trips to the river, the water was quite high and fast due to rain the previous few days. Story short: My raft tipped over. My buddy managed to get to the shore, I was caught in a “washing machine” tumble of water behind a big boulder (water physics: this is the resulting turbulence when the water meets back together after going around and above the boulder). I couldn’t get out of it. I couldn’t get up for air easily. Because of the life vest, I couldn’t get down low enough. For a while, I was doing how I used to play in the pool when I was a young’un: Sink, kick / jump up, gasp, sink, repeat. I did that for a while while trying to escape the turbulence, buying time, thinking what to do next. And then I couldn’t anymore. I didn’t know where was up and down anymore. I can swim, but I couldn’t swim out of this one. Kicked, and still no air.

I don’t recall thinking I was gonna die. I don’t recall having the proverbial life flash before my eyes. I also don’t recall panicking. Only Hey, I can’t seem to get out of this shit, man.

After a while, I thought Since I am not getting anywhere struggling, why not not struggle. I played dead.

Turns out that was almost the right thing to do. Then I “came back to life” and tried kicking again, and found myself standing in water only knee high (river bed not always the same depth, okay! It was deep at the boulder!)

One of the guys there is a keen kayaker, from Sydney. Brought his own single-seater too. He was saying that with all this turbulence going on, there is a layer of water that’s passing through underneath all this quite happily. If this happened to anyone, to remember to make like a ball and try to get deeper into the water to let this “layer” take you out.

I was apparently involuntarily dragged out by this layer of water.

The guys afterwards said I may have been under for over 5 minutes. I wouldn’t know. They seemed more scared than I, what with my limp body! I was just busy burping all the water I swallowed.

2. If I didn’t go to this club that I didn’t usually go (likewise with Hot Mummee) we wouldn’t have met!
I went with some work mates. Since I was their boss / supervisor, I thought I should also join in some after work partying. Just that I don’t like the crowd there nor the music (it was Viva- now you know what I mean!). I spotted my cousin, went to say hi. Turns out he and friends were celebrating his wife’s birthday. I went over to meet them, and there she was……

3. If I didn’t leave Australia when we separated, we might still be together and I might be living there now
But… I wouldn’t have (re)connected as well as I have with my family here. I wouldn’t have had the break in my career. I wouldn’t have met Hot Mummee, and wouldn’t have these two adorable kids.

4. If I wasn’t lured by advertising money, I wouldn’t have started this blog!
But it’s all good, if I wasn’t passionate about parenting, I wouldn’t have started it anyway!

5. If I had more time for myself, I would actually be making money with this blog!
I would be spending more time researching and tweaking this blog to go further than what it is now, and probably more mental energy to write better stuff and better writing than the current useless fluff…

Hope this doesn’t drive readers away!

PS: Oops, this is just like me to not follow rules, or not reading instructions (take your pick!)- Anyone reading this is free to pick up this tag; ‘cos I don’t even have as many as 5 friends!