Sammy's feet

We have toads in our back yard. The kids find a new one almost every day. Some of them have nicknames, like "Goldy", "Mr. Fatty-pants", or "Mr. Croaker". They (the kids) keep their hoppy friends in a 10-gallon aquarium back by our pine trees, where it is nice and shady. They hunt for bugs for them almost every day, and always make sure they have water to be in. Sometimes a giant (in the form of my 18-month-old boy) reaches from above and sets them free, after the harrowing experience of being carried around by a very small person. But all in all, these toads live a charmed life.

Until we noticed one with what appeared to be a chewed-off foot. Strange. The next day there were two more with a chewed-off foot each. I mentioned to Mason that maybe they should clean out the tank, in case there was some bug that was injuring the toads. I didn't think too much more of it.

That evening came the craziness. When I was just about to start dinner, Elise came tearing into the house, hysterically screaming, "Sammy is bleeding--he got cut on the glass!" My first thought was that he had been barefoot in the garden and stepped on some hidden glass in there (I have found SO many big pieces of glass in there--especially since I've rototilled). But because of how hysterical Elise was, I grabbed a rag and ran.

I couldn't tell the extent of Sam's injuries, because he was barefoot and covered with mud. I could see the blood pulsing from his feet, however, and so picked him up and trotted back to the house. Not so fun with a preg-o belly, but you do what you have to do. He was a bit hysterical, himself.

I had no idea how badly he was cut--had he ripped open a tendon or sliced his foot deeply? I was praying that I wouldn't freak out and start crying and consequently scare my kids more than they already were. As I cleaned him up, the story unfolded...

The kids decided they were going to clean the aquarium, so after removing the toads, they turned it upside down to empty it. The dirt/mud was sticking to the bottom (now the top), so one of them had the brilliant idea to jump on it. Elise jumped. Mason jumped. Sammy jumped the hardest. And barefoot. And broke right through.

I got his cuts as clean as I could with soap and water--there was only one that really concerned me. The others were going to be fine, tho there are a lot of them! Then came the hydrogen peroxide. Poor kid. But I needed to be sure he wouldn't get any infections. Then came the triple antibiotic ointment, and at last the bandages.

Here's the worst one--it's healing well now with butterfly bandages and a big piece of gauze covering it all up.

His first bandage was a pad--I wasn't sure how to get the gauze to stay on, so I figured, why not use something that wouldn't stick to the wound, was sterile and was made to hold blood? (I let the kids watch "VeggieTales" while I played doctor)

Elise and Mason were so apologetic and remorseful about what had happened. They were complete angels the rest of the day--doing anything and everything they could to make sure Sammy was comfortable. I carried him from room to room and brought him dinner on a tray. Once he was sure his feet were going to be okay, he thoroughly enjoyed being petted and pampered. :) He's walking fine, and it's everything I can do to keep him from climbing the door frames and jumping off of them.

This is what he likes to do...

...but he is banned until I'm sure his foot isn't going to split wide open again!