At first, I took the approach of letting the E.R. health professionals do the job. But each time it’s a 4+ hour ordeal and the quality of the stitches was hit-or-miss.

My oldest two boys haven’t needed stitches for a while but my youngest has needed them twice in about 13 months. The latest was yesterday.

It’s an annoying situation because, either I take the kid to the E.R. and it takes forever while they do it, or I do it myself knowing it stinks stitching up a 4 year old, who looks weak, but when it comes to putting stitches in, all of a sudden he has the strength of a chiseled athlete! The squirming and the screaming and the head moving side-to-side ... and my wife is trying the papoose the kid but also feels sympathy for him and so she doesn’t commit to it like the situation demands. I’m basically head locking the kid to keep him still so I can put the sutures in the right spot. Then he complains that he can’t breathe (even though he could) and then my wife telling me to go easy so he can breathe.

Glad it’s over. Probably could have used another one or two but, Oh well!