If you think this looks bad, you should have seen it before the stitches.

Yesterday afternoon at school Jackson fell onto a railroad tie face first. There was a lot of blood we were told, along with some pretty stressed out teachers. Jackson kept a clear head through the whole thing. There was even a moment, his teacher (Dawn) told us, when she knew he realized the blood that was all over him was his coming from him. Dawn was concerned he might go into shock, but said he stayed focus and kept his head better than the room that was swarming around him.

Jackson went to the Emergency Room after Mom was called in. Dad was called from the hospital. The "gash" was about 1/4 deep, an inch long, and a little over an 1/8 inch wide. My son looked as if he had 2 sets of lips. You could see the fat tissue clearly - it was what protected the structure of his face after the skin gave way.

Jackson maintained his composure in the hospital and through the anesthetic. They soaked gauze in the local and taped it to his face for an hour to numb the area.

The stitches took about 15 minutes and were worst part. For children under a certain age, they use restraints (They look like a spider's meal when there wrapped). We placed Jackson onto a contour board, his hands down to side, and velcro straps wrapped his body. Now, if you could imagine this Kafka-like experience: Your completely restrained in a strange hospital room with your own father holding your hands in place, a strange man has you head held down, you've had your face numbed and the local had gotten into your mouth reaching your tongue, medical cloths get laid all around your head, and out of only one eye all you can do is watch as a strange doctor surgically alters your face.

Yes, he screamed. He begged Dad for release with a voice that will haunt Dad for years. He squirmed and shook and demanded to be let go right now!!!!!!!!!!!! Then we told him he could watch cartoons on the overhead monitor and all he cared about was that Dad's head was in the way. When the switches were finished, he popped out of the restraints, hugged Mom, demanded a piece of gum, and went back to watching cartoons. Then we went home.

Other than that few minutes, Jackson has been fairly oblivious to what has happened to him. Thank the Lord for that. His parents, on the other hand, after putting him to bed and calling family and teachers had a several stiff drinks.