Dog Bite

***WARNING, THIS POST CONTAINS PICTURES THAT MIGHT DISTURB SOME PEOPLE***
As many of you know, on March 31, Ciara got bitten in the face by a dog. This was very hard on me when I got that phone call saying that Ciara was hurt. I tried my best to keep it together on the phone, but when I heard her screaming in the background, I almost lost it a few times in that brief phone call. Right when I hung up the phone, I completely lost it. I tried calling my Mom, even though I knew she couldn't answer because she was at work. Next I called my Dad, in hysterics I might add, and I could hardly talk. I managed to get out that I really needed him to meet me outside his house so that he could go with me to the E.R. On that very short ride to the hospital, yes I live fairly close to one, my Dad managed to calm me down. He told me that I can't let Ciara see me cry because then she will get more scared herself since I'm breaking down. I have heard that speech before several times in my life. Anyway I dug very deep and pulled myself together because I knew what he was saying was true.
Ciara knows that I can't handle blood that well, so she tried her best to keep her nose and mouth covered. I have to admit I kept it together in the E.R. Until that is, it came to the part where she had to get all stitched up. I had a plastic surgeon come in to fix her up because since it was he face, I really don't want her to have a scar. Anyways, the plastic surgeon noticed that I wasn't going to be able to be in the room while it was going on, so he asked me very nicely to just wait right outside the door in the hall. I knew that I had to otherwise I would be needing to be stitched up myself. While I was in the hall I started to cry. First because I could hear Ciara crying from them trying to numb her up, and second, I couldn't believe what was happening. She was in that room for a good 30 minutes while the surgeon stitched her up. These are the pictures he took before he fixed her. I have not had the strength to see these pictures until today. So here they are:

This is her nose. As you can see, the dog bit right through and that part of her nose could flip up. On the edge of her nostril, where it tore, this is the piece of her nose that he couldn't save


At this angle, you can see her lip and nose,and how swollen they are.







This is what the inside of her upper lip looked like. I'm pretty sure that one of the teeth went all the way through her lip.




I have to say that Dr. Clayton is a very nice, sweet man. He has helped Ciara and I through this horrible situation. He has put up with so many of my questions, and he has put me at ease.
Ciara is dealing with this better and better everyday. She is such a little trooper! I can't believe how much strength she has! She has had nightmares almost every single night, sometimes several times during the night. It was either Thursday or Friday of last week that she actually slept the whole night through! I have to admit that I missed A LOT of sleep along with her, but that one night of sleeping the whole night through was such a blessing! I didn't know how much longer I could go without sleep :)
Anyways a big thank you to everyone for their well wishes! Ciara really appreciated every single one!