The Laughing Wolf

A Painful Education

Godson Chance had an accident this weekend, that knocked out a tooth. Not just any tooth, but one of his adult teeth, and an important one at that. Being a head wound, there was, of course, a lot of blood. This is what bothered him the most, because blood and bleeding meant that you were going to die.

His Mom is a good teacher and an outstanding homeschooler. Once the tooth was taken care of, at least in the immediate sense, she explained to him that he could loose a quart of blood before needing a transfusion. She then did a wonderful demonstration by getting a quart of water and putting red colouring in it. They then went in the backyard and poured out one eighth a cup of it on the picnic table. Lot of “blood,” and the light clicked with Chance who realized that it did not take a lot to look like a lot. They then poured out the full quart and compared. Not only was he much reassured, he now knows that blood/bleeding does not equal dying, he has had the basic lessons in the cardiovascular system reinforced, as well as basic biology. The lessons are continuing, and expanding a bit. Chance probably also now knows more than he ever wanted to know about emergency dentistry. His mom is in the same boat.

Chance is doing well, though not completely happy at soft food for a week. The tooth is in and while there are no guarantees, things are positive. Only time will tell if the tooth will re-root and be healthy. Mommy (and Daddy, though he won’t admit it) may come down from the ceiling sometime soon. Uncle Laughing Wolf never made the ceiling, but is just glad his eldest Godson is doing okay.

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