Rayne's First Fishing Tournament

Rayne’s first fishing tournament was the beginning of the March. The South Shore Anglers Club hosted a trout tournament that benefited Alzheimer’s association.  Grandpa, Rayne and Uncle Mike set out fairly early to get to their hot fishing spots.  Well before they even left the dock Rayne walked in to the back of grandpa’s truck and cut his cheek pretty deep.  Uncle Mike (fire fighter/EMS) called me to let me know he it needed medical attention, so I picked him up and took him to the walk in clinic (secretly hoping they would just glue it).  Rayne had been very brave and had not cried at all until he thought it might cause him to miss the tournament.  Grandpa promised to stay close so he could still go fishing when he was done at the doctor. 

We got to a local walk in clinic and the doctor on duty explained that glue would not work and it would have to be stitched.  Her suggestion was to take him to the hospital and see a plastic surgeon due to where it was on his face and how it was cut.  She was concerned about the size and place of the scar ... after the brief guilt trip from the doctor.  I kindly explained that we did not have the financial resources or health insurance and I was okay with a little scar.  Don’t get me wrong I would rather him stay perfect, but he is a boy, its life and it could be a lot worse.  She agreed to stitch it and I think she did a pretty good job.  It took every nurse and family member (me, daddy and grandma) there to hold him down once he heard he was getting stitches.  He panicked (apparently typical of his age) and it made it very challenging to get it numb. Once it was numb he calmed down some during the actual stitches.  As promised as soon as he was done I took him back to the marina where grandpa picked him up and he was still able to go fishing.

 

He ended up catching a couple small trout.  It was a catch and release tournament so they took pictures to the “weigh in” and after party.  Rayne came in second (of the two kids that participated) and won a hat, a free bowling certificate and a trophy (grandma had made or his first tournament).  Everyone made him feel very brave and special for continuing to fish even after his ordeal.  He ended up having a very good day and he and grandpa are already planning on their next tournament.  Let’s just hope the next one is not quite so stressful and expensive.