Paper Head

It’s the first holiday I remember. We stayed in a caravan park near Scotland so that we could go and see Granddad but we couldn’t stay in his house ‘cos he didn’t have a house he had a little flat in a big block of flats which wasn’t big enough for all of us to stay in. So we stayed in a big caravan instead.

I managed a whole week without getting any scrapes and bruises. Even when we walked along the really big wall which had nothing on the other side apart from the edge of the world. Be careful you don’t fall down, said mum, we might not ever get you back.

I have my own suitcase full of all my most favourite clothes. I packed it myself and got to choose what I brought. I won’t let anyone else carry it apart from me even though I’m quite little, one of the smallest in my class, and my suitcase is very heavy. It’s the last day of our holiday mum says and we’ve got to put all our things back in the car. I have to carry my suitcase all the way out the caravan and down the path. It’s gonna be a long way with my big suitcase but I don’t care ‘cos it’s mine and I can do it myself, just like my big brother does. I lift it up with both hands but have to keep stopping ‘cos it’s making my arms tired. I’ve got all the way to the front steps of the caravan we’re staying in but now I need to sit down and have a rest. It’s so windy today, it’s always windy and cold in Scotland, dad says, and he would know ‘cos this is where he was born. But I’ve got my new warm coat on with all the buttons done up to keep the wind out mum says so I’ll be alright.

I’m sitting on the doorstep resting my arms and getting ready to set off again with my suitcase. It’s not very far away now. There’s a huge gust of wind which slams the door shut even though I’m sitting in the way. I scream and duck my head down. It hits my head and catches my ankle in the door. Mum rushes over and picks me up. Asking me if I’m ok and where it hurts. She sits me down on the sofa next to her and dad sits the other side. They keep poking my ankle and asking if it’s ok but I don’t care ‘cos my head hurts loads. I reach my hand up to feel my head and bring it back down to look at it.

Mum it’s bleeding.

It looks deep. We better get her to hospital and see if it needs stitching up.

I don’t wanna go to hospital.

I start to cry.

We get to the hospital and sit in the big waiting room, waiting for the doctor to come and fix my head. There are big squishy seats and lots of toys that I can play with but I don’t wanna play with any of them. I wanna go home now. I don’t like this place and I don’t like doctors. I keep crying and asking to go but they won’t let me. Mummy I wanna go I don’t like it here. Be a brave girl and we’ll get you a nice special treat mum says, we need to stay till the doctor makes your heads better then we can take you home. After what seems like forever, the woman that’s sat behind the window calls out my name. Becky the doctor will see you now. I don’t wanna. I wanna play now.

Mum holds my hand and takes my down a corridor into a big white room with pictures of balloons and clowns on the walls. I get to sit on the big bed with the paper sheets. The doctor stands in front of me and starts prodding my head and making noises like the microwave makes.

Hmmm.

Hmmm. I think this is gonna need staples.

Staples? Like what we use to put our paintings up on the wall in school? They’re not for people. Silly doctor. Maybe he’s playing a game.

But he’s not playing a game. He goes to his draw and pulls out a big red stapler, just like the one in school. He lets me hold it in my hand while he puts some gloves on. It’s so shiny I can nearly see my face in it. Last time I hurt my head they stitched it up with a needle and thread. This time I’m getting two staples. I can’t wait till I get home and show all my friends. The doctor says it’s like stapling two pieces of paper together. He says I have to keep them in my head for two weeks then go and see another doctor to get them out.

I have to be very careful with my staples. If they get knocked they might not fix my head properly. Mum’s gonna buy me a big bag of sweeties and a magazine ‘cos I’m such a brave girl. And I get to sit in the front seat some of the way home.

After two weeks I have to go back to the doctors to get my staples taken out. The nurse says she’s never seen anyone with staples in their head before. All the other nurses come to see my head as well. They’re all crowding round me and looking at my head. They’re all telling me how special I must be to have stitches. You must have been very brave to have these says the nurse, can you sit very still for me while I take them out again and I’ll see if I can find you a nice sticker and a lollypop.

When they’re out of my head the nurse puts them in a little pot and writes my name on it so I can take it into school and use it as my show and tell. When I show everyone they think it’s really strange.

Did it hurt?

Not one little bit.

Did it bleed lots?

Yeah, loads and loads but it didn’t bother me. All the doctors said I was really really brave ‘cos I didn’t even cry at all.

The whole class is standing around me trying to look at my head and see if I’ve got a scar and everyone’s asking me all about it. They all wanna know. They all wanna talk to me. I smile my biggest smile and tell everyone all about it.