Toe Drama

Julia, after spending a bunch of time outside on an unseasonably nice day, came to me with anxiety over the state of her pinky toe.

JULIA: Mommy?  Do you think I have frostbite?  My toe is white, and it feels numb.
ME: (taking a look) I don't think you have frostbite.  It does look white; you probably just need to get your circulation going.
JULIA: (panicked) But what should I do?  Does that mean my toe's gonna fall off??
ME: No. Why don't you just fill the bathtub with some warm water and put your foot in to warm up your toe?
JULIA: Will you come WITH me?  
ME: You need me to sit with you in the bathroom?
JULIA: Yeah, I want you there.

As we headed into the bathroom, Julia became increasingly certain that her toe was going to fall off.

JULIA: Can you DIE from frostbite?
ME: I don't think so.
JULIA: But can't your toe snap off?
ME: It would have to turn, like, black and have SEVERE frostbite for that to happen.
MADELEINE: (helpfully running into the bathroom to give us an update from Google) "Frostbite is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues.  First your skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale..."
JULIA: (completely freaking out) MY TOE IS HARD AND PALE! I told you I HAVE FROSTBITE!
ME: Honey. Honey.  Just soak your toe in warm water and you'll get your circulation back.

Upon filling the tub with water, Julia began soaking her toe.  The toe went from white to a purplish color. Julia took the color change with serene tranquility.

JULIA: (in sheer, utter panic) MY TOE IS TURNING BLACK! IT'S PURPLISH BLACK! MY TOE IS GONNA FALL OFF!
ME: Oh my God Julia, it's not-
ETHAN: (who had heard Julia's hysterics through his headphones while he was cooking) WHAT is going on?
ME: Julia thinks her toe looks black and it's gonna fall off from frostbite.
ETHAN: (helpfully) Huh, it does look kinda black.
JULIA: (hysterically unintelligible)
ME: Okay. No. Ethan, tell her that her toe's not gonna fall off.
JULIA: (continuing to be hysterically unintelligible)
ME AND ETHAN: Honey, your toe is not gonna fall off from being outside in 55-60 degree weather for an hour!

Julia was initially inconsolable, but eventually calmed down when I pointed out that her toe had turned from purple to normal flesh-colored. Ethan returned to cooking and I reassured Julia.

ME: See? Now it's back to normal.
JULIA: (a bit sheepishly) It's not numb anymore.
ME: Okay, so why don't you drain the tub now and get some warm socks on?
JULIA: Okay. (Inexplicably turning the shower setting on in the still running tub instead of unplugging the drain and turning the water off)
ME: No, that's the show-
JULIA: (getting fully sprayed by a full shower stream in her clothes and standing there helplessly) AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
ETHAN: (running back into the bathroom from the kitchen) NOW WHAT IS GOING ON?!?
ME: TURN THE SHOWER OFF JULIA!
JULIA: (frantically scrambling to shut the water off)

Oh my God.  Can you tell we're all a little anxious over here about the rising coronavirus cases and we're becoming a little too easily unhinged?  Deep breaths.  Julia has not, in fact, lost her toe, and is back to having other irrational fears like thinking she has spit cancer because she's blowing too much spit into her flute when she practices.  It's all good.  We're all fine over here!  Nothing to stare at folks!