Sunday, July 29, 2007

Oh my, our first cast!

As usual Miss S. was being a 2 year old. She was with me at the grocery store last night. There is a road that runs parallel to the store. Then there are rows that run perpendicular to that road where cars are parked. Well while crossing the parallel row, she decided to make a run for it. I had groceries in my left arm and I had her left hand in my right where two fingers were on the wrist. She made a run for it and wasn't able to. Then she promptly plopped down in the middle of the roadand would not move. Me trying to get her to stand up, she determined to stake her place with her arm and hand hyperflexed. I felt a pop when she yanked down to plop down and screaming. She had hurt her wrist. I tried to see if it would go away on its own. But within the hour we were on our way to the ER. She was inconsolable and the slightest touch even with motrin and tylenol made her scream. Amazing what a screaming toddler will do to the ER staff. I didn't have to go to registration. They simply took her name and went and looked up her info on the computer and brought the papers to me in triage for me to sign. We were taken right back with S. howling the whole time. The PA came in and the nurse and they were the best. They sent her back for xray. She looked so tiny on that gurney. When in the xray room, I was not allowed to go back with her. I could hear her screaming through the door. I almost started crying right there. Get back to the room and she had calmed down. The PA came in and said he was going to let her rest while he discharged a patient. Still she would not move her wrist. The radiologist said it looked like a greenstick fracture (think of a young tree that bends and doesn't break) or something with her ligaments (torn or stretched). So the PA came in and tried to do a reduction on her arm (because he also suspected nursemaid's elbow). It didn't work. Still howling with pain. So then they put a partial cast on it. They called the ortho on call. He wants to see her tomorrow or next available appt. The nurse and PA said he will take the current partial cast off, then xray it again, and then recast it with a waterproof cast.

S seems ok today for the most part. We are alternating tylenol and motrin. As long as she gets that she is playing well. She also is learning how to do everything one handed. She is adapting well. She does want the cast off which I tell her sorry baby, it has to stay on till you see the dr.

So tomorrow morning, I have to call the ortho's office first thing for an appt for her. I usually see another dr in the group, but I was assured by the nurse that this dr loves children and will do well. He is coincidentally Grandma's ortho too. Oh and did I mention S and Grandma have matching slings? Same arm too. Sil said too cute, we have to get a pic of them together. I understand what she said, but I am still upset that this happened to us.

The nurse and PA said that this is common. That they have done the same thing with their kids a thousand times. Just this time S. pulled down to hard. So hopefully the cast will come off quick.

A pic for you to see:
[IMG]http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa81/missgamecock/100_0800.jpg[/IMG]

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