Anna Claire was running and cartwheeling in the family room as usual, and I was in the bathroom when I heard a loud snap, then a scream and immediately knew what had happened.
I ran into the room and saw AC holding her arm and crying and comforted her. Then I comforted Madeline who started crying too, worried about her Sissy. I left Madeline stroking ACs hair and ran to find Larry. I looked in the driveway and the car was gone. He had already left to get barbecue. I was gonna do this solo.
But my phone was dead. Man. I plugged it into the wall and called Premier Peds, on hold for what seemed like an eternity.
I wasn't sure whether to take her to the ER or to Premier. I have never had a broken bone or a child with one. So I was standing there totally ignorant shouting encouragement into the other room, chained to my phone. I kept hearing Madeline say, "it's ok Sissy!" And "Oh no!!"
I got a nurse within five minutes who confirmed my gut intuition to take her to Premier, and I'm glad I called because I didn't realize they had changed locations.
Then Larry walked in and we both agreed Madeline did not need to go to the doctor. So I would take AC and he would keep the baby.
The next two hours went slowly.
We got checked in, and the sweet nurse turned on Monsters Inc, special for AC. She loves that movie and it totally distracted her from her arm, plus I had applied diluted Panaway to her arm so she was pretty comfortable.
I did start realizing as we were waiting and as I was helping her do basic things that the next few weeks was going to mean us giving her lots of assistance and a temporary new normal.
We got called back by a nurse that I will refer to as Sarge for the rest of the post.
She said, "Go that way. Get on this scale. Stand over here. No, not like that, like this. No. All the way back."
I said to Sarge, looking her right in the eye and trying to keep it together, "She just broke her arm."
Sarge was nice to us after that, but I seriously thought I was going to lose my religion watching my child's sweet eyes tear up as someone was barking orders at her.
We didn't wait very long before I swear I heard a faint choir of angels singing and saw a glow as sweet nurse Melanie walked in. We adore her and I knew things were about to take a turn for the better.
Her daughter loves gymnastics just like AC so they talked gymnastics and gymnastics movies and I explained that AC had been watching too much "Gabby Douglas Story" and had gotten overly inspired.
She explained that AC would get X-rays and then a little splint or cast and that she would be ok. She also said she could have Tylenol or Motrin to which AC quickly replied, "No, My Mom uses oils."
Melanie smiled and seemed great with that.
The gentleman that did her X-ray was also very sweet and gentle. That process didn't take long at all.
Turned out she broke the lower bone in the forearm (ulna?) It was not a growth plate bone so it would heal more quickly.
Another sweet lady came in and wrapped her arm up in a temporary cast and ACE bandage and we go back in a week to an orthopedic doctor to get a more permanent one.
Dr. Darke came in and gave his final
Ok and then we were on our way.
When we got home Madeline kept asking for a cast too, just like Sissy so I fashioned one out of some ACE bandage I found.
I researched vita flex foot maps and made oily concoctions to help speed along her body's natural healing process. I look forward to seeing everyone's befuddled facial expressions in a week when they all gape at how quickly her bone has already healed.
