What a crazy few days we’ve had around here.
This past weekend we went over to Susan and Derrick’s house for a cookout. We brought the kiddos’ bikes since the weather looked pretty good. After eating all the kids went outside to play, we were on a nice cul de sac so it was a great place for them to ride their bikes and still be safe. First they played with sparklers, we don’t let our kiddos play with them usually; they scare me. But we indulged them. It was fun, but getting very dark.
Hannah had taken a fancy to her friends’ scooter. She was zooming all over on it. At least it wasn’t a motorized one, but still …. I was a little nervous. Then IT happened. One of the other kiddos called out that Hannah had crashed and she wasn’t getting back up. I went running for her. She was a good ways down the street. Yea, there’s a nice mental picture for ya. When I got to her she was crying pretty hard. I calmed her down and got her up, she was banged up pretty bad. Susan came to help, even offering to carry Hannah on her back.
When we got back to Susan’s home we got her cleaned up. Her knee was scraped up and her shoulder was a real mess. She kept saying that her wrist hurt, but I thought it was only because it was scraped up as well. But she wasn’t settling down. Corey came in to assess the damage. Now in my defense I have to say I was trying to treat and clean up the obvious injuries. Unlike him, I am not a Combat Medic.
Here’s a rendering of what was said next:
Corey: We need to get Hannah to the ER, her wrist is broke.
Me: Huh?
Corey: Her WRIST is BROKE! Look!
It was then that I took a good look at the arm, just above the wrist her arm was swelling up REALLY big.
Me: It’s broke? (Yes, I realized I sound completely simple here, I was kind of in shock though. Give me a break!)
Corey: It’s broke; we need to take her now!
It was after 9:00 p.m. and taking 3 kids to the ER is absolutely no fun. Luckily Susan and Derrick offered to keep Jon and KK for us. So off the ER we went.
After x-rays it was confirmed that yes indeed the arm was broken. It’s a nice clean break, an “impact fracture” where the bone broke and then one end shoved into the other.
The ER made a splint for her and put her in a sling and gave us a referral to Southern Bone and Joint so she could get a hard cast on Monday.
Hannah’s heart was broken. We had a pool party to go to on Sunday. We also have plans to go to Ocean Springs, MS this weekend. That means 3 days in a hotel. Do the math: hotel = swimming pool. We also have plans to go to the coast at the end of the month. And we also go to the pool on base a couple times a week. Having a cast is like pure torture for this kiddo.
Then, at the pool party on Sunday there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Another mom, whose daughter has had 2 broken arms, told me they now have waterproof casts.
I went home and googled “waterproof casts”, I had hope!
At the Orthopedic Surgeon on Monday we asked about this “waterproof cast” that was to be our saving grace.
Doc: Well, with this kind of break she is going to have to have a full-arm cast for 3 weeks. Then we will bring her back in for more x-rays and hopefully bring it down to a half cast.
Me: Sooooooo …. We have a lot of plans that include water. And she loves the water. I don’t want her summer ruined…..and we’ve heard about these waterproof casts???
Doc: Absolutely, that’s what I was going to recommend. She looks like she is an active child. So I think the waterproof variety is best for her. (Turning to Hannah) What color would you like?
Hannah: PINK! (she already had that decided!)
And with that it was settled.
In inside lining isn’t cotton like the old casts, this lining is gortex. How great is that?
She is still bummed that her arm is broke, but is thrilled that she can go swimming. And: IT'S PINK!!!
