Last Wednesday I met a couple friends and their children in the kids play area in the mall. Here in Arizona it is so hot outside that we go to the mall to let our kids play! Well, while playing Jared and Nathan were getting a little too wild and so after 2 warnings I said that we need to take a time-out from the play place. I was walking with Derrick in one arm and holding onto Nathan's wrist with the other. All of the sudden it seemed that Nathan realized my intention of leaving and lost the use of both his legs... you mom's know what that looks like. So I am trying not to let his head bang on the tile while trying to get Derrick into his stroller so I can more easily address Nate. Then Nate starts screaming,"Ow ow ow!" He wouldn't move his arm and when I tried to bend it and then straighten it he screamed. I realized that this was a pretty serious injury and called the pediatrician. They told us it sounded like nursemaid's elbow, where the elbow becomes dislocated, and they can see me in 2 1/2 hours!!! I wasn't satisfied with that time frame since he was in so much pain. The sling I made with my belt didn't seem to be making him any more comfortable. I was also feeling terrible because if I had let go he wouldn't have hurt his arm. Plus Nate yelling, "Mom! You broke my arm!" didn't help me feel any better either!
Our neighbor who is an ER doctor at the hospital here came and saved the day! She was actually right by the mall. She met me in the parking lot, popped his elbow back into place and all was once again right in the world! She told me that his injury is extremely common among children his age... I felt a little better knowing that there are quite a few mom's and dad's who have felt as terrible as I was feeling!
I hope that I don't experience anything like that again anytime soon! I felt so terrible and Fred couldn't come help me because he was working 2 hours away! But I guess I am lucky because that was my first injury experience with all of my boys!
4 comments:
Man I love you and thanks for making me feel a little better! It is absolutely amazing that this was your first injury with a house full of boys. I'm sure Nate bounced back fast and that you felt worse than he did. Thank goodness kids are forgiving and that injuries heal fast. Way to hang in there I would have had a panic attack...you know me. and I wonder why Ky is a drama queen.
Jeremy dislocated Kayla's shoulder once at church when she was about 16 months old doing the same thing. We felt horrible but luckily we had many nurses in our ward to choose from for help! Oh the joys of parenting!!
My oh my! Yes, we've had our fair share of nursemaid's elbow (also first discovered by holding on during a tantrum!) Now we know how to pop it back ourselves. Aren't boys so much fun!?
we had our first nursemaid elbow when Ethan and Jonathan were in Old Navy and Jonathan was holding Ethans hand, and he threw himself on the ground to throw a tantrum....popped his elbow right out. The dr fixed it in a jiffy but boy did I feel bad for him.
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