Broken Arm

Taking right after her Mama and starting out early, Ellison broke her left elbow - a non-displaced radial head fracture. :-( I was at work one evening when I was told I had a phone call (always bad - never get phone calls at work). As soon as I answered and heard Jonathan ask if we did X-rays, I heard Ellison screaming in the background and knew. According to Jonathan, and to Ellison's rendition of the occurrence, they were in the backyard while he was trying to do some quick yard work. Ellison has been naughty lately with the monkey bars on our swing set - we have found her just dangling from them when we look away, and have scolded her numerous times about needing one of us with her when she wants to try them. Anyway, Ellison started climbing up the ladder to get to the monkey bars, and as she was approaching the last rung, she turned around and hollered to Daddy, "Hi Daddy! You can't catch me!". He said it was like slow motion as he ran to get to her, and she fell off, landing on her left side. She immediately screamed and cried, "I can't move my arm!".

I told him to give her Motrin, than to come in. I thank God, because never are we slow enough at work where I could just step back and be Mom, but He paved that way for us. She fell asleep on the way to Urgent Care, but as soon as she woke up, was crying in pain again. Once she got into Urgent Care, that little girl was SUCH a trooper! She never once again cried about her arm, she just sat there complacent and silent as could be, even when they did the X-rays, turning her arm.

Aw, she looks so pitiful! Thankfully it wasn't a narly displaced fracture. That is the one thing as a nurse that makes me weak in the knees - when limbs are hanging at unusual angles.

Waiting for her temporary splint.

Again, thank you, God, but I was able to get out at a really decent time that night. Ellison waited up for me, and milked her injury - "Daddy, I can't feel myself because my arm is broken...". Hee, hee. After some Tylenol, we put her down for an interesting night of sleep, surrounded by pillows.

Poor baby was up 3 times in the night for the next 2 nights. When I would ask her if her arm hurts, she shook her head 'no', but I think she just couldn't get comfortable - she's a floppy sleeper.

Oh, Elli, I hope this first fracture is your last, sweet girl.

[April 15, 2010]