Piper + gravity = ER

Originally posted on MySpace September 24 2008


It was a beautiful evening in Midland. Crisp, fall air, the changing leaves, a perfect fall day.
We went to register for Girl Scouts, then had to run over to Piper's school to drop some papers off to Amy for Lilly's Scout registration. The girls were playing on the playgroud and I was chatting with Amy and her mom, when Lilly came over, semi cry because she just fell off the monkey bars. Amy sent her back on her way after ensuring nothing was permanmently damanged and we looked over at my monkey child, to which I uttered the infamous word I have now come to regret:

"I am amazed I havent ended up in the ER with her yet."

Amy told me I jinxed myself, Nah, I said.....I say that about her all the time and nothing...she may fall, but she wont get hurt to bad.

Then it happened. Not 5 minutes later. I didnt see it, but I heard it and I heard her. Turning around, I saw her laying on the ground, screaming, holding her arm.

By the time I got to her (which I didnt run, that only freaks her out more....I have done traumatic moments with her before....my panic becomes her panic) her left elbow was twice the size of the right one. I scooped her up, made sure her wrist and fingers worked, her shoulder was alright, so it was obvious the issue was in the middle.

Piper has a very high pain tolerance so I waited a few minutes to see if she would relax and calm down. She never did. She got a stomach ache. She got a headache and said her arm was getting cold.

At this time, my concern got greater because now she is not only quiet, and still crying about her arm, but she seems to be going into shock. I called Shawn, got him and off to the ER we went.
Of course, they were packed, and not very nice. Thankfully, Piper was such a good girl and tried so hard to be tough, that they put us in a room in the back so that we didnt have to wait it out in the waiting room.

Waiting it out meant 2 hours of sitting there waiting for someone to come and see us. There wasnt any comfortable way for her to lay down, no where really for Shawn and I to sit to snuggle with her.....just not condusive to a 6 y/o with a busted up arm. Heart attacks are probably very comfortable, so would be the occasional drunk person who doesnt want anyone to touch them but a 6 y/o with a painful arm who just wants her mommy to sit on the bed with her and make her arm feel better, not so much.

Dr. Newman finally comes in and he is very nice. VERY good with her and says he thinks is a break in the lower part of her humuorus bone. Off to X-Ray we go. First they gave us some pain killers for her, with a narcotic to help take the pain way.

X-Ray was the worst part, as any of us who have had X-Rays can attest to. If you have never had to help your child move their arm into positions that are extrememly painful in a room full of big, white equipment with strangers telling her what to do, its the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I wanted to cry with her, but I couldnt because I had to have my big girl panties on.
Anyway, she gets the X-Rays done, the tech's let Shawn look at them but I waited in the hallway with Piper. We go back to the ER, and what do you know....the medicine has kicked in. She is not asleep. She doesnt feel any pain, but she isnt asleep.

Mental note: codene is a STIMULANT for Piper.

She is now chatty, chatty, chatty and keeping all the ER nurses entertained. Apparently, since everyone else in Midland County had already been treated and sent home she had a fairly captive audience.

Dr. Newman comes in a says what he knew already, she broke the bottom bone of her humurous. Nothing shifted in the wrong place, everything looks good so here is the Orthopedic Surgeons number, call him in the morning.
She has a splint from her finger tips to her shoulder, and a sling with Charlie Brown on it. She slept with us last night, in the middle of us because we were worried about her rolling over on it.

The appointment with the specialist is tomorrow at 1030am.

She wants a hot pink cast. The wedding is in 6 weeks. Most casts are on for 8.....stay turned for the beautiful flower girl with the hot pink cast!!