Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Trusting the Mommy Instincts

Last Wednesday as I pulled in the driveway after helping with youth group, I could hear Emma crying. When I got in the house, Josh said she had fallen out of bed in her sleep. Emma was crying a lot and holding her arm. Now, this little girl is one tough cookie. She is the one who can be stung thirteen times by a wasp and never say a thing when older boys who she is with are bawling over one sting. Needless to say I thought it must be broke! After Josh did a little assessment, he agreed, so I took Emma across the street to the Emergency Room.
We were there for relatively a short time (three hours) compared to what it usually is like there. The triage nurse thought it was broke as well, and ordered some x-rays.
After we finally saw the doctor, he said she looked perfectly fine, that nothing was wrong, and we need to go home. That was it. I felt a little foolish. I thought for sure she broke it. Even Emma was slightly embarrassed. "Mommy, I am trying to be tough, but it really does hurt more than I ever have hurt." she says to me. I let her know it is okay to hurt. My poor baby.
Since they told us she was fine, we just planned to do things as normal. I let her go to VBS (she fell on her arm there, and had a good cry they told me), then we had a picnic with some friends for lunch. When she fell off the swing set b/c she couldn't hold on (and landed ON her arm my poor girl!!!), I knew they must have been wrong. I tried getting an appointment with our doctor, but she was on vacation. I could go to a clinic, but not until Friday at 3:30.
Josh took Emma to that appointment. The doctor walked into the room with Emma's x-ray in hand and wanted to know why she didn't have a splint or cast or anything because her wrist was "obviously broken". Josh looked at the x-ray and saw the break immediately too. The doctor then sent them back to the emergency room to get a splint put on. We also now have an appointment with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon tomorrow to possibly get another x-ray (b/c she fell on it twice) and get a cast put on.
It is very good that I was not the one who took Emma back to the E.R. I know it was a mistake, but in that moment I probably wouldn't have been very nice. My poor girl was in so much pain, and we were led to believe nothing was wrong at all.
I am a little sad that this happened at the beginning of summer. Hopefully she will not have to wear a cast for very long so she can enjoy some splashing in our kiddy pool this summer.

Resting after a long day at the doctor's office and ER.


This is the temporary splint they made for her fractured radius.

8 comments:

Rachel said...

How infuriating! I am angry just reading about it! I hope it heals quickly so you can have summer fun. So sorry!

Rachel said...

oh my goodness. that is ridiculous. I am so sorry for your poor little Emma, but glad they are finally taking good care of her! What a bummer for it to happen now :( Praying it heals quickly!

Steph said...

I think I would have had a few choice words to say if I had taken her back to the ER!!!

I hope your lovebug is better soon so she can enjoy the rest of the summer without worrying about keeping her hand dry!!!

Dandy said...

Poor thing!

By the way I absolutely love the picture on your heading!

Lindsey said...

My grandma broke her arm when she was young, but she hid it from her family because they had lots of kids and no money. At least that's a better reason to live for a while with broken bones than because of stupid doctors.

Bemily said...

Tell Emma...her "ordinary" wink, wink, aunt and uncle will be up soon to help take care of her and help make her feel better! we miss her so much! (and Josie and Addie too!)

Bemily said...

PS...stupid hospital

Elizabeth Eckard said...

So can I just say that I have been a ridiculous slacker when it comes to updating my blog and consequently, I have missed reading your updates. So you can imagine my glee when I got to read all of these wonderful posts...except this one...this one is just sad. Poor Emma. Had I known this when it happened, I would have called her! And, had I known about your peppered egg incident, I would have called YOU to laugh at you. hahahaha JK. Okay, I just wanted to tell you how excited I was that you have blogged so well. Keep up the good work and I will see you and your beautiful family soon!!!!