It was only a matter of time…

Carter has his first broken bone. He fractured his left wrist. Sadly, it happened three weeks ago, and I just now took him to the doctor. I feel like a horrible mommy. Obviously, we knew he had hurt his arm. He would hold it when he would fall or whine when we put his arm through his shirt hole. I just thought he had sprained it in his millionth fall. I didn’t want to be that mom who is at the pediatrician’s office every week because we are already there enough as it is. I figured if it was truly broken he would not be using it normally like he was. Well, I was wrong. I should have gone with my mommy instinct and taken him in three weeks ago.

I finally decided to take him in on Tuesday to see the pediatrician because he just didn’t seem to be healing completely. He would still hold his left arm occasionally. She felt around for a long time until she finally found a spot on his wrist. When she pushed on it, he stiffened his legs. He didn’t cry or anything so even she didn’t think it was truly broken. Just to be safe, she sent us to get X-rays. By this time it was 4:30 on Tuesday. I decided to attempt the X-rays right away because, really, is there ever a good time to take two kids to get an X-ray? I thought it would be in a little building outside the hospital. Oh no, we were in the big hospital and registering with everyone else at the hospital. Let me just tell you how much fun that was. I even broke down and gave them a chocolate chip cookie at 5:15 because I just wanted a few brief moments of silence and stillness. About an hour and 15 minutes later we were finally taken in to the room for his X-rays. Carter was terrified, and I don’t blame him. Abbie was stressed out because she had to go stand behind a special “barrier” wall with a technician so she would not be exposed. I finally managed to get Carter to lay down on the big table and stop crying by singing the ABCs. They are his favorite. The X-rays only took a minute and then we rushed out of there with a stop at Chick-fil-A for the kids on the way home. All I wanted were two extra-strength Tylenol.

I got a call at 8:30 the next morning from the pediatrician. She had reviewed the X-rays and determined there was a fracture. The next step was to take him to see an orthopedist. We also had to go back to the hospital in the pouring rain to pick up his X-rays to take with us to the specialist.

Carter saw the orthopedist this morning. Thankfully, Mimi drove up this morning in the pouring rain to watch Abbie. Thanks Mimi! The doctor said the fracture is healing nicely on its own. His only concern is that he falls so frequently and braces himself with his hands. We had two options: a permanent cast for three weeks or a splint that can be removed for three weeks. I decided to try the splint first. Obviously, it will be so much easier to be able to take it off for baths and bed. I was worried he wouldn’t leave it on. Well, I was right. He had it off within a minute of getting in the car. Fortunately, he has not taken it off again. I think he is just getting used to it. I also think it makes his wrist feel better. Hopefully this will work and we won’t need the permanent cast. The doctor said if I had brought him in right away after the break he would have been in a cast for 6 weeks. I can’t even imagine that!

So that is the latest drama going on at the Schmitt home. I would like to say that this will be his one and only broken bone but somehow I doubt it. I am thankful that it was only a small fracture. I feel just horrible that the poor baby has been walking around with a broken arm for three weeks! He must have a very high tolerance for pain. Nothing gets in the way of his crazy antics!