Frist Break

We experienced our first broken bone. 

Poor Gabe.

On Sunday, Andy and I were celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary by hanging low with the kids while it poured rain.  Andy was doing some electrical work on the addition and I was watching movies with the girls.  Gabe was standing on the couch petting the cat when he fell.  I was sitting right next to him and quickly scooped him up.  I had experienced worse falls from the girls and wasn't very concerned.  He did cry more than he usually would so I took him upstairs, nursed him, and put him down for his usual morning nap.  He slept a couple of hours but when he woke he was not standing in his crib to greet me.  He was lying on his back crying.  He wasn't moving his legs.  I talked to him in a sweet soft voice and said, "Come see Momma" and he stayed very still on his back and continued crying.  I went downstairs to get Andy and when we both returned he was still in the same position.  I'm pretty sure at some point I panicked and called out, "Is he paralyzed!?!?"  Andy seemed concerned which scared me even more.  We quickly and carefully scooped him up and headed to the Emergency Room. 

I was happy to see one of our pediatricians was working in the Pediatric ER.  I told him what happened and expressed my serious concern over an injury to his back.  The doctor and nurse palpated his spine, tail bone, etc. and were able to get him to move his legs.  They felt he just had some painful internal bruising and sent us home with Motrin.  The doctor (whom I love and respect) felt we should not expose Gabe to an x-ray unnecessarily. 

I left feeling unsettled. 

The rest of the night Gabe lied listless on my chest crying and sleeping intermittently.  I knew something more was wrong.  If he was simply sore I felt he'd be moving around once the Motrin kicked in.  I put him on the floor to play and he couldn't reach for a toy, crawl, or pull himself up.  He screamed out in pain when reaching.  I called the after hours pediatrician and they suggested a warm bath and more motrin and a repeat visit or to take him back to the ER.  I put him to bed and he cried some through the night but fell back to sleep each time (I am still sleeping in a room with him).

This morning he was not any better.  He was clearly in pain and would not crawl or stand.  When he attempted to crawl he cried in pain and returned to a sitting position.  I called my pediatrician very early and asked if Dr. K was working today (the ER doctor).  He was and they left him a message for me.  Shortly after he arrived the nurse called and told me to bring Gabe in for Dr. K to check again.

I began second guessing myself on the way to the doctor.  I thought I saw some improvement and felt silly taking him back.  I talked to Dr. K and told him Gabe just was not himself but I hadn't a clue where he had pain.  He checked him over thoroughly moving each limb instead of focusing on the back.  I told him how he couldn't crawl or stand and what I'd noticed about him reaching and crying.  He then gave his arms a good check and noticed Gabe wincing when raising his right arm.  He ordered an x-ray of his right humerus and clavicle.

The x-rays were hell.  

Here is Gabe in the waiting room after the ordeal:

They came and got me from the waiting room in radiology to tell me my doctor was on the phone.  I knew he had a break.  

Here is his clavicle fracture:

 The doctors assure me it is in a great spot, fractured nicely (?), and should heal easily.  Usually they sling the arm but since Gabe has been very good about keeping the arm still and not using it we will let it hang free while it heals.

Sweet baby boy was a real trooper.