For a few years now, i have been saying that it would be a miracle if Joshua got to 5 without breaking a bone. Well he made 5 and 8 months. And he didn't just break 1 bone, but 2.
We were at school, Friday afternoon. The kids had had their traditional Friday afternoon iceblock and were playing with their friends on the playground equipment. I was standing with some of the mums, and we were watching and chatting. A normal, casual, happy Friday afternoon. I had just observed that Joshua was launching himself after a friend in an energetic game of tag. Us mums were laughing about boy and girl games. The playground was noisy. Then, the sound that chilled me. "Mum, Mum, I've broken my bone! I've broken my bone!!" I looked around, recognising the voice as that of Joshua. And *shudder* saw him walking towards me, holding his left wrist and crying.
As he got closer, I could see that his arm was obviously deformed. There was an S bend where nature never intended one to be. He continued with "Mum, I've broken my bone!" and I had to reply with "Yes son, you have. But it's okay, we'll look after you." I got him to cradle his arm and then we walked up to the office stairs. One of the mums I have become friends with, Cathy, had run up the stairs already, to let the principal and deputy know, and they called the ambulance. Mr Warwick and Mrs Nicholls came down with ice and to lend support, and at that time, I needed it as much as Joshua. Seeing my son, so obviously broken and in pain was wrenching. They gave me the right amount of support, as well as other mums I had gotten to know. Mr Warwick waited out the front of the school for the ambos. I cuddled Joshua, arranged that another angel mum Helen and her husband Roy look after the girls until Terry could get there, Cathy kept Asha occupied. I shook. Just a little, inside.
When the ambos came, everyone was all professional, I had a bunch of questions to answer, JB got some pain medication. He was reluctant at first, because some shock was setting in, but Mr Warwick and I talked him into it, and soon the green whistle became his best friend. The ambos got him splinted up, and on a bed, and then we were off. Helen and Roy took the girls, and ket them until Terry got out of the city.
The ambulance took us into the Royal childrens hospital. We were taken into DEM straight away and transferred to a cubicle. Then commenced the waiting. Waiting to see doctors, waiting for Xrays, waiting for Daddy to join us. It was a long drawn out process. The Xrays were pretty scary, it certainly made it obvious that my boy does nothing by halves. We also had to wait because the orthopaedic surgeon was in theatre at the time, so we had to wait for him to cme check out Joshua's arm. And all this time, the nurses were looking after him, giving him as much pain medication as they could.
In the end, when it was obvious to all that a trip to theatre was on the cards to put his arm back in place, they attempted to get a cannula into his hand. This was a really hard thing for both of us I think - because they sent in an intern :( Don't get me wrong, I know that junior doctors and nurses need to learn somewhere, but after the bad experience I had in labour when I ended up a pin cushion due to an intern, I was really concerned about an intern practicing on my little boy, when he was obviously already in great pain. And after 2 tries, where Joshua was all but lifting off the bed and screaming (and this from a little guy who had been just breathing and gritting his teeth through the pain of a broken arm), I was ready to deck the guy. Fortunately the senior nurse who was with us agreed, and they left off until the paediatric registrar could come and do it. By that time, Terry had joined us, so i had a little more moral support and Josh was happy that Daddy was there too.
After that, things moved fairly quickly - a visit from the surgeon, more paperwork to fill out, changing into theatre clothes (Joshua was quite disgusted at the little shorts he had to wear, until i told him that they give adults ones made out of paper! - oh and I was down one school uniform shirt, because the one he was wearing had to be cut off him!) and then up to theatre. We went with him to right outside, speaking to the anaesthetist where she discovered that he had a heart murmur. Something else to check up on!
After that, he was wheeled off, and we were escorted to the ward where he would spend the night. We were shown to the parents lounge where we caught up on letting people know his status. It was so nice to have so many concerned and caring friends thinking of us!
A quick hour passed, and then we were summoned to recovery. Joshua had come through the manipulation fine, the doctor hadn't used any wires (which were a possibility) and had started to wake up. Of course, by the time we got down there, he was a sleep again, but that was okay. He was okay, and that was the biggest worry. So up we went to his ward again, I saw him and Terry settled for the night and went home.
Apparently Joshua had a bit of a restless night, charmed the nurses, enjoyed the novelty of getting iceblocks in the middle of the night, but was otherwise okay. No complaining of pain, which just goes to show how tough the little guy is!
In the morning, I drove in with Asha to collect them.
I can honestly say, it was one of the hardest parenting days of my life. And of course the hard part now is to keep him doing it again!
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