You really cannot protect them from everything!

Yesterday was a typical Tuesday. We were actually on time to Mom's Day Out and the children left without a fuss. Kadie only cried minimally when we left (she always cries to stay). I worked out for an hour and went to Publix to get some groceries. My sister was going to pick Harrison up for me so he could spend the night with her. On my way home, I got a call from the MDO director. She explained to me that Harrison had gotten tangled up in some wrestling boys in his class, fell down and hurt his right leg and they could not calm him down. She thought he just might need his mommy. So I tell her I'll drop off my groceries and be right there. So I drive home, fling the perishables in the fridge and head back out to get my son. So I get there and I'm greeted by Harrison sitting by himself with his teacher. He did not want to walk to the lunchroom with the other kids. In fact, he did not want to walk at all, and was flat out refusing. I could tell he had been crying. His teacher explained to me what happened. I tried to get him to walk...not happening. So the director carried Kadie out to the van while I carried Harrison. In our ride I told him it was not a good idea to spend the night with Aunt Debbie since he was not able to walk. He told me he was just scared and that he didn't hurt anymore and he cried to go to her house. My sister was comfortable with it (she was a pediatric nurse for at least 10 years) and promised she would call if anything warranted a phone call and bring him home if needed. So he goes to her house and still won't walk and just wants to lay around and watch TV. They had a pretty  uneventful evening and he was cheerful. I called several times to check on him and decided that if he had not forgotten about his injury in the morning, I'd take him for a x-ray.

Side note: Kadie pooped in the potty during the midst of all of this!

Fast forward to 8:00 am this morning. My sister calls. Harrison is having a rough morning and is also coughing. She said she'd bring him to me after breakfast, etc. So they get to the house around 10:30 or so. I had already decided if he still would not walk, he was going to the ER. So I carry him into the house and explain to him that if he really and truly cannot walk, he is going to the doctor. He gets really upset but still refuses to walk. So I load the stroller into the van and we head off to Children's ER . It was all very smooth and fast. My only other experience nearly 5 years ago was just as smooth. Both of the kids were extremely well behaved and my sister was a huge help. Harrison was incredibly brave.

After triage, x-ray and then being placed into a waiting room for an examination I realized a fear of mine. No matter what I do, I cannot protect my children from everything. I am not in control of everything. I was completely and utterly helpless. My son got really upset during the physical exam because it was painful. Then the doctor went to read the x-rays. What was probably 10 minutes - felt like an eternity. Kadie was sitting happily in the stroller munching on goldfish and Harrison was engrossed in his Star Wars book. Could this really be happening? Could my son have a broken bone after a seemingly harmless fall at MDO? Seriously? I doubted him because let's face it...he can be a wee bit dramatic sometimes. I felt so ashamed that I didn't take him to the ER the previous night. I felt so terrible that I didn't believe him when he said he couldn't walk on it. Granted, it isn't the first time he has said that he can't walk but usually he will walk eventually...this time he didn't. Why didn't I trust my God given maternal instincts?

Side note: During the midst of all this we got a call from family. My nephew was having an unexpected tonsillectomy due to a fungal infection that was blocking his airway. 

The doctor comes back in the room to give us the report. A toddler's fracture in his tibia. He said it is very common. They don't cast it in Europe. They often go untreated/uncasted if the child will bear weight. But because Harrison wouldn't bear weight on his, he got casted. So my precious little boy has a temporary cast all the way from his bottom to his toes. He did so well when they put it on him. He has been obsessed with bones lately. It probably monopolizes 80% of our conversations. So we talked about bones while he lay on his tummy and got a cast. So we follow up with an orthopedist on Friday. He will more than likely get a short cast. We are supposed to keep him off of it until then.

So here are some pictures of my little warrior, who I might add is incredibly proud of his cast!