Aaaaaannnnnnnnd his leg is broken

Wed morning Peter was sitting next to me on our bed. Rebekah got into the lotion, I went to get it from her. I was at the end of the bed (with Rebekah) when BOOM...Peter tumbled off the bed. He was playing with my hair brush, and after some thought it is possible he may have fallen on it? I'm not sure.

I looked him over and he seemed ok...nothing obvious. He was crying at the top his lungs. I picked him up and held him close, but he still didn't calm down. I thought "Ok, he really banged himself!" So I sat down to nurse him. It was at this point that I first became concerned because he wouldn't nurse! (He is not one to pass that up!) He cried for a solid 30 minutes. Rebekah wasn't dressed and wasn't cooperating. I'm afraid it wasn't my crowning moment as a mom (I yelled at her a couple times. I later apologized to her...but still!)

I loaded up the kids (no socks on Peter and I didn't brush Rebekah's hair!). I went the minor emergency room...which didn't open until 8:00 (and it was 7:15). Peter FINALLY stopped crying. I called William to see what he thought I should do. He said to take Rebekah to daycare and then do what I think is right with Peter.

At this point, Peter fell asleep. I panicked a bit (I had no idea if he had some sort of head injury), so I pulled over to check on him. He woke up right away, which was good (and of course started screaming again!). Peter calmed down and I told Rebekah I was taking her to school. She said she wanted to go with us and was worried about Peter. "NO Mommy! Peter is hurt! I want to go to the hospital!"

I had no idea how I would get her dropped off without aggravating Peter if she didn't want to be dropped off. So, I told her Peter was fine. I know she didn't believe me, but she complied with going to school so my purpose was served. Peter amazingly stayed pretty calm during the drop off...so no one asked any questions. (Also good...I didn't want to stop to answer them!)

By the time all was said and done, it was 7:45. I decided to wait for the minor emergency to open, because it would take me a half hour to get to the nearest hospital anyway. I walked in and the woman politely said "How can I help you today?" I explained that my baby fell off our bed, and that he had been crying for over 30 min. Of course, at this point he was calmed down. She gave me a look and I said "This is the calmest he has been all morning." So she gave me some paperwork to fill out.

I started to fill it out when it dawned on me that the Peds office was open. So do I stay THERE or do I go to the Pedi? I was torn. I didn't want to get in trouble with the insurance for going to the ER when I wasn't supposed too, but my Ped doesn't have an in-house x-ray machine. I called them and they said they couldn't get me in until 9:45. They asked if he hurt anywhere in particular. Since Peter was calmed down, I was able to poke around on him a bit. I moved his left leg and he started screaming again. So yeah...I guess he does hurt somewhere! The nurse told me it would be best if I just stayed there. I saw a doc right away.

One horrific x-ray (TORTURE!!! It was so hard holding my baby still for the picture with him looking up at me with his little frowny crying face!) and annoying nurse later...we had a broken leg diagnosis. (The nurse tried to tell me Peter was crying after the x-ray because he was scared of the x-ray...riiiiiight had nothing to do with them manhandling his broken leg to get a good picture.)

They also told me (at first) it was going to be Monday until I could see a the orthopedic dr. (WHAT? Splint for FOUR DAYS? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) I fully intended to get on the horn with my pedi when I left the minor emergency, but the orthopedic called back and said they could squeeze us in. (They later told me that the PA overheard the nurse on the phone and when she found out it was a baby, said they would squeeze him in.)

At the orthopedic doctor there was a 16 yo with a dislocated elbow, a 20-something yo with some sort of hand surgery, and a 5 yo with a possible broken elbow. The thing they all had in common were that they were BOYS! Does that tell you anything? The 16 yo had his first broken bone at 1.5. The 5 yo had broken the other elbow at age 2. All the moms looked at me sympathetically and told me that it happens.

The nurse and PA were GREAT...so incredibly nice. I'm so very thankful they had mercy on us and "squeezed" us in. I've been told this doctor is the best, and I like for only the best to work on my babies! They said Peter would have the cast for about a month (we have a follow-up appointment the Mon before Christmas). They also said babies were great at self-regulating, and to let Peter do whatever he wants to do. Right now, he is adjusting, but I think he will be getting into everything again in no time.

So one baby blue cast later...Peter has his first childhood war wound.