Ethan's First Broken Bone

Ethan's new friend Boo Boo Bear

My supermom powers were shattered when mommy's kisses couldn't make his hand feel better after falling down the steps last night. Not a kiss, not a hug, not even a bribe to put Blues Clues on made him feel better.

It was the worst feeling in the world... knowing exactly what's wrong and not being able to comfort him.

So we got in the car and drove to the ER, a place I'd grown quite familiar with. The nurses thought he was an angel -- an exception to the rule -- the only calm kid in the emergency room, visibly in pain while he clutches his left arm, but cheery enough to say hi to everyone and skip around as if he were there on a field trip. The nurse came in and prodded and pushed and wiggled his arm around and he didn't even make a sound. If you asked him where it hurts, he points to the same spot and says in the cutest way "right there!". After the xrays came back, we were told that he has a buckle fracture (which we learned later meant a partial break common in little kids). We left with a splint covered in ace bandage and we were told to call the orthopedic doctor first thing this morning. As we were walking out the door, we could still hear the nurses musing about how they need "more kids like him".

So he got his cast this morning and we were told to come back in 3 weeks. 3 weeks!!!!

I think I looked visibly upset when they told me that because the doctor suddenly changed his tone and tried to reassure me that this is normal in little boys... especially in active little boys like mine and that I had nothing to worry about.

Sigh. How can kid run and jump and dance and climb and act all sorts of crazy, all while laughing and giggling, when he has a 10 lb cast on?