The First Break

While we had lots of fun flying kites at the park last night, the day didn’t end quite so fun for Nolan.  After the kites, we stopped off at the playground for a few minutes.  The kids wanted to go on the tire swing, and Ben was spinning them around.  Suddenly Nolan let go, and landed with a thud on his back.

He cried for a while and I thought he just got the wind knocked out of him, or really scared himself.  During supper and the rest of the night, however, it because apparent that he was favoring his left arm.  We checked his elbow and it was not dislocated.  We figured out it was his wrist that was hurting.

When he would try to use his hand to pull himself up, or to stand, he would cry in pain.  He woke up a couple of times in the night crying, presumably from bumping his wrist.

This morning we took Nolan to the pediatrician, who noted a little bit of swelling and sent us for x-rays right away.  It was a beautiful 70 degrees outside, so we walked the four blocks to radiology.  This is where I became really grateful that Ben had taken off the morning to help us {and that he is self employed and can take off the morning}.  Because of my pregnancy, I am not allowed in radiology, yet a parent was needed to hold Nolan for his x-rays.

Waiting for the pediatrician

Radiology gave us an enveloped full of films, and sent us back to the pediatrician to learn the results.  We were told that he had a couple of fractures and needed to be casted.  The problem?  No orthopedic doctors could fit us in today – in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Staten Island.  Nolan’s doctor did find us a 4 p.m. appointment…in Long Island. 

After lunch and a short nap for the kiddos, we piled into the car for the trip east.  The orthopedic doctor told us that Nolan had two minor fractures in his wrist.  They would heal on their own, but for Nolan’s comfort they wanted him to wear a cast during the healing.  It was an easy appointment because there were no bones to be set.  After the cast was dry, we were on our way home.  Nolan will wear his cast for 2-3 weeks.

I was not allowed to take pictures during the casting process…the doctor was sensitive about having his face in any photos.

Finally got a smile!

Poor little man!

This was the first time anyone in our family has broken a bone…including Ben and me.  But, with four kids and two of them boys, I’m sure it’s just the first break of many to come.