Monday, January 28, 2008

Bad Mom




Saturday I had class, so I left my children under the watchful eye of my mom while Gunner worked. I came home from lunch to find Em hobbling around. I didn't think much of it since she often hurts herself and usually hobbles around till she forgets about it or until it is bedtime when her injuries will suddenly start hurting again. She said she was skipping in her sister's room and she twisted her foot and heard a loud pop.

Anyway, she hobbled around Saturday, then Sunday and today after school I took her to the er. The er was packed so we put or names down and found a non-sick looking pair of people to sit next to. It turned out the mother had taken her 9 year old daughter in for the same loud pop in her right foot (and she later left in a boot with crutches with a broken foot). People were hacking away and I cringed with every sneeze and cough. Sanitizer was my best friend in there.
When we finally got back to a room all the hacking people were back there getting prescriptions for cough syrup and were balking at their diagnosis of a cold after being in there for 6+ hours. Come on people it's cold and flu season. After 6 1/2 hours of waiting and finally getting seen.....the doctor took one look and declared it broken. They did xrays to confirm it. They booted it and gave her crutches and we have to follow up with an orthopedic doctor to make sure that she doesn't need a cast. The girl never complained that it hurt. Even on the pain scale she didn't rate her pain very high, and she is not known for having a high tolerance or anything. I feel horrible.

Geez....guess I'm not in the running for "Mom of the Year" and it's only January.


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOM!

Kids often don't feel pain from broken bones the same way adults do. You did take her to the ER and get it treated and you are following up. That's what good moms do.

Second, when was hand sanitizer not your friend? :)

Megan said...

At least you didn't trip her... (unless there's something you're not telling us about). :)

Old Cowboy Dan said...

Tell her we love her, and feel the pain.

Anonymous said...

Gosh I can't stand ERs.

It all worked out. Don't beat yourself up.

Anonymous said...

Don’t feel bad. Do you remember 6th grade? I broke mine and walked on it for a week before I whined loud enough to warrant a trip to the ER………..broken. I even gave camp tours of Peach Creek on it before it was looked at. My mother the First Aid trained former troop leader thought it was just a twisted ankle.

More recently…I stepped wrong and broke the other one nearly 3 years ago when Lance was a few mths old. I didn’t hear the pop, but I felt it. ……. Broken.


Krista

Anonymous said...

Oh NO! I hope Em heals up quickly. Don't beat yourself up about it, sometimes it's so hard to tell if the ER is necessary (and I'm a nurse, for heaven's sake!)

Heidi said...

You know this will go in her bag of "mom remember when I broke my foot and it took you 2 days to take me to the ER?" . . . yeah just when she wants something . . . hope all is well with the follow up! She sure looks happy in that wheel chair.

MaryLu said...

We've done terrible things like that here too. "Oh what it's broken?" gasp!
Poor thing, and I'm with you, hate ERs expecially military hospital ones! Yuck!

Susan said...

I've lost out on the "Mom of the Year" award long ago.
It's tough to tell when to go to ER, because you know that they could just pick up something nasty there.
Several times when I've broken bones (OK, I'm a klutz), I didn't go for a day or two.

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of "The Appendicitis Incident".

The Teacup Cottage said...

Poor Baby! Well at least you got it taken care of!

Leslie said...

ewwwww er's are so gross!!! you are not a sucky mom- a sucky mom wouldnt feel bad after she found out that she let her daughter hobble around for two days with a broken whatever. youa re an awesome mom- because i know you will baby that girl out of guilt until she outgrows her cast! haha love you!

Anonymous said...

For the record I offered to take her. Instead I got the joy of watching the other two.

Kristi said...

Oh my gosh I posted somewhat of the same story about my son's wrist last week. there was no bruise or swelling so I figured it was nothing. he wasn't complaining about pain Just on a whim, I decided to take him in just in case. Sure enough, an ulna break.

jellissc said...

Something like this happened to me when I was in high school. Broke my wrist playing football and it was week before my folks took me to the doctor (BTW my dad is a doctor, as well!). They werent bad parents- sometimes breaks just dont hurt that bad! Mine didn't - they didnt ebevn know I was hurt until it swelled up really bad several days later...

You've still got my vote for mom of the year!