Ever feel like you're the worst mommy in the world?I've succumbed to mommy guilt countless times but this experience takes the cake in terms of guilt-dom. As many of us newbie moms would attest to, many valuable parenting lessons are learned the hard way. Learning-by-making-mistakes is my most frequent, not to mention effective, mode of parenting.
Rewind to last Saturday afternoon. A nearby town was hosting an afternoon sidewalk chalk drawing contest and festival. A perfect mommy-Chloe afternoon outing. The festival was a small affair complete with every 21st century child's favorite activity -- inflatables. Chloe jumped 'til she was red in the face and then proceeded to her designated sidewalk block.
Chloe scribbled and scratched out a typical rainbow and balloons picture complete with the sweet chalky message pictured at left. (No, I did NOT coerce her to write that!) Then some friends joined us and the girls did more bouncing in the inflatables. (Seriously, Chloe NEVER tires of inflatable fun.) After that we all walked together to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. And that's when the craziness began.
The ice cream parlor has a beautiful old marble counter and spinny bar stools. I, like the oft-times casual mom that I am, let Chloe sit and spin on the stools without thinking twice. I continued visiting with my mom-friend clueless to Chloe's danger. AND my wise friend didn't let her daughter spin on the stools. Let THAT be a lesson to you, Alicia!
Anyhow, the girls were happily licking their ice cream cones when Chloe spun too fast and went flying to the floor. She landed squarely on her elbow. Because was holding her ice cream cone, she didn't try to slow her fall with her hands. Instead all her 60 pounds came crashing down onto her elbow. Her elbow immediately swelled up in a strange place -- just below the joint.
We rushed Chloe outside and at this point I was utterly reliant on my friend, Shannon. She has nursing experience and took charge of the situation. I was like an ameba -- unable to think or move on my own without outside intervention. I was thoroughly scared and emotional realizing that if Chloe had broken her arm it was ALL MY FAULT. Cue mommy guilt and LOTS of mommy tears!
Chloe scribbled and scratched out a typical rainbow and balloons picture complete with the sweet chalky message pictured at left. (No, I did NOT coerce her to write that!) Then some friends joined us and the girls did more bouncing in the inflatables. (Seriously, Chloe NEVER tires of inflatable fun.) After that we all walked together to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. And that's when the craziness began.
The ice cream parlor has a beautiful old marble counter and spinny bar stools. I, like the oft-times casual mom that I am, let Chloe sit and spin on the stools without thinking twice. I continued visiting with my mom-friend clueless to Chloe's danger. AND my wise friend didn't let her daughter spin on the stools. Let THAT be a lesson to you, Alicia!Anyhow, the girls were happily licking their ice cream cones when Chloe spun too fast and went flying to the floor. She landed squarely on her elbow. Because was holding her ice cream cone, she didn't try to slow her fall with her hands. Instead all her 60 pounds came crashing down onto her elbow. Her elbow immediately swelled up in a strange place -- just below the joint.
We rushed Chloe outside and at this point I was utterly reliant on my friend, Shannon. She has nursing experience and took charge of the situation. I was like an ameba -- unable to think or move on my own without outside intervention. I was thoroughly scared and emotional realizing that if Chloe had broken her arm it was ALL MY FAULT. Cue mommy guilt and LOTS of mommy tears!After a long ordeal at the ER, it seemed that Chloe was fine and dandy. Since Chloe as in zero pain the NP on duty diagnosed Chloe's injury as a hematoma in the soft tissue. Kind of like a bruise inside Chloe's arm. We were cheerful and all set to go home when the ER staff delayed our paperwork. We waited and waited and WAITED. Then the NP came in with a new diagnosis. They had found a "disruption" on the bone near the 
site of the injury on Chloe's xray. So, the NP casually said, "I think we'll splint her just to be safe."
In my mind I imagined a splint as two balsa-wood-type sticks used to hold the arm in place and then taped. Boy was I wrong! The splint turned out to be almost a cast just not quite so heavy. The ER nurse came in and started taping Chloe's arm without so much as a hello or explanation. And try as I might, I could NOT get the nurse to explain the process to us. Hence, I couldn't in turn explain things well to Chloe and she had a major meltdown.
Again, my mommy tears flowed this time in sadness at my utter inability to comfort my girl. She freaked out. Big time. It was almost as though Chloe became a completely different little girl in those moments
of trauma and terror. She screamed, kicked (she had to be held down for the taping), and loudly cried her displeasure.
site of the injury on Chloe's xray. So, the NP casually said, "I think we'll splint her just to be safe."In my mind I imagined a splint as two balsa-wood-type sticks used to hold the arm in place and then taped. Boy was I wrong! The splint turned out to be almost a cast just not quite so heavy. The ER nurse came in and started taping Chloe's arm without so much as a hello or explanation. And try as I might, I could NOT get the nurse to explain the process to us. Hence, I couldn't in turn explain things well to Chloe and she had a major meltdown.
Again, my mommy tears flowed this time in sadness at my utter inability to comfort my girl. She freaked out. Big time. It was almost as though Chloe became a completely different little girl in those moments
of trauma and terror. She screamed, kicked (she had to be held down for the taping), and loudly cried her displeasure.Chloe finally calmed down on when we arrived home. She did super well with her splint and eventually became proud of all the things she was able to do one-handed. (It helped that I often tote Solly around and could show Chloe all the things I do with only one hand.)
3 days later at the orthopedic specialists' office the splint came off and Chloe was proclaimed healthy. No break, fracture or "disruption" to speak of!
Overall the ordeal was a good one. Hopefully we won't have to endure any breaks in the future but if we do now I'll know what to expect! And I'll be much more careful the next time Chloe is lured by spinning stools.
By far the worst part was Chloe's unexpected reaction during the splinting. I've been told this is a common occurrence though.
Have you or your kids ever broken any bones? If so, how did they deal?
3 days later at the orthopedic specialists' office the splint came off and Chloe was proclaimed healthy. No break, fracture or "disruption" to speak of!
Overall the ordeal was a good one. Hopefully we won't have to endure any breaks in the future but if we do now I'll know what to expect! And I'll be much more careful the next time Chloe is lured by spinning stools.
By far the worst part was Chloe's unexpected reaction during the splinting. I've been told this is a common occurrence though.
Have you or your kids ever broken any bones? If so, how did they deal?
2 comments:
What a scary experience! I'm glad it all ended well!
Gavin cracked the bone in his leg (can't remember which one) when he was only 18 months old or so. I actually just discovered the tiny splint they put on it today while cleaning out the basement. Anyway, it healed up pretty much on it's own in a few weeks. They didn't even cast him!
Then one time I shut his arm in the van door and thought I broke it, but it was just bruised. Crazy moms!
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