Mason's Owwie

On July 3rd, I had just gotten Brinley down for a nap and was getting things ready for my parents to come visit later that day while Mason was watching tv.  I wasn't far away and I remember hearing the sound of him walking on the couch cushions.  He wasn't being crazy and I didn't think anything of it.  A few minutes later I heard him cry and ran to him to give him a hug.  As soon as I got to him and tried to help him up I touched his arm and could tell it was broken.  

I was in a bit of a panic since I have never broken anything or heard much about broken bones.  I think I thought if we didn't get to the hospital immediately that his arm would fall off or something! I called Chase and he didn't answer then I called my mom and dad.  They kept me calm and told me what to do since I couldn't think clearly.  I called my neighbor/babysitter to stay with Brinley and we headed to the ER.  

 Mason was so brave the whole time.  I cried more than he did!  During the x-ray he was a little nervous and he had to take some deep breaths to keep the tears in his eyes but he never moved a bit.  It was so sad to watch!  It still makes me a little sick to see his poor arm resting on his leg.  I had to keep reminding him to stop using it.  He was hanging out watching tv.

 Then they brought out the good stuff and gave him juice and lots of crackers.  He was loving it!

He fractured the ulna.

 Good thing he was wearing his cute pajamas with short sleeves!  He did great while getting it wrapped up.

 They gave us this sling that he is supposed to be wearing all the time.  Yeah, right!  

Getting the cast was quite an ordeal!  I heard about a waterproof cast and I wanted him to have one so he could still have fun this summer.  It was hard to find somewhere that could do one and get him in before we left to Utah.  We ended up driving to Tucson to get it (only an hour and half away)!  At the orthopedic specialist, they did more x-rays and found he also broke the radius.  It wasn't fractured but bowed.  He told me that since he's so little everything should heal just fine but we might notice a bow in his arm for up to a year and it will straighten out as he grows.  Whenever we asked Mason what color of cast he wanted he answered "purple."  We tried to encourage him to pick blue but when he saw all the options he was set on green and it was a great choice!  He'll have this cast for 4 1/2 weeks and then a shorter one for a couple weeks if it's not healed.  He has been getting along just fine with it but he gets a little frustrated when he tries to eat with his left hand!  I was a little disappointed that the cast really isn't that waterproof.  It's mostly so kids can take baths and wade in a little pool but it's better than not at all.  If we ask Mason if he wants to take the cast off he always says NO!

Through all of this I kept wondering why this had to happen to him.  I'm not sure why but I do know I learned a lot from this experience.  I was reminded that my Heavenly Father truly watches over me and I am thankful that things happened how they did.  I am so thankful that it was just a broken arm instead of something much worse.  This could have happened when we were having car problems and Chase was driving my car.  I wouldn't have had a car to take him to the hospital.  I am thankful that it wasn't a compound fracture because then I would have passed out and no one could have taken him to the hospital!  The nurse in the ER kept telling me how lucky we were that he didn't have to be put under to align the bone and that he wouldn't need surgery to help it heal.  I'm thankful it was summer and my babysitter was home and able to watch Brinley.  When the babysitter was leaving she told me that her mom woke her up before she went to work that day.  That is something she never does and when she asked her mom why she did that she said she didn't know, just thought she should get up.  I'm so thankful she was in tune and listened so that my phone call was answered.  I'm thankful my parents were here to help me get to Tucson and help with Brinley.  I'm thankful for trials that make us grow!