Got a call every parent dreads today. I was getting ready for a job interview, and the phone rings. It's the babysitter who has the kids. "Ben, Alex fell and something is wrong with his leg."
Alex is my 2 year old boy. I rush over and pick him up, he's crying and hold his right leg. Wifey calls his doctor and has them ready to receive me while I drive him there. He's in the baby seat in back sniffling, but not crying. Once in a while, he points at his leg and says "hurts" or "owwww".
I carry him into the doctor's office (every time I pick him up, he screams) and in short order, he's X-rayed. Spiral fracture of the right femur. That's the one that goes between your hip and knee, the big one.
A few minutes later, equipped with the X-rays, I arrive at the emergency room (the pediatrician has called ahead to get their orthopedist ready). We check in, this time I leave him in his car seat which seems to help.
He's a real trooper, it's obvious that he's in a LOT of pain (he's sweating), but he's keeping it together, better than I would in his situation. Soon, he's on Morphine and after a while, the orthopedic guy gets there. Wife got there right after I did, and we're both with him.
They took him up to the OR and worked on him. They were able to set it without surgery and pins, which is good, but they had to knock him out. I rather understand that.
After an hour, they wheel him out. He's in a spike cast, it's like a half body cast that starts at his chest and (on his right leg) goes to his shin. On his left leg, it goes to just above his knee.
Wifey is sleeping at the hospital in his room tonight and I'll work her shift at the pizza place tomorrow.
Kid is gonna be in the cast for 6-8 weeks, immobilized. Arrrgh! Poor guy, wish I could just fix his leg with magic...
I'll post some pics later.
