First ER Trip

I have said Ellie will be our ER baby.  Last night was our first trip to the ER.  Not my first trip, I have been for my second miscarriage.  Not because I was in pain or bleeding incessantly but because it was a saturday and I couldn't wait until Monday to see if the pregnancy was still progressing.  Second trip to the ER for me was when I was in my first trimester with Whitney and had bleeding.  Again it was a saturday and I was on my way to the crazy train so I couldn't wait until Monday.

Last night we were playing in the living room until bath time.  It was 7:45.  Ellie was walking to the couch and stumbled up on some blankets on the floor and went down hard on her arm.  It twisted funny under her and she CRIED!  I instantly had that feeling that something was wrong.  She wouldn't let me touch her arm and was being careful not to put pressure on it.  I thought her shoulder was dislocated.  I tried calling First Nurse and their lines were tied up.  I decided I better pack up the girls and head to the ER.  I hate wondering what you should do and what warrants an ER trip.  A dislocated shoulder needed a trip in my book.  Now it's 8 o clock.  The ER didn't seem overly busy but apparently they were.  It was an hour and half before we were seen.  In the mean time Ellie is using her arm more and more and people were asking me which one was sick and that the baby seemed fine.  Thanks, but I'm here and it would probably be child abuse if I just decided to go home and come back tomorrow during reasonable hours. 

Thank goodness the girls were doing great and I still had some toys and snacks in the diaper bag from the wedding we were at on Saturday.  And I had milk for each of the girls.  I almost went empty handed because I just wanted to get there.  Okay, 9:30 and we see the doctor.  She immediately does not seem concerned and moves Ellies arm around testing it out and feeling it.  She does not see the need for an xray and said from what I described it was probably nursemaids elbow.  This is a common injury in older infants and toddlers where a bone in their forearm dislocates at the elbow commonly happening from being pulled on too roughly.  Did I mention I was rough housing with the girls and swinging them around holding their hands and tossing them onto the couch.  This is the first I had done that with Ellie just because of babies seeming so weak and it feels like you can rip their arms out of their sockets.  Apparently you can.  I was doing this with them shortly before Ellie fell.  I don't think I gave her the injury, but maybe I loosened up the joint and when she fell on it it popped it out?  The doctor said the injury usually fixes itself, either they do it on their own or when I put her coat on or in the car seat you can move it just right to pop it back in.  I don't know if she really had nursemaids elbow or just a really painful fall, but I do know that she cried alot and wasn't acting right with her arm. 

I'm glad it was nothing, but you sure feel like an overreacting mother when you take your kid to the ER and that you wasted healthcares time and money.  But I am so thankful that the Army treats you right when it comes to healthcare, because I don't have to think twice about getting care for my family and what it will cost us.  NOTHING!!  Well, monetary wise.  It does cost us time away due to deployments.

Did I mention that Wade is in California this week?  Yeah, I had to pack up the girls and handle it alone.  I had a moment in the waiting room where I just wanted to cry because I was feeling overwhelmed and about sick thinking they would have to relocate Ellies arm but then I remembered it is what it is, I'm in the ER waiting room and I have to take care of my girls.  No sense getting all sappy about it.  Sad but hopefully not true, that may not be the only time I have to take the girls to the ER by myself.  Better get used to this independent parent thing.

Today she is fine.  She is clapping, crawling, pulling up and using her arm just fine.  Was it necessary to go to the ER?  I don't know but I don't regret taking her.