Valentines Day 2012

Roses, cards, candy, and a trip to the ER. Fun.

Let me back up.

I worked out after work and picked up Chinese/sushi takeout for Rob and I on the way home (because who wants to cook or eat leftovers on Valentine's Day?). After we put Avery to bed we ate and exchanged cards, and since Rob was not feeling well he went to bed too. Around 9:00 I was in the kitchen getting my lunch ready and Avery came out of her room crying/screaming and holding her neck. I asked if she fell out of bed and she said yes. I got her settled down enough to go back to sleep and went to bed myself a bit later. A little before 11:00 Rob came and woke me, saying there was something wrong with Avery (she was crying and wouldn't sit up).  Her had woken up and heard her crying.  I told him that she had fallen out of bed earlier, and went in to check on Avery. I immediately picked her up and she screamed in pain, so I laid her back down. She wouldn't sit up, roll over, etc. but was in obvious pain. Rob and I weren't sure what to do and were scared that something was wrong with her neck. We called the local ER to see if they recommended that we bring her in, but they wouldn't give advice over the phone. Fearing a neck injury, Rob and I made the decision to call paramedics. They came (fortunately sans sirens) and talked to Avery, tried to talk her into moving (touch her toes, etc.) and she wouldn't. Even with 3 strange men in her room, she didn't move. They were so, so nice and worked great with her. Finally we got her to hold her arms out to me, and I picked her up (obviously causing pain again). They recommended that she go to the ER for examination, as something was causing her pain but the cause wasn't obvious trauma. They offered to take her, but said it would be ok for us to take her as well so we decided to go that route.

We soon figured out that she seemed to be fine and not in pain when sitting still, but when we moved her something caused pain. The ER doctor examined her, moving all her limbs and poking around everywhere. He said the only time she tensed was when he touched her neck around area C2. X-rays came back fine and he said she probably pulled a muscle when she fell.

Having some juice

Waiting, waiting, waiting

They gave her some Motrin and we got home around 3 a.m. I stayed home with her the next day and she seemed ok but pretty timid when trying to climb up on the couch, chair, bed, etc. and picking her up under her arms caused her pain. Yesterday we got up and I noticed her collarbone area was swollen. We went ahead and took her to daycare and put a call in to the doctor, who requested that we bring her in that day. Her doctor gave her a little once-over and announced that her collarbone was broken. What?! Apparently the x-rays done at the ER only went as far as her neck, so it was missed. Nothing is done for a broken collarbone; it will heal completely in about 3 weeks time.

Where's my sticker?

Her doctor said she is free to resume her normal activity, and that she will limit herself where she sees fit (not doing something that hurts her). Right now she's favoring her right arm and kind of letting the left arm hang limp, as I guess it hurts to move her arm around a lot. Otherwise she is doing just fine and went back to daycare today.

Yesterday, when getting her out of the car she said "Mommy, don't pick me up by my neck."  Ha...ok?  She's equating picking her up with pain in her neck.  In the ER, I took her from Rob, who had to go to the bathroom, and I guess it hurt.  She said "You have to be careful, Mommy!"

So her first-and hopefully last-broken bone (neither Rob nor I have ever had a broken bone).