First, apologies...it's been a while since I've blogged.... what can I say, but it be-s that way when you're playing Supermommy. ok now on to the post...
Today was one of those regular ol days that turn not so regular when you're experiencing life with a toddler. We made a trip to my favorite place, Target so I could get cleaning supplies (I've decided to start introducing potty training to little man and that's put a lot of stink all over the apartment...more on that in another post...) I was pushing the stroller with one hand and holding on to my little man tight with the other one when he decides he doesn't want to walk and he drops all his weight and lets his legs go limp. Now, this is pretty common for him and I usually end up pulling him back up to standing from his hand to get him to walk on his own. This time however was a different story, his arm went limp and he started crying 'owie, owie' over and over. I knew something was wrong and I let go of him. Now his arm was laying limp against him and he was holding his hand. OMG! I swore it was broken and there I am in Target in full blown panic. I pick his little self up and try to get my head together. We fortunately haven't had any major catastrophes, minus one out of town Emergency Room visit when he was 3 months old with a bad cold (new parent panic), and I felt like a woman with no escape plan. I had a new cell phone and like a dummy hadn't programmed our pediatrician's number in it. So we made a mad dash for home, thank God I was driving, got the doctor's number and made the call. This became Reason #5 I don't like our pediatrician, first of her receptionist is always rude and quick to tell you no, as in no you can't come in today without an appointment. And this is never the case if I can actually get the doctor on the phone (note: always bully your way past the receptionist, who is she anyways to tell you no?!). I talk to our Doctor and she gives the diagnosis over the phone: "It's Nursemaid's Elbow... we are really overbooked today but you can come in at 7:30PM," she says. 7:30? That's like 3 hours away, oh hell no am I gonna let my little man have a limp arm for the next 3 hours. Must get to an Emergency Room! But where? One girlfriend suggest Brooklyn College Hospital since it's in Ft. Greene, however I refuse to ever step foot in that hospital again, that's the same hospital where I went to take a pregnancy test after I got a positive test at home and they told me I was NOT pregnant (even though hi now I have an 18 month old son..)and sent me home. My other girlfriend suggested NY Methodist since she's been there before and they were good. So we high tail it over the NY Methodist hospital in Park Slope and indeed I would recommend that ER as well since there's a dedicated Pediatric ER that was a breeze to go in and out of. We spent less than an hour there which was a blessing since my last aforementioned ER trip with the baby lasted over EIGHT hellish hours. Anyways the doctor confirmed it was Nursemaid Elbow, apparently a common condition in toddlers that I had never heard of, but basically means the elbow pops out of the socket. He straightens it back up and pops it back in... and no lie right after that, my little man acts like nothing ever happened and starts jumping around the room. I started to feel like maybe I made a mistake and it wasn't that serious, however the doc said that was normal, that there's little pain after the elbow is back in place. However now that it's happened once, there's the risk of it happening again, so no more swing him or helping him jump by his arms (he's gonna be bummed about that one...)
For more on Nursemaid Elbow, check:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/nursemaid_elbow/article_em.htm
