Baby Boy Breaks Bone


Last Wednesday while I was washing the dishes, I heard a distant thump and then steady crying. Nothing unusual there, so I turned off the water, dried my hands, and walked over to the source of the noise--as routine as routine can be. My inspection found Ian laying on his back at the bottom of the stairs, flaying a bit like a bug unable to turn over on its own. Aaron and Ed were nowhere to be found, so at least they weren't responsible for the situation. I picked up Ian and asked him if he was okay. His speaking consists of a couple of nouns strung together, so he couldn't explain what happened or what hurt.

I took him to my room, laid him in the bed, and pulled out the bucket of Jelly Bellies. He seemed to favor his right hand, but that didn't stop him from sticking it into the bucket and pulling out a few candies. I asked him to move all of his fingers and roll his wrist, and it didn't seem to cause him any more pain. I figured he had sprained his wrist and it would feel better in the morning. He went to bed fine and slept peacefully through the night.

After waking up Thursday morning, Ian wanted to ride his bike with me, an
Saturday, in temporary sling, at Crystal Springs
on-again-off-again tradition where he either rides to the first intersection from our house, waves goodbye, then rides back home; or he keeps riding and I escort him around the block and back to our house, where we then part ways for the day. I was running late and needed to leave quickly, so I passed him off to Meg. When she helped Ian saddle up to his bike, she reported that he couldn't hold on to the handlebar with his right hand and whimpered in pain when he tried, so she decided that he needed medical attention.

After a visit to the doctor and an x-ray, Ian came home with a brace on his hand and an appointment for Monday to see another doctor who would apply a cast. The diagnosis differs depending on whom you ask:
  • Ian: If you ask Ian what's wrong with his hand, he frowns and mutters "broke."
  • Me: He broke his wrist.
  • Meg: It's only a hairline fracture--HAIRLINE.
Today Ian got his cast on. I don't know how it went, since nobody shared the events, so I assume he didn't fuss much. The cast stays on for two weeks.

With Ian's right hand immobilized, he has adapted very well to using his left hand, whether for feeding himself or putting together puzzles or shooting free throws at the schoolyard. Despite having a broken bone--the first in 9.5 years of having children in the house--Ian has been as happy and positive as usual. I'm very proud of how well he has faced the incident (Meg might have a different opinion, as she was the one who had to take him to various doctors and deal with Ian in a setting he didn't like). And fortunately we haven't had any copycats trying to break bones to earn special treats or attention from mom and dad.

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