Another Visit to the ER

[Please see updates at the end of this post!]

So this is ER visit #3 for Braden in his 19 months of life...he had a visit when he was 27 weeks in utero...but I won't count that! The first visit was for a weekend ear infection before Christmas, not too much of a biggy, the second visit was for balanitis (scary stuff, especially for Daddy!), and now the third visit for a possible fractured foot!

So what ended up happening was, this AM before lunch Braden was running around Auntie Joy's house and as it happens quite frequently with his fat little toddler feet, he tripped and fell down. Then he cried, as is what also happens sometimes. We cuddled, we snuggled (which is always nice for a change vs. the chasing and running)...but then he wouldn't walk. He tried to walk, but wouldn't weight bear on his left foot. I palpated his ankles, no crepitus, palpated his foot bones...ooh, he kinda withdrew when I palpated under his big toe on the top of his foot. A dose of Advil as we excited Joy's and off to Walmart we went. Surely a few Thomas treats would make him feel better? (I am such a suck! He's not even old enough to ask for treats yet!)

A quick stop at McD's for a grilled cheese to go, a not-so-quick stop at the neverending Tim Horton's drive-through for iced capp's for Daddy & Papa and off we were! I thought surely a good 2 or 3 or (fingers crossed) 4 hour nap and my little man would be back up and running in no time!

...1.5 hours later...

Crying. Sobbing. Not happy Braden. :( Sad. Upset. Helpless Mommy. I went in to see what was up, and the crying stopped and in a little whimpery voice he said "soosa? soosa?" (soother). He immediately found it himself, plopped it back up to those sweet quivering lips, I said "night night?" he laid down, rolled over and would surely go back to sleep...

He was quiet for about 20 minutes but then I had to go in for the rescue. We read some books by the light sneaking in from the hallway, I hoped he would doze off and I could lay him back down...but he was up. Grandma S was here making some supper and I gently put Braden down on the floor...but then the crying started again :( Still not weight bearing? I thought even if he sprained or twisted his ankle, he should be able to walk on it by now? Who am I to know what a soft tissue injury would feel like to a 19 month old? Braden is a pretty tough cookie, so I figured if he wasn't walking it must really hurt. My nurse brain was arguing with my mommy brain:

"Oh he'll be fine, just give him some Advil and let him sleep it off, he'll be good to go in the morning". - NB

"But he can't even STAND on his left leg? That has to mean SOMETHING!?" - MB

After a phone call to my mom, Jay, and a colleague at the ER, off we went to see which brain would win, Mommy Brain won and it was off to emerg. It was super busy, but luckily pretty much the only card we as ER nurses hold, was used and the girls snuck us in and out about as fast as you can on a busy shift like they were having (THANK YOU!) The doc said that there were no obvious fractures in his foot, but in little feet the little bones can "move around" a lot so the xray wasn't necessarily definitive. The deal is, is that if Braden isn't running around like his crazy self showing any improvement by Sunday morning, we have to bring him back for reassessment and likely a 1/2 cast for 10 days. Eek. Just say a little prayer that by the time most of you are reading this in the morning that my little guy will be running around, or at least walking, or at the very least weight bearing?

Also, Braden is now 26 lbs 12 oz! That's over a pound gained in a month - I knew he was growing!

On a totally unrelated note, I'm going to start doing "Flashback Friday". It's posting a picture of anytime in the past (a flashback, if you will ahhhhhthankyou!). I'm going to try to do it to the day, or as close to the day as I can. Here is Braden last year plus 1 day:

Go Esks Go!! Still a crazy kid!

*Updates*

• 0715 - Wake-up. Daddy meets us at the end of the hall and Braden hesitantly feather-weight bears (FWB) putting minimal pressure on his left heel
• 0806 - Will only take 1 heel step to Mommy...doesn't want to walk yet :(
• 0925 - Kind of forgets about foot and walks over to Mommy to bring me a book, kind of ouchie! But he still did it! FWB on his heel/outer foot now
• 1003 - Cousin Luke is here....what? His foot hurt? Pretty much up and running, literally! :)