Another Trip to the ER

I am getting more comfortable in the ER. I don't think that's a good thing.

Warning: This post is long and graphic. Read at your own discretion.

Wednesday afternoon I sent Tyson up to his room. He was being disobedient and needed time to re-adjust. While he was up there I told him to clean up. He decided that he wanted to make his bed "perfectly." I don't typically hold the boys to very high standards with bed making. For Preston he just has to get all his blankets, pillows, and animals off the floor and onto his bed. With Tyson I expect a little more effort, but even that has eased up since moving him onto the top bunk. But this time he wanted to try tucking the blankets in right. He lowered the bed rail (my dad put a hinge on it to make it easier to make the bed). And while trying to tuck the blankets around the mattress he lost his grip and fell off.

I was downstairs when I heard the loud thud followed by the scream. Tyson has a tendency to be dramatic when he's hurt so I admit I didn't run up right away. I waited for the second scream before I started up the stairs. He met me on the stairs screaming, "Mom! I think I broke my arm!"

I was getting ready to talk reason into him when I looked at his arm.

Um, yeah. It was obviously broken.

Very badly.

I attempted to stay calm while I worked out a plan. First I called Dan. He didn't answer. So I called my Sister-in-law who lives in our neighborhood. Her teenage daughter was already planning to babysit for us that evening. I hoped she would be able to come a couple hours early. When Andrea answered the phone I blurted out, "Tyson broke him arm! Can someone come over to watch Preston and Nolan so I can take him to the hospital?"

Unfortunately Anika wasn't home yet and Andrea was home alone with all her kids. So I loaded up all three boys and dropped the two little ones at her house. All the while Tyson is still screaming. And I was still trying to call Dan.

Over and over and over again.

He finally called back as I was pulling up the Emergency Room. (Which realistically was pretty quick considering we only live 5 minutes from the hospital. But at the time it seemed like forever.)

I helped Tyson out of the car and we started walking slowly toward the building. Two paramedics saw (and heard) us coming. They met us half way with the child sized wheelchair. After quickly admitting us, they settled Tyson onto a bed. He was still screaming. I am so thankful he didn't go into shock.

Trying to get an IV into his arm was a joke. The first nurse underestimated his strength and fear of needles. He jerked way just as she found his vein. She tried once more, further traumatizing him before calling over a big burly man-nurse. I liked his approach. He talked to Tyson like he was a man, explaining each step to him, and being blunt about the fact that it was going to hurt a little. Then he pinned Tyson's arm to the bed while he did his thing.

The nurses and patient care people were fawning over Tyson. They brought him a root beer, and a toy truck. They gave him a few empty syringes and showed him how to make them squirt guns.

Once the IV was in they were able to give him Morphine for the pain and an anti-nausea medication. Then they wheeled in the portable X-Ray machine with which they were able to determine that he had broken both bones completely.

After waiting a while longer for the pediatric orthopedic surgeon to show up they started monitoring his oxygen levels. He wasn't sating high enough to keep them happy, so they put a mask on him. Another nurse came to make sure Tyson had been given a toy. I assured her that he had been given a small monster truck. Not satisfied the nurse asked, "Would he like a stuffed animal?"

"He's OK. But thank you."

"Are you sure. We have lots of stuffed animals over here. What kind of animals does he like?"

"Whales!" Tyson nearly shouted.

"Any kind of ocean animal would be fine," I added, knowing that the chance of them having a whale was slim.

As she left I told Tyson, "They probably only have bears and puppies, sweetie."

Just then she returned with a huge Orca whale. I was stunned.

"This just happened to be sitting on the top of the pile. I didn't even know we had anything like this!" she said.

Tyson beamed. It was such a tender mercy. He tucked it under his good arm and relaxed a little more.

The doctor talked to us about how he was going to attempt to re-set Tyson's bones. He said the goal was to get it 50% opposed. (Tyson was 0% going in.) He said that at 50% the body can do the rest of the work at healing and straightening out. He even drew us a little diagram on the bedsheets.

Next they brought in the meds (as well as a couple extra nurses, and the respiratory team) to knock Tyson out. He needed to be asleep for them to re-set the bones. They never told me the name of the drug (it may have been Versed). They said that kids typically need more than adults to knock them out. They said they typically give 2-3 units. After the 2.5 units Tyson closed his eyes and a nurse grabbed his shoulder. Tyson screamed. The doctor ordered more drugs. I watched as the nurse pushed more in. And again the nurse grabbed his shoulder. He screamed again.

"More!" the doctor yelled.

So she gave him more.

And more again when it still was not enough.

Finally Tyson relaxed and the doctor quickly re-aligned his arm bones. A quick x-ray determined they had one bone 100% aligned and the second bone at 80%. They put a large splint, wrap and sling on his arm.

I asked how long Tyson would be asleep, considering the amount of drugs they had given him. "He'll wake up soon." they said. And just then Tyson started to stir.

"Wow," said the nurse, "That was quick. He's one tough kid."

Again she told me that they typically only give 2-3 units of the medicine to anyone. She had never seen anyone take more than 5.

Tyson had received 10.

I was stunned.

Tyson was a little groggy waking up. He didn't even know he'd been asleep and had no recollection of the traumatic experience. He looked down at his arm.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's your splint" I told him.

"Can we go home now?" he asked.

I chuckled. "Not quite yet Buddy."

They monitored his Oxygen levels a little longer, weaning him off the mask. When they were satisfied that he was doing well, they sent us home with instructions to have a cast put on in 9 days.

(Tyson with the biggest smile he could muster. His beloved whale is tucked under his arm.)

It's going to be a long week.

So far, he's doing well. He is in good spirits and is enjoying all the attention he is recieving. The hardest part has been losing him as a helper. I now have three very dependant children.

It's also been a challange to keep Preston and Nolan from falling on him.