Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Trail of Tears and Broken Arms

"Momma! I'm running track!" were the words coming from Avery's mouth as she raced around the living room yesterday.

"Avery; you are so fast!" I encouraged.

"Look at me; I'm jumping turtles (hurdles)!" she chanted as she hurdled various toys strewn from here to there.

(All the while, only donning a pair of panties, having already received the 5 minute warning until naptime.)

"I'll be your hurdle." I added as I lay down across the floor.

First try: success. Second time: tiny trip. Third time: success. Fourth time: mini trip: "I'm okay!" she torted each time she fell.

This routine has been played out countless times with no issues.

Until yesterday.

Fifth time: trip and "ahhhhhhh!!!!!"

I immediately knew it was broken by the way it looked. I won't go into detail for those who have weak stomachs. I will add that the skin was not broken.

"Momma, please, please put a bandaid on it!?" she pleaded.

I don't remember the countless things that flew through my brain in the few minutes that followed. Where was my phone? What was I going to do with Braden? How was I going to stabilize it? Where is my phone? Do I go to the ER or have our trainer call a doctor's office? Where is my phone!?

"Kenny, Avery broke her arm!" I screamed into the phone once it was found (plugged in, charging).

"Who? What happened?" was his reply.

"AVERY BROKE HER ARM!"

I was beginning to panic about the time Avery reached her first stage of shock.

"Momma, I'm cold."

Followed by:

"Momma, my stomach hurts really bad."

Followed by:

"Momma, I'm really sleepy."

Finally I quit running in circles long enough to get her arm semi-stabilized, figure out what I should take with me, get the neighbors to watch Braden, put Avery in the car, and head to the ER.

(Remember. Avery doesn't have any clothes on. Nice effect for the whole story.)

The conversation in the car consisted of, "Momma, I don't want to go to the doctor."

"Honey, they are going to make your arm better."

"I don't want to go to the hospital."

"Baby, we're going to meet daddy, and we'll get this taken care of."

"Momma, can you please stop driving and hold me? I'd like you to read a book."

Screeches ensued between phrases.

We got to the ER, and I grab her and run in as fast as I can. I saw Kenny drive up as I walk across the road. It's amazing how much more at ease I felt the second I saw him. Somehow I thought he would make it all better.

While walking into the ER, "Momma, I don't want to go inside."

"Honey, we have to go inside so you can get fixed."

"But there aren't going to be doctors in there right?"

Our trainer had called ahead, so we went right in.

The next hour included me holding Avery with my legs wrapped around her, Kenny holding her broken arm, and two nurses holding her other arm, trying to get an IV started. Three spots down, no IV in yet, one more try in the foot=success. All the while, Avery screams to the nurses, "NO Ma'am! I do not want you to do that! I. Want. To. Go. Home!"

Another nurse comes in for x-rays. That was fun. Avery is still in my lap, and it's always scary to hear, "any chance of pregnancy?" How strong is that X-Ray machine? Please only take one picture!

Finally, the medicine kicks in. Avery decides it is okay if I move and let her lay down by herself. Soon we have a dozing baby.

Tears flowed the entire time for Avery. They tried to come out of my eyes too, but Kenny reminded me, "not until it's over!"

Then we're told the orthopedic surgeon will be in to tell us about her operation. Operation! What?!

More medicine. Plus Anesthesia. My baby is being wheeled down a hallway on a large bed in the opposite direction of me.

While we waited, one of my Bunko friends calls me to tell me she will be Avery's recovery nurse.

God puts people where they need to be at just the right time. At least Emily will be there when Avery wakes up.

Less than an hour later, we are back with my sweet angel, who isn't really acting like an angel, but who would be?

Momma is in doting mode because I feel responsible. Daddy is in Coach mode.

"I want to go home, momma!"

They bring us a sling that is small enough for her, and we are out the door!

Daddy fills the prescription (which she hates, by the way), and brings home some dinner. I came home to make sure Dawn and Chris are okay with Braden. (They came and got Braden from our neighbors at some point during the evening.)

We were emotionally drained. But to find a bit of humor, Kenny had planned a surprise party for me that evening, but had to cancel it in the midst of it all!

She slept with me in our room last night, and woke up every hour. From 4:15 to 5:45, she moaned and groaned and never slept. I tricked her and put her medicine in something else and headed off to volleyball practice. Kenny took my place in the bed, and she slept until 7:00.

We go back next week to get it re-xrayed and hard cast put on.

Another great adventure to look forward to!


Avery: right when we got home.

After a fun present from Dawn and Chris.

Beginning to feel like a princess.

Maybe, more like a Queen!

Then she felt great and helped me open some presents!

16 comments:

My Sharona said...

Poor sweet Avery! Poor sweet Jamey! I was crying the whole time I read your post. If you held the tears in during all of that, you are a very strong woman! I doubt I could have. We're praying for a smooth and speedy recovery for Avery. -Hugs!-Sharon

brooke said...

Poor Poor thing!! I would have paniced too and probably made it worse by crying my eyes out in front of her. I hope she gets better soon! She should milk the attention as much as possible! This will be a great memory!! I dread the moment when something like that happens to one of mine. With two boys it is likely!

Stacy said...

I am SO sorry you had to go through this!!! I cried the whole time I read it too...just like my sharona!! I really hate that this happened, but Avery is strong and such a sweet girl...I'm sure she'll jump right back into things--it will probably take you longer to get over it than it will take her!

BTW---HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you! :)

Stacy said...

Another ByTheWay....IS there any chance you're pregnant??? You seemed pretty worried about that x-ray machine!!

Sunny said...

Oh goodness! I hate that you guys had to go through this! I really hope that Avery is feeling better and that her arm will heal quickly. I can't imagine having to go through that. Please tell Avery that we all love her and wish her the best.

Happy Birthday!

Amanda said...

BLESS her sweet little princess/queen heart!!! I can't tell you how many times we've played a game that could've easily ended this way (umm...especially the "in only underwear" part...). When they cut the cast off and put on the smaller one she gets to pick a color though!!!!

JSM said...

Aw, poor girl!

Lerra said...

Awww...bless her heart. What a traumatic birthday present for you! I pray for her to get better soon!

THE MORROW FAMILY said...

Awwww! I'm so sorry! What an adventure ya'll have had. This story almost brought me to tears because I can only imagine how you felt through that whole experience. I hope that she handles it all okay...and you, too. :) She seems like she is a little fighter and will handle it much better than a lot of girls...atleast she seems like the kind that will. Hang in there.

Unknown said...

Hey guys, Lindsay and I are sorry to hear about Avery. I hope that all of you are doing ok as I know how scary that must have been for all of you. I panic everytime Timothy jumps off the couch! Like daughter, like father. I remember someone else doing the same think hurdling a defender trying to score a touchdown. :) We are praying for you guys and hope that the x-rays next week come out ok.

Kara said...

Aw, poor Avery, and you too! I know that must have been scary, but it sounds like you did a great job of keeping cool. I tend to panic when things like this happen and cannot seem to remember how to do anything helpful to the situation. Once when Jack got a really bad splinter in his foot, I tried calling the doctor and called the YMCA instead because I got the numbers confused in my head. I spent the first couple of minutes telling the girl on the phone everything that had happened and asked her what I should do, and then she was like, um, this is the YMCA. I felt so dumb, but I totally lose my head in situations like this. So good for you, you did great! By the way, she looks so cute in her little princess outfit and her tough looking cast!

Bethany said...

EEEEK! I am sorry that this happened to you guys. I am proud that you held it together. ( But I know that you HAVE to. WHen Tatum fell 10ft to concrete, we thought she had severe head trauma-luckily all she sported was a black eye- but I went into Bible teacher mode..I asked her tons of questions from Bible class, and we sang songs. I don't know if that was to remind her or me that God was in control! :)) Later that night I got into bed and cried my eyes out. Whew.. Stuff our kids put us through! :)

Ashley @ pure and lovely said...

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Poor Avery! Aiden can share his fear of the doctor with Avery! It's quite a permanent one with us for now.

Hope she feels better soon.

And, I'm with stacy. ARE you pregnant?

Jamey said...

NOT pregnant!

Roxy Wishum said...

Wow! That is a lot of trauma. It sounds like you guys handled it extremely well. I guess this is one birthday you will never forget. Congratulations on the pregnancy.

Kat Simpson said...

You did great. It's a terrifying thing and you did everything that needed done. You are a very strong woman - and Happy Birthday - hope you got your party even if it was late.