THUD!!!
I looked up from my seat on the park bench to notice the most horrifying face I thought my daughter had ever made. No yells, no screams, just a simple "Daddy, I broke my arm" in a soft matter-of-fact voice.
I got up and went over to her, scooped her up and sat her oon the bench to examine the danger from elbow dropping one of the alligators and sure enough there was now a wrist where there should not be one! I told her it looked like it might be sore so we were going to the doctor to have it looked at. Still not a wail, just little sobs and a stern little girl telling me not to move her arm as we rushed off to the emergency room, daddy trying to keep his composure so as not to lead on to the severity of the injury.
After some time in the ER and one doctor attempting sedation and setting the broken bones (yes, both of them in her forearm), I get the words that I didn't want to hear.
"We can't set it, I'm calling in the Orthopedic Surgeon"
Some time passes, and I was lucky enough to have Dianne, my step-mom, there to relax me. The Orthopedic Surgeon comes in and examines her as Aunt Kathy is arriving and lets us know Aubrey will be going into the Operating Room around midnight. Patience has always been one of my strong attributes, but at this instant it was out the window.
Around 1am they took her into the staging area for the OR, and my little girl had been so tough all night finally started to cry. He lips were shaking, teeth chattering and she was scared. I reassured her that everything would be ok as they wheeled her down the hallway and I was engulfed by overwhelming emotions that almost brought me to the floor.
Afer what seemed like eons (about 15 minutes), the doc walked out and told us the bones were set and Aubrey was getting her cast. After hearing all was well, Aunt Kathy retired to her home leaving Sarah and I to walk down the hall into post-op.
Still groggy and eyes half open I was asked, "Daddy, I'm sleepy, but if I take a little nap can i still go out to Grandpa's tonight?" All concept of the passed time was gone. "Let's go home and get some rest first, and if you're feeling better when we get up we'll talk to Grandma and figure it out."
Aubrey was wheeled up to a recovery room, and here came the toughest part of the night. Her pain medication had worn off, the new dose was on the way and she had a foreign object encasing her left arm. One of the hardest parts I have found in being a parent is the feeling of helplessness. As she lay there uncomfortable and crying, I could do nothing but attempt to sooth her. Have you ever tried soothing a 6 year old with a broken arm? It works about as well as roping an elephant with dental floss!
Another eternity passes (about 5 minutes under the given circumstances) and a fresh dose of Hydrocodone is administered. She quickly drifted back off. I did the same in the fetal position at the foot of her hospital bed. A few minutes later Justin and Ashley came in and woke me up so we could all go home. While getting ready to check out of the hospital they made mention to Aubrey about how she would be the most popular kid in class with her new appendage jewelry and she had to come up with a creative story on how it happened. She decided just to tell the truth, so I opened this with some of the suggested fabrications.
Aubrey got a little rest once we got home, and did indeed get to go to Grandpa's house on Saturday. She hasn't had much of an apetite yet, but her first day at school was a hit. She has more signatures on her cast than a Trekkie at a reunion convention and was all smiles when she was telling her story in the classroom.
She's asleep right now and is doing very well, she's not happy with the taste of her pain medicine and has told me "It's ok if it hurts a little, I don't want to take it anymore!"
She was a real trooper, and is stubborn jsut like one of her parents. I'm not going to mention which one!
