Humerus…and Not Humorous

I know another play on words, but it can’t be helped.  Last week Marley and Brodie were playing, “let’s slide and pretend to fall down”.  Seemed like the last thing I would want to do, but they were entertaining themselves, getting along, and not wrestling.  I’ll take it.  As I sat and drank my first cup of coffee that morning, I watched, like it was in slow motion, as Brodie fell to the ground and started rolling over.  Just then Marley started sliding.  Brodie’s feet sweep around and trip Marley.

Much like Tom in Tom and Jerry, when he is hit by a pan in the head, Marley just fell right over.  No trying to catch himself.  No body movements.  Stiff as board.  Someone should have called out, “TIMBER!”  Down he went onto his left arm.  *Begin crying and screaming now.*  After I calmed him down, I inspected things.  He could move it, but it hurt and movement was limited.  Fighting my natural panic instinct, I told myself he was not going to fall apart and we will see how he feels in a few hours.

*Fast forward a few hours.*  I take him to the pediatrician because he is still having trouble moving it and in pain.  She tells me she is 99% sure it is not broken and instead of exposing him to needless radiation, she’s not going to do x-rays unless he is still having problems in a few days.  The weekend comes and goes and the arm is better.  But I notice that when he runs he is holding it straight and grabbing at it.  Feeling like I am just focusing on it, I try to let it go.  But then a friend on our way home from school notices it as well.  I realize it is not me being oversensitive to it.

In we go for x-rays. This day is not going as I had planned… Now we wait for the doctor to review the x-rays.

*Phone rings*.

“Hello.”
“Hello, Mrs. Abrew?”
“Yes.”
“This is the nurse from the pediatrician’s office.  The doctor reviewed the x-rays and Marley has a fracture in his humerus.  I have an appointment set up at 2 pm with the orthopedic for Marley.”
“Thank you.”

Thank you? Why am I thanking anyone from this doctor’s office? We have hit the final straw and I am now on a pediatrician search.  There have been WAY too many times my concerns have been poo pooed.  I understand mistakes.  I forgave mistakes or overlooks.  Even ones as big as joint pains and strange gaits, which would have given us scoliosis information much earlier.  Times when I had to recommend that Marley’s speech get evaluated.  And most recently when Cale’s scoliosis was never addressed during  his well check.  Doctors are human too.

But at a certain point too many mistakes start to feel like you are not receiving quality care.  That your voice is not being heard.  That you are just another face in the crowd of patients.   As any parent before me and any parent after me knows, your child’s health is more important than anything.  Anything.  One thing I learned from Cale’s scoliosis, Matt and I are our children’s only advocates.  We are the only ones who are going to walk through fire for them.  I can not and will not be ignored with the concerns I have for my children’s health.

I got a bit sidetracked.  Marley is fine.  The fracture is small enough that he only needed a sling.  He has to be very careful these next few weeks since the bone is now weak.  But he is fine.  He hates that he can’t do gym at school, but loves that he can have everyone sign his sling.

And, yes, Marley’s neck is really that fuzzy.  LOL