When Ben was about ten he dislocated his elbow jumping on the trampoline. He had to have a cast for a long time. He still has nerve damage from the accident. Well the other day Ben got home early and was jumping on the trampoline with the kids. They often play together. They love it when Ben comes out and plays with them. He is such a big kid. I was in the kitchen making dinner. As they were jumping Eli caught a bounce and dislocated elbow and broke his arm. Ben described that when Eli was coming down from his bounce that he hyper-extended his elbow. He didn't really land on his elbow that hard. Right away Ben knew that it was either broken or dislocated. He scooped him up and ran in side. He said "We got to go!" I grabbed the girls some shoes and keys. I drove and Ben held him. He was crying a little bit, but Ben was able to talk to calm him. We sang some songs. In the Er room they took ex-rays. The girls and I had come back home and I found a friend that I could drop them off at. I thought it would be a couple of hours. On my way back to the hospital, I talkef with Ben and found out that Eli had to go to surgery. What?! I was shocked. I was glad to be there with him. And it was comforting to know that the girls were well taken care of. His arm was laying to one side of him and he had to be still. He was crying off and on trying to deal with all the pain. We tried watch a show on TV but it wasn't distracting enough. He had several doses of pain medication each dose would last about 15-20 minutes. With what seemed like an eternity in between. Another friend called and asked what she could do to help. She went and picked up the girls and kept them the whole night. I often have her oldest two babysit and they sure treat our kids like family. This was the first time any of my kids had stayed overnight with any one but family. I knew they would be fine and Lydia would still be able to go to school. The wait to surgery was difficult. We came to Er at 6:00 and he didn't go until 10:00. Ben had called a friend to find Eli a priesthood blessing. He is also a doctor. He's a radiologist. It was very comforting and kind.There was a doctor that kept checking on him and was worried about his finger movement and capillary refill. He also came and splinted his arm. Which was super painful for him. In the ex-rays it showed the bone placed about an inch to an inch and a half away from where it needed to be and there was a main artery that they were worried about.
Right before surgery
They also could tell that the arm would need to have pins placed in it. When he finally calmed down about nine and slept for a few minutes. That's when I started crying. I'm kind of a delayed reaction kind of a person. And it hit me
It's one of the hardest things to see your child go through so much pain and to not be able to take it away. They moved us upstairs for surgery. We talked a lot about horses and I able to pull up the sound track from The Man from Snowy River on my phone. He listen to it right before they gave him the anesthetic. The surgeon, Dr Allaire, took about 30 minutes and was done but Eli didn't wake up until 11:30 or 12:00. It was a relief that all went well. I opted to stay with Eli for the night. Ben would have but I knew that if he could get to sleep he would be able to sleep deeper than I would. I knew that if I went home I would only sleep worse. Eli was starving and so after a snack if frosted flakes, I laid next to Eli and we got a couple hours sleep here in morning the nurses coming in and out.
The surgeon brought me photos after surgery of the pins in his and how it was set.
The morning after surgery. He was feeling better but if was a rough night.
After we got home.
He was feeling less pain, but over the last couple of weeks he has been waking up at night. Sometimes at he would wake up twice a night for a hour or so at a time. I would tell him lots and lots and of stories. Scripture stories, Family History stories, and all the horse stories I could think of.
He is doing great no and I can't believe that in a week he gets his cast off. If it looks healed than he will be good to go. If its not ready than he will have to get it recast for another two weeks. The doctor has assured us that children heal quickly. We will also get to tell if the growth plates have been effected. Its been an adventure!
A little one armed fun. He only wore the sling for a about a week a he hasn't been letting that arm slow him down. He has been playing soccer and football.
