Broken Arm

My last 24 hours:
Friday 16:20 - I fell at my school playground.
Friday 16:30 - The school called mom because I tell my teachers my elbow hurts and I can't move my arm.
Friday 16:50 - Dad picks me up and takes me home, It hurts too much to get out of the car, so we try cupcake medicine - which for the first time ever, doesn't fix the problem.  I then fall asleep in the garage from crying non-stop for 45 minutes.

Friday 17:30 - 19:00 Dad and Dexter go to the local urgent care.  They take x-rays and tell us Dexter's arm is broken but all they can do is splint it and tell us to go to an ER. Since mom is still at work they go to her hospital.

Friday 19:30 - Dad and Dexter arrive at Prince William hospital to get checked out.  They get x-rays taken again which confirms what urgent care said: "There is transverse transcondylar fracture through the distal humeral metaphysis with dorsal displacement of distal component."  Translation:  broken upper arm with elbow displacement.  The orthopedic doctor on call can't fix a child's elbow so he recommends we transfer to the big hospital in DC which has pediatric orthopedic doctors on call.  They call ahead so the next hospital knows we are coming, but we turn down the ambulance ride and mommy drives Dexter instead. 

Friday 22:30 - We leave Prince William Hospital and drive to Fairfax Hospital.

Friday 23:30 - We arrive and are quickly checked in and the ortho doctor resident is waiting for us.  They look at our X-ray CD and again confirm the break.  Described as "the worst kind of long bone break kids get." Dexter will be NPO and have surgery first thing in the morning. I get my first real dose of pain medicine - Morphine - and become happy and then very sleepy. 

Saturday 01:00 - We get transferred to our room for the night and I begin freaking out about my hunger and the sink in my room not being able to give me water.

Saturday 02:45 - We all finally fall asleep for the night.

Saturday 07:00 - We go down for surgery.  We meet the CRNA that will do the anesthesia and the attending orthopedic doctor, Dr. Theiss, who will be doing the surgery.   The plan is to sedate him under general anesthesia, then do a closed reduction of his elbow and a percuteneous pinning (3 pins total) of his upper arm, and splint it back again.

Saturday 08:00 - We roll back to the OR, with mommy, until I fall alseep, move to the OR table and get hooked up to the monitors.  I do great with this due to my complete exhaustion and get put off to sleep.  Mom leaves and surgery can start.

Saturday 09:30 - Surgery is done, he did fine.  He will remain with his splint for 3 weeks and then come into the office to have his pins removed.  He is supposed to not "run, climb, or jump" for 2 months.

Saturday 11:00 - Woke up and ate all his breakfast and chocolate milk.  Had another dose of Tylenol and rested in his room watching Toy Story 3.

Saturday 13:00 - Cleared for discharge and eager to go home!

Saturday 14:30 - Finally arrive home, less than 24 hours after all my drama began.  Sad I can't go to my cousin's house this weekend like we planned because I wanted to visit them all and exchange our presents!

Now we can begin the 3 weeks of healing before the cast and sling can come out.  All I am allowed to do is wiggle my fingers on my right side.