Porter's Arm: The Break

If you're going to break your arm...why NOT do it at an orthopedic surgeon's house?!

Friday, May 7, we joined dear friends to celebrate their youngest son's third birthday. Grandparents willingly hosted our two families, and our kids couldn't be more excited since "Bebe" and "Pop" have an amazing backyard. And pizza, cake and ice cream were on the menu...what else could you ask for when you're under the age of 10?

A dog.

We don't have any pets, and Porter wants one desperately. After eating, she was busy disciplining and directing the adolescent and energetic labradoodle...and in heaven. Then...there was the misstep.

Next thing we know, Porter is hysterical, holding her arm and crying that it's broken. (At this point, I'm pretty sure she is overreacting and the break is wishful thinking as a school friend had been enjoying the attention of a cast all week.) But I defer to the surgeon present who willingly leaves his grandson's birthday party to drive us across town to his clinic. He sets Porter up with a splint and sling, and she is good to go. With directions to watch her for continued pain throughout the weekend, we apologize for disrupting the celebration and head home half expecting a miraculous healing by morning.

The healing didn't come.

So, on Monday, Jamie and Porter headed in for an X-ray which showed us (by "us" I mean the doctor) that she indeed had a buckle fracture. With a cast up over her elbow for two weeks, she chose to sport bright green, and she wanted to go BACK to school that afternoon so she could show off her newest accessory.

Luckily, it was her left arm and not her writing arm, but it put a halt to her softball season, and she will miss out on swim lessons this year. Otherwise, it hasn't slowed her down much! She is still running, jumping and riding with the best of them. We have only had one unreachable itching fit, and it hasn't been used as a weapon for punishing an annoying sibling...yet! She goes back next week to see if she can sport a smaller cast.

(I was instructed to take a full-body shot.)