Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Wailing: "I broke the baby!"
So I'll start out by saying THE BOY IS FINE.I'm officially indoctrinated as the parent of a boy. We made our first trip to the ER last night. Here's how it went down:
The boy was playing and briefly left my line of site, just on the other side of the table. I move to get a better look and he sees me. Knowing that playing with the plug - connected to a floor lamp - that he has just pulled from the wall is not something I'm going to let him get away with, he tries to put the plug back in the socket. I fling myself in his direction and ask, "What are you doing?" in that I-know-exactly-what-you're-doing-but-I'm-going-to-let-you-know-that-I-don't-approve-by-asking-you tone of voice.
The lamp is plugged in by (what I once thought was) a capable adult and I take the boy's hand to lead him away from the temptation. He gets mad. He pulls his feet out from under himself and hangs from the hand that I am holding. And he squirms. And screams. This is not unusual.
I think that he continues to cry because he's mad at me. I pack him up and we head to the park. He calms down on the way but is not moving that left arm much. We get to the park and he tries to get onto the spring horse that he loves. And cries. Because his arm hurts. I know because he looks at me and says "Hurts."
I. break. down. totally.
I put him back in the stroller and rush back to the apartment. I call J and am officially hysterical. I'm taking him to the emergency room. (Later J tells me that he didn't understand a word I said on the phone other than "I broke the baby!")
Well, J met me at the ER and they told me to calm down as I was a much worse wreck than the baby. A dislocated shoulder - what I told them I thought it was - is very common in small children. They look at him. Brought him ice and a popsicle. Took x-rays (four of us could barely hold him down - I don't know why I was so worried) and came back with a diagnosis: elbow subluxation that righted itself almost immediately leaving him very sore.
So he's fine. Sleeping well. Eating well. He just needs a little Infant Motrin to ease the minor discomfort.
Is there anything to ease the discomfort of all this guilt?