I had plans of blogging about our family’s summer fun, but our summer fun has come to a screeching halt. Let me explain why! Monday started like any other day in our house. I had several things to do in the morning, but after lunch/nap, our family planned on going to the pool (for the first time this season).

Bug (my daughter) was super excited to go swimming!!!! We only went for a few hours, but we had so much fun jumping off the diving board and going down the slides. Bug did not want to leave, but I promised her we would come back later in the week. Well I haven’t been able to live up to that promise. Let me use a picture to explain why…..

Yep…don’t you love the pretty pink splint?!?! After we left the pool on Monday, Bug had a little accident on the monkey bars. My husband was outside grilling and I was standing at the kitchen sink chopping vegetables. My husband heard her fall and I saw her fall!!! It was a mother’s worst nightmare! I knew when Bug missed the second monkey bar, we were in trouble. I watched her tumble to the ground, first landing on her hand, then her elbow, and then the rest of her body tumbled. As she fell, I screamed at Ben and he tried to get to her! I ran out of my shoes, but neither one of us could catch her. We knew immediately there was a problem with Bug’s arm because it started to swell.

We stabilized her arm and headed off to the emergency room. I’ve decided that Bug has a super high pain tolerance because she hardly cried. She cried after the initial fall, but very little after that. All she kept saying was, “my arm hurts”! It broke my heart she was in so much pain.

After a series of x-rays we were finally placed in a room. Initially the Radiologist didn’t see anything broken, but after the doctor examined Bug, it was decided to x-ray her elbow. While we were waiting for more x-rays, Bug was given some pain reliever. Within 10 minutes she was asleep in my arms. For her next series of x-rays, the techs decided to bring the machine in our room. I am so thankful for this!!! We were able to do 2 x-rays while she was asleep. The third x-ray required us to stretch out her arm and flip it over. Needless to say, she woke up screaming.

After more than 4 hours in the ER, we were sent home. Bug arm was placed in a splint. We were told she possibly had a buckle fracture of the elbow, but that we would have to see an Ortho Doc. After seeing the Ortho Doc, it was determined that Bug just jammed/sprained her elbow. The doctor said it was possible that she had a crack in her growth plate, but there was no way for us to know that. While we don’t have a cast, we have a large pink splint for at least a week (at most 3 weeks).

We are hoping and praying that Bug is only in a splint a week. The poor child doesn’t know what to do with her self. She can’t swim, ride her bike, play on the playground, or even feed herself with a spoon. I guess I forgot to mention it was her right hand. I took her to the library. She picked up a stack of movies and books. I guess we are going to use the time for a little summer reading.

Giving Bug a bath is a big deal too. We had to buy a shower sprayer to give her a bath. Just in case anyone was curious, a bread bag fits nicely over a 4 year-olds arm and “Frog Tape” really makes it waterproof!

I would do anything to trade places with Bug! I hate seeing her hurt!! This whole ordeal has made us realize that Bug is tough and incredibly brave. She has been a trooper and we are super proud of her!! I am also thankful for all the people who have sent well-wishes and called!

I know that our summer plans have been halted for now, but we are confident Bug will be back to her mischievous, fun loving self very soon!

Has anyone else experience this? What did you do to entertain your little one?

Can’t wait to hear from you! Here is to a great summer, with only a minor hiccup.