I was going to title this post, "Buckle Fractures R Us," which would have been equally appropriate. My children have had a combined total of seven buckle fractures in their arms; additionally, one broken toe, one finger and one big toe growth plate. The seventh was Sarah's last night mishap on a play set. She was climbing up and fell off. It would have been nice to have said, "End of story." But, alas, after three hours in two doctors' offices as well as several hours waiting for the results of the X-ray to get to us, the guilt verdict was delivered. She gets to play her first soccer game in a splint tomorrow and will get her cast on Monday. She will be casted for three weeks, which includes her birthday, she noted. She wanted to start of her ninth year with a bang.
Here is a brief history of the Crump children's cracked bones. Spencer started us off at age nine with a fall from his bike.There was a fair amount of drama associated with this one. When the doctor at InstaCare put on the splint he put it on too tight causing his hand and fingers to swell up and to tingle. It was fall break and we had decided to go camping. The weather was still beautiful. We enjoyed of day in the mountains, but by evening Spencer was quite uncomfortable. He was crying and complaining of numbness. At this point we had to make a decision to try to endure the night or take off. We decided that numbness was not good so we left. Knowing that most clinics were closed, we stopped at the ER at Primary Children's Hospital. It was, of course, very busy and we were there a very long time to be told the he did indeed have a buckle fracture and the swelling and numbness was caused by the splint being put on too tightly. I think this was the first of many camping trips where we left early due to children's being sick or injured. Oh the joys! Lesson learned, "when there is numbness and excessive swelling in a broken arm check the tightness of the splint before doing anything else.
The next summer, five year old Emma fell off the neighbor's swing set and broke her arm. The healing process was uneventful. She was a trooper and did not require help with anything she could do by herself before she broke her arm. The lesson learned this time was an important, yet trying one indeed. "Never, ever, ever tell the doctor's office that the injury took place on someone else's property. They will then tell our health insurance company, who will then want the neighbor's homeowner's insurance to pay." We worked it out and our insurance company did eventually pay. The neighbor was not negligent in having a swing set, nor did they push her off of it or force her to get on it. If anything, my daughter was trespassing!
Next year, four year old Estelle fell off the trampoline. No one had to know that the trampoline happened to be in a different neighbor's yard. Lesson learned this time, "The little ones, while just as tough and resilient as the older ones is a little harder on the mommy heart." Getting X-rays is more scary and painful.
The next summer, Sarah fell off the stool in our own kitchen and broke her arm. This time she had landed on her elbow and it broke right above. She had a much longer cast, but handled it like a champ. Remember the paragraph above about the lesson learned. Sadly, they are getting younger and younger. (Thankfully, no one younger than 3 would have a broken arm in our family, since Sarah was 3 and she is the youngest in our family). The lesson this time was that even if the accident really did happen in your own home to a very small person, the health insurance company may still try to get someone else to pay. I cannot tell you how many notices I got in the mail from our insurance asking if it had been a work related accident and if Workman's Compensation should cover the cost! I kept filling out the paperwork and telling them, "No." Finally, I saw that there was an online option for filling out the paper and decided to give that a try. In every single "comment" section I wrote, "She is three years old! She doesn't have a job!" I guess that did the trick because I never received another inquiry after that. Do they not look at the birth dates of the patients before asking ridiculous questions!?! GRRRRR!
Shortly after Sarah got her cast off we took Estelle to the same orthopedist that saw Sarah for her break. The doctor recognized me and I assured him that we do not abuse our children! This accident happened before my very eyes. Estelle had just begun Kindergarten and had learned how to cross the monkey bars all by herself. She had me come into our back yard so she could show me on our swing set. I was standing back so she could do it herself, when in her eagerness to show off her new skill she slipped and fell, landing squarely on her outstretched hand. I actually heard a snap. I didn't hesitate, but gathered her up in my arms and went directly to InstaCare for an X-Ray. This put Estelle at two and the Crump kids at 5 in 4 years. Again, mommy's heart was challenged, this time because I couldn't get to her in time to help her. Lesson this time is "Always, always stand close by when our 5 year old is crossing the monkey bars!"
I think we had a summer off then Estelle, of course, broke her arm again. She was playing on a dome-shaped climbing thing,once again, not on our property. Because of an insurance change, we had to go to a different clinic. This time the doctor thought it would be ok to just keep her in a splint and not cast it. After it had already taken a week longer that it was supposed to heal and yet it wasn't, I asked him to please put her in a hard cast. Apparently, he didn't know Estelle; even though I had told him it was her third broken arm. You see, she still does cartwheels, and crosses the monkey bars, and everything else she does without a splint on. After he agreed to the cast, I could see why he didn't want to do it. He is not very good putting them on. We had to go back twice to get it fixed because it was digging into her hand. Lesson learned this time besides seeing the need to for a hard cast, which I actually knew, was to "put Estelle in a bubble."
Last year Emma broke the growth plate in her big toe by kicking the couch. She had been kicking a ball around the basement and missed the ball, but connected with the couch leg. We were initially told that nothing was broken, but after a couple of excruciatingly painful days on crutches, we made a trip to an orthopedist, same office, but different doctor as the orthopedist we say a couple years ago. He could easily see that the growth plate had broken and have her a special shoe to wear. We had to X-ray it a couple of times to make sure it was healing properly. It seemed to look worse before it got better, but the doctor said that was normal. Lesson relearned, "Sometimes you really do need a specialist." (I don't think he was necessary when Sarah and Estelle saw one).
Last year at a friend's house he had a pillow fight and broke his pinky. A little embarrassing for a teenage boy, but funny for mom! Lesson learned, "Pillow fights can be dangerous."
Somewhere in the lineup a few years ago, Spencer broke his toe. I can't exactly remember when it was, but it was a few years ago. We "buddy taped" it, and never followed up even though we were told to. Lesson learned, just "buddy tape" when you think you have a broken toe and don't worry about going to the doctor at all." (Unless, of course, you break the growth plate in your big toe and it hurts really bad).
I cannot leave a post about broken bones without mentioning the first bone broken at our house by a family member, just not a Crump. When Abby was a very young toddler, like just barely walking, she fell down our stairs while I was babysitting her. I sat and held her for a while and she did stop crying, but she just sat their holding onto her arm. I sadly called her mom to tell her what had happened. She took her to the doctor and found out it was broken. That was super sad for the aunt's heart! She was so little and I was taking care of her. Everyone joked about my pushing her down the stairs-rude! She healed nicely and doesn't even remember it now-sweet!
A couple of general lessons I learned are that water-proof casts are the bomb and that orthopedists don't like to use them, but Pediatricians do. Also, kids play and fall down and get hurt and heal. Hooray for pliable young bones that don't just snap! Having a cast for a kid is slightly inconvenient, but it doesn't stop them from doing what they do. It doesn't, however, get any easier for the mom even after 7 breaks. I may know the drill now, but it doesn't mean I have to like it!
Here is a brief history of the Crump children's cracked bones. Spencer started us off at age nine with a fall from his bike.There was a fair amount of drama associated with this one. When the doctor at InstaCare put on the splint he put it on too tight causing his hand and fingers to swell up and to tingle. It was fall break and we had decided to go camping. The weather was still beautiful. We enjoyed of day in the mountains, but by evening Spencer was quite uncomfortable. He was crying and complaining of numbness. At this point we had to make a decision to try to endure the night or take off. We decided that numbness was not good so we left. Knowing that most clinics were closed, we stopped at the ER at Primary Children's Hospital. It was, of course, very busy and we were there a very long time to be told the he did indeed have a buckle fracture and the swelling and numbness was caused by the splint being put on too tightly. I think this was the first of many camping trips where we left early due to children's being sick or injured. Oh the joys! Lesson learned, "when there is numbness and excessive swelling in a broken arm check the tightness of the splint before doing anything else.
The next summer, five year old Emma fell off the neighbor's swing set and broke her arm. The healing process was uneventful. She was a trooper and did not require help with anything she could do by herself before she broke her arm. The lesson learned this time was an important, yet trying one indeed. "Never, ever, ever tell the doctor's office that the injury took place on someone else's property. They will then tell our health insurance company, who will then want the neighbor's homeowner's insurance to pay." We worked it out and our insurance company did eventually pay. The neighbor was not negligent in having a swing set, nor did they push her off of it or force her to get on it. If anything, my daughter was trespassing!
Next year, four year old Estelle fell off the trampoline. No one had to know that the trampoline happened to be in a different neighbor's yard. Lesson learned this time, "The little ones, while just as tough and resilient as the older ones is a little harder on the mommy heart." Getting X-rays is more scary and painful.
The next summer, Sarah fell off the stool in our own kitchen and broke her arm. This time she had landed on her elbow and it broke right above. She had a much longer cast, but handled it like a champ. Remember the paragraph above about the lesson learned. Sadly, they are getting younger and younger. (Thankfully, no one younger than 3 would have a broken arm in our family, since Sarah was 3 and she is the youngest in our family). The lesson this time was that even if the accident really did happen in your own home to a very small person, the health insurance company may still try to get someone else to pay. I cannot tell you how many notices I got in the mail from our insurance asking if it had been a work related accident and if Workman's Compensation should cover the cost! I kept filling out the paperwork and telling them, "No." Finally, I saw that there was an online option for filling out the paper and decided to give that a try. In every single "comment" section I wrote, "She is three years old! She doesn't have a job!" I guess that did the trick because I never received another inquiry after that. Do they not look at the birth dates of the patients before asking ridiculous questions!?! GRRRRR!
Shortly after Sarah got her cast off we took Estelle to the same orthopedist that saw Sarah for her break. The doctor recognized me and I assured him that we do not abuse our children! This accident happened before my very eyes. Estelle had just begun Kindergarten and had learned how to cross the monkey bars all by herself. She had me come into our back yard so she could show me on our swing set. I was standing back so she could do it herself, when in her eagerness to show off her new skill she slipped and fell, landing squarely on her outstretched hand. I actually heard a snap. I didn't hesitate, but gathered her up in my arms and went directly to InstaCare for an X-Ray. This put Estelle at two and the Crump kids at 5 in 4 years. Again, mommy's heart was challenged, this time because I couldn't get to her in time to help her. Lesson this time is "Always, always stand close by when our 5 year old is crossing the monkey bars!"
I think we had a summer off then Estelle, of course, broke her arm again. She was playing on a dome-shaped climbing thing,once again, not on our property. Because of an insurance change, we had to go to a different clinic. This time the doctor thought it would be ok to just keep her in a splint and not cast it. After it had already taken a week longer that it was supposed to heal and yet it wasn't, I asked him to please put her in a hard cast. Apparently, he didn't know Estelle; even though I had told him it was her third broken arm. You see, she still does cartwheels, and crosses the monkey bars, and everything else she does without a splint on. After he agreed to the cast, I could see why he didn't want to do it. He is not very good putting them on. We had to go back twice to get it fixed because it was digging into her hand. Lesson learned this time besides seeing the need to for a hard cast, which I actually knew, was to "put Estelle in a bubble."
Last year Emma broke the growth plate in her big toe by kicking the couch. She had been kicking a ball around the basement and missed the ball, but connected with the couch leg. We were initially told that nothing was broken, but after a couple of excruciatingly painful days on crutches, we made a trip to an orthopedist, same office, but different doctor as the orthopedist we say a couple years ago. He could easily see that the growth plate had broken and have her a special shoe to wear. We had to X-ray it a couple of times to make sure it was healing properly. It seemed to look worse before it got better, but the doctor said that was normal. Lesson relearned, "Sometimes you really do need a specialist." (I don't think he was necessary when Sarah and Estelle saw one).
Last year at a friend's house he had a pillow fight and broke his pinky. A little embarrassing for a teenage boy, but funny for mom! Lesson learned, "Pillow fights can be dangerous."
Somewhere in the lineup a few years ago, Spencer broke his toe. I can't exactly remember when it was, but it was a few years ago. We "buddy taped" it, and never followed up even though we were told to. Lesson learned, just "buddy tape" when you think you have a broken toe and don't worry about going to the doctor at all." (Unless, of course, you break the growth plate in your big toe and it hurts really bad).
I cannot leave a post about broken bones without mentioning the first bone broken at our house by a family member, just not a Crump. When Abby was a very young toddler, like just barely walking, she fell down our stairs while I was babysitting her. I sat and held her for a while and she did stop crying, but she just sat their holding onto her arm. I sadly called her mom to tell her what had happened. She took her to the doctor and found out it was broken. That was super sad for the aunt's heart! She was so little and I was taking care of her. Everyone joked about my pushing her down the stairs-rude! She healed nicely and doesn't even remember it now-sweet!
A couple of general lessons I learned are that water-proof casts are the bomb and that orthopedists don't like to use them, but Pediatricians do. Also, kids play and fall down and get hurt and heal. Hooray for pliable young bones that don't just snap! Having a cast for a kid is slightly inconvenient, but it doesn't stop them from doing what they do. It doesn't, however, get any easier for the mom even after 7 breaks. I may know the drill now, but it doesn't mean I have to like it!
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