radial head subluxation

Say WHAT?

Something I never dreamed I would be all too familiar with either.

I never went to school to be a nurse, nope, that was my sister.

Didn't care much for science...well at least I wasn't a geek about it with these types of words.

But chances are if you have a 2 yr old...you might know what I am talking about.

The common term is "Nursemaid's Elbow".

Let me demonstrate if you will*:

Cast On (I can't move my arm...I am in serious pain):

Sat. after Dad took him patiently to the ER and all x-rays were negative

Cast  Off (I'm healed and can move again like new):

Monday, after finding out it was just another painful round of Nursemaid's Elbow.

Turns out after a weekend trip to the ER and 3 x-rays and 3 hrs later with a hard half-cast because they thought he may have fractured it, but on little ones often fractures don't show up until a couple days later.....and after being in excruciating pain with Advil around the clock and no sign of improvement.....and after yet another round of x-rays again in his follow up appt today at the Dr.'s office.....it turned out Once Again...to be good 'ol Nurse Maids Elbow!!

To think he had his elbow out of joint (BUT IN A CAST!!!) for two days makes me want to cry.

Last year - exactly this same week - we pulled him out of a window well, and he dislocated his same elbow. After x-rays and a l-o-n-g wait {it was Easter Sunday and the ER was packed ?!?! mostly people were barfing...that's all I remember} anyhow, I watched the nurse do the re-setting...and thought "Cool" I have boys...I need to learn how to do that! After all that waiting and it took only .00367 seconds and she had him snapped right back and the relief was night and day....he acted like he was healed!! And he was.

Well when this happened last year he could not even bend his elbow, it was like he had a dead arm from the shoulder down. This time he kept holding his wrist, and we never even dreamed it could be a dislocated elbow. He doesn't know all his body parts yet...but kept telling us his wrist hurt. Turns out because his arm was dead weight from the elbow down with a pinched ligament..he couldn't feel anything but pain, and the weight of his arm kept him from wanting it just to dangle there, so he would coddle it by holding it up at the wrist.

In today's appt (just as we were about to leave with no new prognosis) I mentioned he'd had this once before...and although he was screaming in pain after twisting it for more X-rays the doc just decided to try and re-set it and sure enough it popped back in!!

Seriously? We went this WHOLE weekend and in .00458 (it took this doc just smidge longer) was ALL that needed to be done??? Where is that ER doc? I'd like to give him a piece of my mind right now. Actually it's the one piece that is semi-skilled in health-care field now, and since I will be performing ALL future subluxations at home....maybe I will just keep it!

Asher..ya got weak links! That's ok we love you anyway! We are all relieved you are back to your happy self and getting some sleep around here. Yay.

Warning: Parents don't do the auto-pilot parental thing and pull your child up by their arms between approx 1-4yr old. They may just come apart at the seam.

In case you're wondering, it is possible {With God's help} to get in a workout, get a flat tire beyond repair, thus resulting in the spontaneous purchase of 4 new tires later, make it to a follow-up visit, take  X-rays with two squirmy boys, perform a subluxation, and get back home to the bus stop in time for 1/2 days!!!!!! I repeat {ONLY with God's help}. Only 2 cookies were "thrown" and no children were spanked.

Note*: Yes - Disasterville wreaks in the background of all these pics, that is because we are in the middle of another kitchen remodel. No judging.