First Trip to the ER

Just before midnight in the lobby of Children's Hospital,
awaiting a cab ride home

Let me preface this story by saying Aria 's fine. Really. No lasting issues or damage to our little one; we parents, however, are a different story...

It all began last Wednesday just as we were settling in for the night. Aria had been asleep but awoke shortly after Dad got home and the two were enjoying a bit of father-daughter time before dinner. Aria lay on the bed and began rolling over, a maneuver she's quite adept at these days. This time, however, she got her (left) arm stuck out to her side and couldn't get all the way from her stomach to her back. Keith did the obvious thing and helped her out a bit, lifting her up and placing her safely on her back. It was then, however, that Aria began to wail - cries that got only more intense as time went on. As it was her bedtime, we at first attributed the cries to tiredness, but grew concerned as we realized that the arm that had gotten stuck while she tried to roll over - her dominate arm - now hung limply to her side. Touching or moving it in any way only resulted in more intense cries. So, after a quick consult with the pediatrician on call and a cab ride filled with hand wringing and worry, we found ourselves in the waiting room of Children's Hospital, where, it seemed, every other child had TB. (Not really...I don't think so, anyway.)

We waited, and waited, and waited...Aria slept on Daddy's chest, well comforted though still in pain. Mom & Dad had a lovely dinner of Coke and Snickers from the hospital vending machine. Mom then paced the waiting room, psychically willing the TB to stay away from her daughter.

Eventually we were seen. Aria's arm was inspected and examined and X-rayed (all to her most heartfelt dismay) and diagnosed with a muscle strain. Baby Tylenol and warm compresses as needed, but should clear up in a few days. See ya. We got home at 1am; Aria slept soundly and awoke only a couple brief times to eat.

The next morning she still wasn't using the arm so we made a follow-up appt with the pediatrician and gave her some Tylenol. Then she and I went to the Botanic Gardens while Dad went to work. Slowly she began using her arm more and more, but I couldn't tell if it was actually feeling better or if it was temporarily doing so b/c of the Tylenol. By the time we saw the pediatrician though, the Tylenol had worn off. Aria happily chewed her left fist, waved it at the doctor and tore up the exam table paper with gusto, prompting the Dr. to give Mom a "Why are you here again?" look and Mom to swear up and down that really, she hadn't used it at all last night and only a little this morning.

And so, our first (and only, please) trip to the ER resulted in little more than a long night for all involved. Mom & Dad have been traumatized a bit, but are so relieved that Aria is OK that the rest doesn't even matter (not even the embarrassment felt at the Dr's office for bringing in an apparently healthy child).