Braden has a bed in his room, but he has always wanted to sleep in his crib instead. Last night he asked to sleep in his bed for the first time and I agreed. I had planned to get a bed rail, but decided that he could probably sleep in his new bed for one night without one. I was a little worried about it, but brushed off my fears. I tucked Braden into bed and he went right to sleep without any problems. I was so emotional that night. My baby boy was in a “big boy” bed and growing up far too quickly!
In the middle of the night, I heard Braden start to cry. I went to check on him and he was laying on the floor, near his open bedroom door. He told me that he had fallen out of bed. I soothed him and he went right back to sleep.
The next morning Braden told me that his arm hurt. He pointed to his elbow. I checked his arm thoroughly and didn’t see anything unusual. There was no swelling or bruising or anything abnormal. I asked Braden to move his arms in several ways, to squeeze my hand, and so on. He seemed okay so I assumed he had just hit his elbow and it was a little sore now. He used his arm normally during the day.
We left for gymnastics at 2:30pm. As I buckled Braden into his carseat, he screamed in pain. He cried out again when I got him out of his carseat at the gym. Still thinking that his elbow was sore, I wondered if I had bumped it. During gymnastics practice, Braden wanted me to hold him. I reached down to pick him up just like I always do- by placing my hands underneath his arms and lifting. He screamed as I lifted him up. I instantly wondered if his collarbone was hurt. I took his shirt off right there and inspected him. I couldn’t see anything strange about his collarbone, but it was tender when I touched it lightly.
I called the pediatrician. The nurse I spoke with said that it was great that he was using his arm and that there were no signs of injury, but that he should be seen because of the pain. I made an appointment for 6pm in the after-hours clinic. Brenna was just finishing up gymnastics so I loaded all the kids, raced home, packed some food for dinner, and then made it to the doctor’s office just in time for his appointment.
The doctor didn’t think that Braden’s collarbone was broken. It wasn’t swollen or bruised and Braden was using his arm. She said that we could wait it out and see if he’d improve over the next few days. Or, if I wanted to, we could do an xray. I opted for the xray, feeling that it was better to be on the safe side.
So I loaded up all five kids and went to the hospital. We ended up being there for several hours, waiting in a tiny room with no toys, no books, and no TV. Joshua spiked a fever and was pretty listless. He curled up in a ball and slept. The other kids played quietly, entertaining themselves with imaginative play as there were no toys availabe. They were so quiet and well behaved. I got several compliments on their excellent behavior. Braden was playing too and climbing around on the chairs. Watching him, I was sure I’d spent an unnecessary evening at the hospital. He certainly wasn’t acting as if anything was broken.
But, as it turns out, Braden did in fact break his collarbone. I was shocked and I felt so bad for my baby! They told me that we could go back to the pediatrician’s office or we could go to the ER. Not wanting to pay an ER co-pay and wait there, I took everyone back to the pediatrician’s office. A nurse took us back immediately. She put Braden’s arm in a sling (size XS, but it was still too big on him) and then wrapped an ace bandage around his arm and chest so that his arm was held in one place. Madalyn kept asking, with her brown eyes round and worried and her voice so concerned, “What are you doing to my little brother?” Then we waited another 45 minutes or so for the doctor to come talk with us.
Braden continued to try and use his arm and eventually he wiggled it out of the wrap and sling. We had to tighten everything up again. The doctor said that collarbone breaks usually heal easily and well. We need to keep his arm wrapped up against his body for 3-4 weeks and we can give tylenol and motrine for pain. I am supposed to call if Braden gets worse or if he needs a prescription for tylenol with codiene.
We made it home a little before 11pm. I popped popcorn for the kids and put on a movie for them. They were all so good during our long night out that I wanted to reward them. Rick brought home motrin and tylenol for Braden’s pain and for Joshua’s fever.
It’s after midnight now. The kids are all asleep in their beds. Braden is in bed with me. I know that the old adage says you should always get right back on the horse that bucks you off. But I don’t think the same stands true for a tiny toddler who tumbled out of his bed. Braden will be sleeping in the crib again. At least until I can put rails on his “big boy” bed.
I feel so, so guilty about this. It was against my better judgement to let him sleep in his bed without rails, but I figured it would be okay and I did it anyway. I feel like I broke my baby! So I think I officially get the WORST MOMMY EVER AWARD. My poor baby boy! 
