Tales from the Steppes

2006-08-01

10:45 a.m.
Tuesday, August 1

Here is the abbreviated version of the last 36 hours:
Go to friends house to sew.
Five minutes after arriving, leave to go home because the YM broke his arm. Again.
Take the YM to the emergency room.
Sit.
Yep, it's broken.
The ER splints the arm, somewhat more stylishly than the SU had.
Go home.
Go back to the hospital the next morning to get the x-ray films.
Sit.
Go to the YM's primary care physician, get referral.
Go to the chosen orthopaed's office.
Sit.
More x-rays.
Sit.
Finally, a new cast for the YM. In camouflage.

I'd like to think that maybe the little monkey had learned some lessons from this, but I seriously doubt it. The nurses flirted with him and played with his hair at the hospital. Apparently, the lack of both of his front teeth adds to his charm. He is delighted with the cast, as he has never had the option of camouflage webbing before. I had a chat with him about the whole "jumping on the bed" thing and my displeasure about him hurting himself, but I do not believe it made an impact. I pointed out all of his scars - he has many and since scar tissue does not tan, they are very visible. I asked him not to hurt himself so much but my words are generally meaningless. I pointed out to him that he would have been crushed by his sister's bookshelf if her room had been large enough for it not to have hit her bed first. The little goober just does not get it.

I really do not think I am an overprotective mom. In fact, compared to many, I am downright lax. I strive for benign negligence - the mongols are given enough freedom to make their own choices and I step in if there is a problem. The YM is making me rethink this attitude because I am worried that he cannot understand the consequence of his actions. I do believe in Darwinism but I am not going to let him go splat at the age of 6.

This break actually hurt more than the last two, so perhaps he will remember that. Previously it was buckle fractures - this is a real break. They will x-ray again in a week and decide whether the bones need to be moved around. That will really suck, if they do.