6 weeks - I don't wish on any parent. But especially I don't wish on a little boy that struggles to regulate.
It was a Tuesday night, my boys were coming home for dinner when I got the phone call that my 6 year old fell off of his scooter and he thinks his leg is broken. I jumped in my van and zoomed through the neighborhood- once I got to him, I scooped him into my arms and set him in the back seat. He was screaming- crying, and he kept saying, "it's broken, mom. I just know it. I just know it." I tried to reassure him it probably wasn't, but that we would go to the doctor right now just to make sure.
You would have thought I broke his leg twelve more times on the way to the doctor. Every corner turned elicited screams out of a scary movie. I decided that going to urgent care would be our best bet. The hospital was 20 minutes away but urgent care was only 5. He was in a lot of pain and was completely irrational.
I carried him into urgent care screaming. Let the stares begin.
"Yes, people- I have a child that needs urgent care.. Obviously."
They got us back to X-ray right away.
They quickly realized they needed extra hands.
It took 2 X-ray techs, 2 nurses and 2 doctors to hold him for X-rays.
Our ears now pounding from the screams, On our way to the exam room after X-rays, the nurse mouthed to me that it was indeed fractured.
Spiral Fracture of Tibia
My heart sank.
How on earth do you tell a sweet 6yr old seeker- he's on bed rest and has limitations?
Once in the exam room while we waited for the doctor, I finally had a moment to breath. We got him comfortable in a wheelchair and I pulled out my key chain of oils. I didn't have a reference book with me, but I had no doubt a calming blend, would be a useful one right about now.
Finding out he had a fracture was the easy part. We now had to splint it and get his pain under control. Right as I was applying the serenity the nurse walked in. She asked what I was using- so I explained his medical diagnosis. It all made sense now; I think. I told her I used Essential oils for everything. But specifically because he can run a 100 MPH all day every day, they were my go to for calming and keeping him grounded.
As I applied the oils, He almost instantly calmed down. He found comfort in the oils. we smelled some Wild Orange and I put some Balance at the base of his neck, serenity on his heart and behind his ears.
While we waited for the doctor to consult with the Orthopedic Surgeon, we had a nice, calm talk. He told me how he was disappointed that he broke his leg. He kept asking me "why did this have to happen?", we read a book, drank some juice, ate some crackers and waited.
When the doctor returned- he gave me two options... 1. They could try to Splint his leg there, or 2. they could send us to the hospital and sedate him to have it splinted... I would be lying if I didn't tell you that option #2 was considered.
But with a sensory kiddo- the aftermath of sedation almost seemed worse than the 10 minutes of deafening screaming we were about to get. I knew his pain was unbearable. I applied some more Serenity and some Wild Orange on his heart. I had him look at me and we both took a deep breath. In and out. One more. Ok, lets do this. I held his hands and leaned in to his sweet little head, talking softly at his ear, Reassuring him it would be over soon. "Mommy is right here, squeeze my hand buddy, you got this!"
It took four nurses, and two doctors to get the the splint on. I am sure if there was anybody left in urgent care they were wondering what the heck was happening in procedure room 2.
Once applied, we took another deep breath and moved him to a wheelchair.
They brought him a cute fuzzy frog for being so brave. I pulled my van around to the side door, and as they brought him out- a nurse grabbed my arm and complimented me on what a wonderful mother I was. I was confused at first. Was she really talking to me. The parent that had the loudest, and hands down most difficult child tonight?
She must have understood my look as a response, because she said- "you handled this so calmly, and the way you knew how to apply those oils to help. That's an amazing mom in my book."
We closed the urgent care that night. But everybody there came to the side door to wave goodbye- wishing us luck.
Three days later, we were seen at the orthopedics. They of course needed an X-ray again. I applied more Serenity and Wild Orange before they casted him. (Wild Orange is calming for him because of his ADHD. While I think of this oil as an uplifting Citrus, it mellows him out.
His bone wasn't healing right, so he had to get 3 different casts in just 5 days. He picked a different color each time. :)
Just this last week, his healing Was good enough that they were able to put him in a walking boot. Finally! :)
