Friday, February 11, 2011

Living Among the Hyper

Sunday Buddy was bouncing off the walls (typical Sunday behavior) and jumped off the slide in our living room (yes, we have a 4-foot tall slide in our living room).  He caught himself with his hands, like usual when doing a fancy trick off the slide. This time he immediately cried out in pain.  He normally doesn't cry like that, but he got over it really quickly, so I didn't worry too much.  He complained on and off for a couple days that it really hurt, but he was using it and it wasn't swollen.  Wednesday night he was bouncing off the walls again, and fell again on the same arm.  He cried harder than I've heard him cry in over a year, I'm sure.  When I pulled his arm to get him to turn around later that night, it brought tears to his eyes again.  I started to worry a little, so I made an appointment for him the next day after school.

Turns out it is fractured.  Don't be alarmed, though, it's not that bad.  It's a "greenstick fracture" which just means the bone got bent like a green stick, since his bones are still so soft. So rather than cracking, it's just got a little bend or bow like a green stick does if you bend it.  He has been gloating about being "right" all along and he's loving having this broken bone.  If he's in any pain, he doesn't act like it.  He doesn't even have to have a cast because it's best if it just heals naturally.  He does have a splint to keep it still and to remind him to be careful.

What's really remarkable is that for the three arm injuries he's had (dislocated/nursemaid's elbow, sprained wrist, now this), none have been too big of a deal.  Considering his propensity for climbing trees and his strong desire to jump off the roof, I'm sure this isn't the last time this will happen -- and I probably ought to consider myself fortunate that we've never had anything worse.

The doctor recommended no climbing, jumping, or acting out of control for two weeks.  I literally started laughing when he said that.  He doesn't know my kids very well.


This video was taken on Buddy's second day of school back in September.  Buddy was especially hyper that week between the adjustment of getting up earlier for school and apparently not burning enough energy during the school day.  I thought putting a kids yoga DVD on after dinner would help calm the boys enough to go to bed.  Apparently I don't know my kids very well either.  (This video is a bit long, but i promise you won't be disappointed!)

2 comments:

J said...

After watching that video and because I know your kids I get the feeling you're going to see a lot of fracture, sprains, and strains in your lifetime.

Myndi said...

So...Hip watched this video with me and about three quarters of the way through, after laughing hysterically, he said, "Mom? Should we go to Oregon?" I said, "Not today." He said, "Oh okay, on Saturday." Then he said, "Mom, can I play?" I said, "Sure." and he took his shirt off (like your boys) and started running around the house and throwing himself on the couches and rolling around on the floor. He also is begging to watch the video again.

On the subject of living with hyperactivity: Hip has been sick for two weeks now and we have avoided staying in (for a relaxing and getting better) because I cannot bear his pent up energy and him not going to sleep until 10:00 pm. PT is also sick. On Saturday we aborted plans to go to Costco (when we were in the Costco parking lot) and madly drove across the county so Hip could go to a park and play with his friend in 18 inches of untouched snow. His friend was sick too and is hyperactive and has an infant brother. There we moms were in ass-cold weather with six dripping noses amongst us just so or kids could "burn" energy. And now I am super sick. We are taking today off and I have accepted that Hip will be up until 10:00 pm. At least I recorded the Grammy's last night--he is currently glued to the Justin B/Usher performance.