Happy Cast Off Day!

We took Ethan to get his cast off after 4 weeks of living with it. Several times he said he liked it and didn't want to take it off. But by the time the appointment came he was happy to get rid of it. We loaded him up with some Lortab before we left. He was a little scared of the saw at first. I'd be scared too! It was really loud and did appear that it was going to slice right through his little arm! He was happy to have the cast off...until he saw the pins hanging out of his arm. He looked up at me and said "Mommy!" in a sad little quivering voice. I lied and told him it would be ok and that the doctor would have them out in no time. First the doctor twisted them around a few times to loosen them from his bone. Then he took a pair of needle nose pliers and wiggled them out one by one. They didn't slide right out like I had imagined they would. Some of them took some force. He never fully cried. He just whimpered and choked back tears...while I choked back vomit. Ya, the NICU nurse almost tossed her cookies. The tech warned us that sometimes people pass out when having pins removed but I said, "Oh, I won't pass out. I'm a NICU nurse!" Then when that first pin started coming out of his arm I broke out into a cold sweat, got a knot in my stomach, and had to do some deep breathing. Of course I didn't tell anyone. I had to maintain my cool "I'm a NICU nurse" face. It didn't help that I was holding his arm and could feel grinding in his bone.

Anyway, he got two bandaids for some bleeding at the insertion site and then we were good to go. He was very quiet in the car and held his arm. We went straight to the store to buy him whatever he wanted! He picked out two "guys" as he calls them: Wolverine and The Thing (aka Rockman per Ethan). We went to my mom's to pick up Caleb and before we knew it he was playing with his guys with both arms but still guarding the broken one anytime Caleb came around. The doctor said he needs to be careful for the next 6 weeks because if he falls on that same spot it will most likely break again! It's the injury that keeps on giving!

He cast and pins. I found Caleb trying to put the cast on his foot like a boot.

I think they look like bent nails. The bent part is what was hanging out of his arm. I can't believe these were in my tiny baby's arm!!

All fixed up. I think those bandaids are going to have to fall off because he won't let us touch his arm.

I was suprised that it was still bruised after 4 weeks. But, it was black right before surgery so I guess it looks good. You can't tell in the picture but most of his arm is peeling and bumpy. Maybe a heat rash? I'm just glad the whole ordeal is almost over!