Casting Call

Look what we have been up to!

It has been five weeks since Miles hurt his leg, and two weeks since we removed the boot splint he had been wearing for the toddler's fracture.  And although he has been getting better, Miles still limped on that right foot.  So Jeremy and I decided it was time to see a pediatric orthopedic doctor to give us some peace of mind that everything was fine.

We saw Dr. Brown at Pediatric Sports & Spine Associates in Grapevine.  He took some new x-rays and he showed me how clear it was that Miles had a spiral fracture of his tibia.  It was clear on these pictures because of the new bone that was generating around the fracture, which reads a little whiter in color on the x-ray.  

He told us that Miles' leg was certainly healing, but at a slower pace than if his leg had been casted from the start.  If we had taken Miles to see Dr. Brown 5 weeks ago, he said he would have put him in a hard cast, and four weeks later his leg would be healed and we'd be done.  He left it up to us whether we wanted to cast him at this point or let it heal on its own, but Dr. Brown told us it was important to know that the leg could get worse at any point.  He also informed us that if we did nothing it was imperative that we restrict his physical activity.  Cue the record scratching sound effect.

"What do you mean by that, exactly?"  I asked.

"No running, no jumping, no climbing - those sorts of things," said Dr. Brown.

"Can you prescribe a heavy sedative then?"  I wanted to say, but didn't.

In other words, a hard cast was our best choice, and arguably our only choice.  It actually wasn't that easy - we debated it for 24 hours.  Went back and forth, weighing pros and cons for each decision.  But in the end we felt that casting it would protect Miles the best, and the inconveniences it would cost us weren't worthy of doing nothing.

So yesterday we did it.  Miles chose the color, and he was so brave and very still while the nurses wrapped it up.  And may I just say that this cast is SERIOUS!  Seems like it weighs five pounds.  Jeremy was sitting in the floor yesterday and Miles ran up to hug him and hit Jeremy in the shin with his cast.  Jeremy totally winced and said, "That thing hurts!"  I started to tell Miles to kick the boy who kicked Miles in the first place with his cast and ask him how it feels, but I didn't.  

Parental restraint - you'll be glad to know I've got some.