Our Unstoppable "Peg-Leg"

Aiyana had been limping for a week before I finally took her to get an  X-Ray. The incident started three weeks ago after Dan had taken her with him to a mutual activity, which was an outdoor birthday party. Dan had his eye on her the whole time and didn't notice anything concerning. At first, I assumed the limping was due to the tiny cut on her heel, but as the cut went away, I grew more concerned. Still, not wanting to be that over-concerned, first-time-mom-of-a-toddler, coupled with the fact that she was as active as ever, I hesitated taking action. When her cousins were over for Aaron's baby blessing, she was running around like crazy, not letting the limp stop her from anything. I did start to think maybe she'd twisted her ankle or something, especially when she cried out when my dad and Dan both swung her upside down (thinking, at the time, that the issue was still the cut on her foot). Then I noticed the pattern in when she'd cry out when I was changing her diaper -- it would happen when I'd grab her right leg around her calf and lift her up to wipe her. "Ouchy!" she would say. I kept testing her reaction as I pushed on the sensitive area, and felt so bad one time when she protested strongly. She pulled away from me and put her head into her arms with a few (somewhat fake) tears, saying, "I cry . . .!"

After inquiring with my mom-friends at our weekly park day if I should take her in, their response had me packing up and taking her right then to a quick-care (that was anything BUT quick!). It was two hours before I finally saw a doctor. I was less than impressed with the man who obviously didn't know how to talk to a toddler, asking her, "Where does it hurt?" She babbled away about this and that and I was like, "Seriously??" Granted, he's not a pediatrician so I tried to be patient with him and butt in with MY week-long observation. For some reason, he kept pushing his immediate and unsupported theory that she must have caught the virus going around that was inflaming her hip joint and the tendons leading down to her knee.

"No, it's not her knee. It's right here," I insisted, pointing just below her shin.

He continued to be skeptical for the whole 5-7 minutes he spent with us, telling me I should just give her Ibuprofen for a few days.

No way. The only reason I sat around for two hours was to ensure she didn't have a broken bone. After my persistence, he finally waved me along to get an x-ray.

X-Ray and Splint
The lady who came to get me watched as Aiyana literally galloped down the hall, happy as could be. She, in no way, exuded the behavior of a child with a broken bone. She was too active, fast, and pleasant! I could tell this lady thought the x-ray was unnecessary also, but she was humorous and nice to me.

When she examined the x-rays, she, with her perhaps Boston accent, kept saying over and over, "Oh my GO_! Her leg is broken!" Her reaction of pure disbelief and shock had me worried about how badly it was broken, especially since Aiya had been running on it at an exhausting level for a WEEK, and had been swung upside down twice! But once she explained the "buckle fracture" to me, I realized with some relief that her reaction was more because of Aiyana's wonderful, active behavior. The fracture itself looked small and was on the fibula. Since it's the smaller bone, most of Aiyana's weight has been on the tibia (the main leg bone), so that's why she was able to get around pretty well. Thank goodness for mother intuition! (I do remember my own mother being in this very same situation with me when I was four, after a three-wheeler had fallen on my leg. The doctor didn't believe anything was wrong, until my mom's persistence at an x-ray showed a spiral fracture that left me in a cast from the middle of my thigh, downwards!)

After applying a splint that I was sure would not last the night, they sent me on my way with information to contact a orthopedic specialist.

Aiyana was so amazing during this 3 hour ordeal. I had packed lunch fortunately, but had few toys for entertaining besides her baby doll. I thought an hour, maybe two, tops. As the time carried on through her nap time, I could not believe she was not melting down in hysterics like she normally would do; and how she sat so still and cooperatively for both the x-ray and the splint. Aaron, also, was a quiet angel who woke long enough to eat and barely fussed at all. I truly feel like I received special help that day from unseen sources. Such a blessing to me, given Aiyana's usual temperament under these type of circumstances.

Snuggle time with Daddy before bed and her early doctor appointment the next day. She didn't tear her splint off, which is a miracle, considering how she tears apart any library book that has vulnerable pages.

Cast

I took the first appointment available the next day. Sandra watched Aaron for me, which was especially fortunate since Aiyana's lack of a nap the day before was catching up with her. Her little tantrums were definitely more what I'd expected at the urgent care, but at least I didn't need to juggle taking care of Aaron that morning, too.

Aiyana sat very well for the cast and took to it immediately. (I chose red for as close as we could get to Elmo decor) She didn't seem to mind the cast at all, and instead, fought the stroller and insisted she walk. I'm pretty sure she loved the loud clunking sound it made.

Our little peg-legged pirate loves pulling my socks on to match her cast. She's always so proud of herself. 

So the cast hasn't slowed her down at all. If anything, I am more amazed at how fast she is. I thought the cast would get old after a couple days, but here it's been 14 days wearing it and she has been such a champ. She hasn't complained once! It's lucky she loves shoes. I think she perceives it as a permanent boot! I've learned how resilient my little two-year-old is, and hope it's a trait that gets her through any hard times in her life.