Back from Vacation with a Broken Arm

Noel and Shabooky the Clown

The girls and I took a trip down south to visit family. We were excited about meeting a new addition to the family, baby Callie, and spending Easter break in sunny Florida. We traveled by car and arrived on the evening of the 27th of March. Two days later (Good Friday) my mom and I planned on heading out to purchase gifts for the kids Easter baskets. Because Noel has Angelman Syndrome and requires diaper changes, I had to take her along. I turned around to grab her diaper bag and a cup for her to take along, and in that split second she fell and broke her arm. 

Noel can't talk, but I did notice she was holding her arm out. Still, I ripped off her clothing checking all over for swelling or bruising. I saw none. She wouldn't stop screaming. This alarmed me because she has a high pain tolerance and never cries more than 60 seconds after a fall. After seeing Noel flinch when checking her arm, my mom suggested we go to the hospital to get an x-ray. Sure enough, it was broken. Not the best way to start off a vacation. 

The hospital put a splint on Noel and gave me instructions to see an orthopedic doctor within a few days. It was a holiday, so none of the doctors were open. Noel spend four days in that splint before she could get a hard cast and I'll let you guess how many times she took it off! I had to be super vigilant during that time, which meant no relaxation. We were happy, however, to get an orthopedic doctor that was sympathetic and agreed to put the hard cast on. From that day on, life was so much easier. 

The rest of our stay in Florida was a blast and since Noel has a high pain tolerance it wasn't but a few days before she could stop taking pain medications and enjoy herself. She got to hang out with Shabooky the Clown at my mom's church festival, hold an alligator at the Alligator Farm, see the parade at the Catfish Festival, watch her sister ride a bull at the town fair, and stop by Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth park. Of course we also had BBQs with the family, played with baby Callie, went to church, and had lots of good food with family and friends.

We wore ourselves out, but it was worth it. Our doctor here in Jersey says she still needs 2 more weeks in her cast, but that everything is healing perfectly! I'm so grateful God worked it all out and that my mom was around to take us to the hospital at the time of the fall.