Our Second Trip to the Exotic Emergency Room

I took Brody's X-Ray films to work with me on Saturday. Unfortunately, Dr. Church did not have any newborn babies to see but I did corner another pediatrician who I trust and is an excellent patient advocate. She said that the fracture looked really bad, it transected the growth plate and it looked quite crushed and displaced. She recommended that I take him that night to Primary Children's ER to have it looked it. I did not. I was trying to save myself another massive ER bill and figured I would just call down to the Orthopedic clinic on Monday and get into see somebody right away. Monday morning came, 8:00 a.m. is when the office was supposed to open and guess what...closed for the holiday. Blake had elected to not go to Rexburg on the chance that surgery might be performed. After divulging the whole story to the hospital operated I finally convinced her to put me through to the Orthopedic resident on-call. My luck again, he was in the OR. He was quick to call me back though and after again explaining the whole story to him, it was his recommendation that we come to the ER immediately. Great. Another ER bill. May I say though that this was my first experience with Primary Children's and I was so impressed. The doctors were SOOOO caring. So attentive to what I had to say, my concerns, Brody's temperment, it was incredible. Dr. Dave, the ER resident had this tiny frog that would say "ribbit" and light up. He was Brody's favorite. Being a teaching hospital there were 14 physicians who physically saw Brody or consulted on his X-rays yesterday. When a physician came in another physician would say, "This is the mother. She's a nurse." As if THAT was going to make a difference. Ha! Long story short. X-rays were repeated. All 14 physicians gave there opinion and it was determined that surgery will be put off, for now, and Brody was placed into a hard cast.
This was taken right after the cast was put on.

This picture was taken 5 seconds after the above picture when he realized he couldn't move his arm.

Your orthopedic anatomy lesson today: there are three types of suprachondular fractures and Brody has a type II. This means that although the fracture is severe, it is not displaced, or it hadn't moved since the original fracture in Rexburg. I was very grateful. Dr. Lenahan was the orthopedic resident on that day and Blake and I immediately liked him because he is the only doctor I have EVER known to wear full on scrubs with cowboy boots. He was from Texas. (He is the doctor leaving the room in the first picture.) We are going to follow up with Dr. Holmes/Dr. Lenahan on February 10th for some more X-rays, possible surgery, replacement of cast, and/or removal of cast.

On a personal note, I have to say Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU! So many people have expressed there love and concern for Brody. I think we have had just as many meals brought in for a broken arm as when I gave birth to him. TOO MUCH! The balloons, signs, flowers, and acts of service are amazing. I love you all! Blake's good cousins, the neighbors in Plain City, my family members and of course our ward. Many thanks to you. Blake, Brody and me will never forget the hospitality and love shown towards us.

Our Trip To The...Exotic Emergency Room

It all started innocently, as everything does, I get the great idea to travel 300+ miles to Rexburg Idaho to visit Blake on the job site and see the project he has been working on for the past 7 months. A month ago I arranged my work schedule so I would have 4 days off, got the car serviced, began hoarding non-messy snacks Brody enjoys eating and mentally planning this vaycay. We arrived on schedule. Brody was a happy boy, we went out to dinner with the owner of the company Blake works for, we were having a great time. Went back to the hotel. Swam in the pool. Brody loved every minute of it. I even commented to Blake while we were swimming that these type of fun family moments make the frustrating, difficult moments as a mother worth it. The next morning we got up after Blake had left to the hotel room to go to work. Let me also say that Brody and I play this game everytime I have to get him dressed and/or change his bum. I always yell, "Come here Mertle," "Get back here Mertle," "Stop joking around Mertle," and Brody runs around naked and screams and thinks it's hilarious until I catch him. We were playing this game on the king sized hotel bed, I thought we were safe, but alas...I was wrong.He fell over backwards off the edge of the bed. I heard a pop/snap. My heart sank. It was one of those moments as a mother where you just close your eyes and cringe and hope that your son will stop crying and his arm will stop just dangling there limp. He was obviously in A LOT of pain. He was SCREAMING, outright top of lungs, SCREAMING. His right arm was just hanging there, he wouldn't move it. I seriously just wanted to drop the F-Bomb. But I refrained.


I called Blake, got directions to the one and only hospital in Rexburg and drove to the ER. Everyone at Madison Memorial Hospital was very nice. We were the ONLY patient in the ER. Dr. Packer took charge of him. Even before the X-Rays you could feel his clavical separated. After the X-Rays came back the indeed confirmed he does have a fractured clavical and right suprachondular fracture in his elbow. Dr. Packer said it just looked like the bone had been crushed to pieces. He called down the one radiologist and the one pediatrician in the hospital at the time and they all agreed not to touch it. The didn't dare set it in a permanent cast until the swelling went down and until someone who sees more than 2 pediatric broken arms a year could properly treat it. We have a follow-up scheduled for Tuesday with his normal pediatrician and I'm hoping he can just set it and we don't have to go to a specialist. The following is a list of reasons why this sucks:
1. Brody hurts, his little face tenses up and gets full on tears if he forgets and tries to use that arm. He can't roll over or stand up by himself because he is right handed and he attempts to use that arm and then cries in pain.
2. He is RIGHT handed. I doubt he will be after this ordeal. It only happened a day ago but he is already using his left hand really well and eating with it, holding objects, etc...
3. Our insurance. I just switched our health plan to a HealthSave account. So our deductible is $3000. I am going to have to pay, out of pocket, for this entire adventure. I'm sure that those fat cats at Select Health will not give any sort of adjustment for the ER visit, especially because it was at a non-participating hospital.
4. I feel like a terrible mother. I look at him and my heart aches. I want to take the pain away, and it pains me to know that I was partially responsible for the accident. About 2 weeks ago Blake took Brody to Home Depot and dropped him while getting him out of the cart. This resulted in a black eye and a split lip. I gave Blake SUCH a hard time about hurting Brody. I teased him relentlessly that I hadn't caused ONE accident in 15 months and then all of a sudden he isn't being careful and it results in a black eye and split lip. Karma is a bitch.

Little Blake

Anything his dad does, he wants to do. Including doning Carhartt and wearing boots. He will mimick Blake's actions. Blake teaches him naughty things like biting mama's exposed skin, especially her fat belly and lower back. If I try to offer him food, sometimes he won't take. Blake offers him said exact same food. He'll eat it. Like father like son. Bum chin and all.

I'm Ready for Vancouver

Date night January: Ice Skating. This was only my 3rd time EVER ice skating. Blake said, "You must've not gone to mutual." Nope. Sure didn't. I did though date a hockey player for a couple of months so I think that counts a little bit. I make it a policy/habit to NEVER, NOT, NON, ABSOLUTELY, put pictures of myself on the blog. The problem was, I couldn't skate and hold the camera at the same time. Sort of like walking and chewing gum at the same time, I guess. Blake was doing triple lutz's, back flips, and practically auditioning for a hockey team, I was holding onto the side until Blake seriously said he would leave me at the rink if I didn't let go of the side. I did okay. No falling. Stupid little kids like 5 or 6 years old though would cut in front of me and say, "oh sorry." I think it was there evil plan to get me to fall down because I was always within about 1 inch of falling over when they would do it. Blake and I had a good time though. Spent time together. Always a positive.

The Proof

Yes, in fact he has done it before. I think this is the 3rd time. Future generations let it be known that Blake has, for the record, bathed Brody. He says it's not much more difficult than the dog.

A Tribute

Grandmpa said it was a hat

and so I put it on.

Now Grandma's wondering,

"Where the heck's my bucket gone?"

Composed by my grandmother, Elaine Bean (1930-2004)

Where to Start? Backtracking.

I'm a sucker for any three generation shot, and this one is extremely choice. Of course the time I choose to take said shot is right in the middle of the family singing, "Joy to the World" and Brody is quite puzzled that Great Grandpa is singing, or maybe it's because he's wearing seal pajamas. (It is a pajama party people!) This is my father dearest, my Grandpa Bean, and Brodster.

My handsome brothers, Nathan (14) and David (19). Can you tell we're sort of an interracial family? Our family theme song could be Michael Jackson's "Blake and White." I have darker skin, Nate is dark, David and my sister Aly are clear.

Dave's feasting on the shrimp appetizer and Blake is trying to force a shrimp appetizer on Brody.
My mom goes all out each year for Christmas Eve dinner. On the menu: Rare Who Roast Beast (Prime Rib), Salt encrusted potatoes, shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, homemade rolls (made by yours truly, Martha Freakin Hall Stewart), relish tray, green salad, cheesy veggies. I don't deserve it. Really I don't. Fantastic.

Brody had about enough of the festivities and entertained himself by pulling out and breaking 2 or so of Grandma's soup bowls. Of course I would rather be taking pictures of him breaking the soup bowls rather than reaching out and STOPPING him from breaking the soup bowls.

We were truly spoiled, yet again. Santa not only found our home in Plain City but found Grandma's in Fruit Heights. We asked for food storage stuff and boy, did the big guy deliver. Rice, toothpaste, toilet paper, juice, applesauce, baby lotion, baby body wash, shaving cream, soup, diapers, wipes, and too much more to list. And but of course, who can forget or leave out the candy bar wrapped in bubble wrap. Every year without fail. We are so blessed. Seriously.

I ended up working Christmas morning from 5am-11am so after we went straight to Grandmas. This mean that we got home around 4 or so, we hummed around and then finally around 6 or so we finally decided to open our own presents. Brody received the toolbench from Mama and Papa. He did love opening up the presents though, as soon as you got him a little corner to tear he went to town. He wanted to open up everybody's presents for them. Again, what a good little helper!
Brody's favorite part of the toolbench is the battery powered drill. It will drill the screws into or out of the toolbench and he loves to do that. He also loves to put it in his mouth and do it, or come over to me and do it into my kneecaps. Love you son! Blake spoiled me and bought me a brand new Nikon camera. It is way more than I can ever handle and has so many features I have no idea how to use it. You can tell though that my pictures are so much clearer and have a better resolution to them. Maybe the OWATC offers a camera course? Ha. Blake received among other stuff dates for a year. I was inspired by the prophet that you should continue to date your spouse after you get married, your all saying to yourself..."well duh Jessica!" Blake and I have not done much dating since Brody arrived so I went and got gift cards for all 12 months of the year and made cards to go with each of them corresponding to the months. Restaurants, movies, FatCats, Ice Skating, et al. Very spoiled, and again, seriously so blessed. (Thanks TAMNers!)