It just isn't meant to be, I think. We are not meant to go to the aquarium. If you read
this post, you will understand. If, like me, you are too lazy to read it, I will sum it up--we tried to go to the aquarium at the beach, a few months ago, two hours away, it sucked, we came home.
My husband and Jayce left at 5:30 this morning to go hunting with my brother in Wyoming. They will be gone a week or so. I decided that myself and my mother could handle taking the other 3 kids to the aquarium as our Groupon expires next week.
Away we go!
We get there, no problem. No school buses, no rain, no crowds. We walk around outside, we visit the shark tunnel thing. All along the way, Jarrett is climbing on every. single. thing! I tell him to stop and there is a designated place up the way that he can climb,climb, climb.
And, also, he can fall, fall, fall. Which he did. Hard. I see it, I can't stop it. But, down he goes. He falls off a sea lion statue. I think "Oh, he broke it, he broke his arm. " I rush over expecting to see a bone poking out but there wasn't! He wasn't even crying. Much.
I think maybe it's just a bad sprain? We put ice on it, we get out our lunch, which excites Jeven until he realizes he ate most of his own lunch on the ride there. I notice there is a largish "lump" up Jarrett's forearm. I start to question if it's a sprain or not. He won't move it, his fingers tingle. Not good. I decide we should take him to Urgent Care. In a town where I have no idea where anything is, besides the ocean and the candy shop. I decide that we will ask at the front counter, on our way out, where the nearest Urgent Care is.
Josie cries as she didn't get to see everything OR spend the $2 she brought, in the gift shop.
We stop at the front counter, ask about the clinic and are told that we need to fill out an accident report and "Wait right there!". We wait. And wait. And wait. Until finally, a man comes with a scrap piece of paper in his hand. He asks me for my name, address, phone number and what happened. I tell him. He writes "Fell off sea lion". That's it. My son's worst day EVER has been summed up in those 4 words.
We head out towards the parking lot to find our friends had arrived! Just a coincidence. But, I explain that we are leaving to take Jarrett to hospital and Josie then cries because she can't stay. I get frustrated with Josie because she is quickly demanding all the attention that should be centered on Jarrett.
Following the detailed directions of the aquarium staff, "You take , like, the 3rd or 4th right past the hotel with bricks. Yeah.", we find the Urgent Care clinic. Which is closed for lunch until 1:30. Seriously.
It is now 1:15. We decide to wait. When they do open, we find out there is ONE doctor on duty. One. We are told it will be a two hour wait.
I decide, in two hours, we could be home. Jarrett is not crying. He's babying his arm but otherwise, he's cool. Chillin'.
I call my brother in law, who happens to be a sports therapist (perks!) and he explains that a break will hurt less than a sprain and it would be totally fine to just drive home, as there's no protrusion or anything.
So, approx 1 hour after arriving at the aquarium that we drove 2 hours to get to, we are headed back home.
Three quarters of the way home, I call our pediatrician and give them a heads up, to which I am told we will have to wait until the after hours clinic is open as there is no way we will make it back in time to see our regular doctor. Which, actually is a good thing as the after hours clinic has all the x-ray equipment. I take first available slot, which is at 8:30. At night. But, our regular doctor is the doctor that will be seeing him.
We come home, veg, eat. Jarrett is still not crying or even complaining. I'm starting to wonder if he's even hurt. I poke him. He yells at me. I decide he's really hurt.
Finally, we get to doctor's office, where Jarrett tells the doctor "Nope" every time the doctor says "Does it hurt here? Here?". Seriously?
We go to x-ray. Doctor looks at it. Says "Yup. Broken"
Puts a temporary cast on it.
I guess we will see an orthopedist next week. I say "guess" because I think I was more confused leaving the clinic than when I arrived.
Seems the doctor and his staff were in a hurry to get rid of us, he didn't explain things very well to me ( in my opinion) and I was too tired/shocked to really think clearly.
I called my helpful brother in law, again, and now have a little better idea of what's going on and why. Swelling, proper setting, etc.
Anyways, day one of being a single parent while my husband hunts, not so good. Could have been worse. Could definitely have been better.
Those darn sea lions!!
