Pins Out!

The last of the procedures.....  Time for those pesky pins to come out!  We got to the hospital (just the two of us this time) and all the nurses scowled at me as I forced him to finish all his schoolwork before he could watch TV.  Apparently that was mean, but I just wanted it done before any major meds came into play.  And he still had plenty of time.  We waited and waited and assured everyone we knew what was happening....  He was a little nervous before....

 I waited in the surgery waiting room and only had one panic attack - when his number didn't come up on the screen....  They assured me it was just a glitch and would probably show up.  I went back to my seat and sobbed.  And then it came up.
His number turned pink after about 20 minutes in the operating room and I thought I'd be called down quickly.  It wasn't so quick - another 30 minutes,  but when I went down, this is what I found.  A happy boy!  He was ecstatic that his arm was, indeed, not in a cast or immobile!

 We were out of there in about an hour and on our way to A&W - traditional dining spot after his appointments.  He was so proud of himself for being brave - even when they took out the IV and he discovered that his hand had bled all over his bed in surgery!

 

This kid did not just want to go home and hang out.  He napped in the car on the way home and then we just kept going....  Even to the library for video games and then to tball!  

I was a little worried about him, but he seemed fine as long as he was distracted.  He did complain of itching, but I just told him that was part of it....
The next morning at school, he was really complaining and I was putting my foot down, "You will go to class and stop whining.  You are fine!  I will prove it to you!"  And then I took off the ace bandage.  And he was oh so not fine.  He had an allergic reaction to the wrap (we've always suspected a latex allergy) and his arm was all red, rashy, and blistery.  Poor kid!!!!  And this just sent me into a "Mommy Guilt" spiral...  Not a great day.  Eventually we got him on Benadryl and the swelling went down.  It's still red, but now just looks like irritated skin as opposed to a horrible mess.
And I think he's forgiven me...  until my next parenting blunder....