Liam and his Purple Cast

This trout face says it all

Another parenting first for me:  a child with a cast.  Liam let himself out of Shesh's house Friday just before lunchtime and managed to fall on the garden path and break his leg.  I heard screaming from down below the patio and couldn't believe there was no blood or scrapes when I reached him.  I was also thankful that it wasn't a snake bite because the baby rattler's are out right now!

This is where it hurts...

Anyhow, I piled him into the car, texted our play date friends that we would not be meeting up with them for lunch, and speed dialed Dr. Schmottlach's office.  Poor Liam cried and cried  on the way there, making it pretty clear to the receptionist that we needed to be seen right away (Thanks Bluetooth )  The doctor examined Liam and told us that he was pretty sure he had broken the leg, and sent us over to another medical building for x-rays.  After a 30 minute wait, Liam and I went back to the x-ray room.  I am so glad that I had the foresight to jam a few lollipops into my purse while we were in the pediatiricans waiting room.  I was also thankful that my phone had a full battery charge and was loaded with games to keep my little dude busy.  Liam was being pretty brave about the whole thing, until they pulled the x-ray machine over him to take a picture.  That really freaked him out, but he held it together for the 2 pictures.  

We headed back to the pediatrician's office, and Dr. Schmottlach told us that he had an oblique tibia fracture (aka Toddler Fracture).  Dr. S explained that his bones are soft and when he twisted his ankle falling, it snapped the bone.  An adult would have just sprained the ankle, but kids usually break bones instead.  He sent us to another local medical building to get it casted.

When the technicians came in at the ortho office, they held out a pile of fiberglass swatches in bright colors for Liam to pick from.  Liam had been very adamant at Dr. Schmottlach's that he wanted a purple cast.  He picked the purple right away at  the ortho too.  Patrick had given me the go ahead to get him a purple cast, so we got him ready for the casting.  2 talented technicians came in and had Liam all wrapped up and casted in under 5 minutes.  Liam was brave for the whole thing, and convinced him not to cry by having him tell the techs about Disneyland (his favorite subject these days!)  He had to get a long-leg cast which extends from his toes to his upper thigh, bent 40 degrees at the knee so it won't slip off.   He will have to wear the cast for 4 weeks.  Until then, he can't walk or put any weight on it!

Not exactly thrilled about this, but Lovey helped him get through it. 

So upset to have a cast on.  Not happy at all that he can't walk.  

So, what does one do to entertain a 2.5 year old who can't walk, go to the park, play in the sand, stand at a Thomas the Train table, take a bath, go swimming, or even ride a scooter?  Guess we will soon find out!