Handprint Playdate = ER visit?!?

Last week Austin and I met up with our Mom's Group: Mansfield Christian Moms & Kids to make handprint stones.  We did this activity last year and it was a disaster then.  Last year Austin didn't like anything stuck to his hands nor did he appreciate the purpose of this craft.  LOL  This year however, Austin's been experimenting with handpainting at his awesome preschool and has been loving it so we headed to do the handprint stones this year in hopes he'd enjoy it. 

What a difference, again, a year makes!  I say that a lot but when it comes to our growing, Lil Man it's true!  This year he loved when I painted his hands with paint (non-toxic. . . no worries to people who were wondering) and helped me pick out the colors.  He chose Red and Blue over the Yellow and Green.  Apparently he had a preference to what his masterpeice would look like!

Ammie's handprint stone

Nonna & Poppa's Handprint Stone

Our keepsake!

Where does the ER fall into this story you ask?!  Well while I was decorating the stones outside on the deck and waiting for them to dry after we applied the sealant, Austin was playing with the other kids on the slide, the swing, and other fun toys that were outdoors.  I heard Austin asking for me and showing me the #2 sign with his fingers.  I assumed maybe that he fell down and hurt them.  After looking it over and saw nothing I kissed it and off he went back to play.  About a minute later I hear Austin crying out for me and I go to him and see tears in his eyes and saw that his right middle finger was so swollen it was taunt/tight and shiny.  It was also very warm to the touch and discolored.  I didn't know exactly what happened and he didn't tell me.  All he was doing was crying HUGE alligator tears and screaming, "My finger! My finger" and "Momma, Help me!"  UGH broke my heart!  I placed a ziploc baggie full of ice on it and loaded him up in the car.  After calling the pedi - which OF COURSE they were closed for lunch, go figure! - I called Carolyn, my MIL who's also a nurse to ask her opinion.  I thought it would warrant an ER visit due to his symptoms but I didn't want to be "that mom" so I wanted validation I guess.  I was SO anxious and heartbroken.  I deal with crisis's everyday at work and handle them, in my opinion, very well, but when it's your own child.  HAHAHA not a chance!  I was fantic!

I rushed Austin to the nearest ER, which thankfully was less than 5 min away, and called Scott about the situation.  We waited in the ER for almost 2 hours (!!) before being seen.  I had a problem with their method of triage as my son was shaking, screaming and crying out waiting to be seen when others would be called back that appeared to be in no distress reading a book  WTH?!  What method of triage are you using here?!

Anyways, I digress.  We finally get back in and Austin gets weighed (he's currently 27.75 lbs) and check his oxygen (100% = perfect).  We wait in the ER room for a few min before the Dr. arrives.  He looks at Austin's finger while Austin is pefectly still.  I could tell that Austin knew he was getting help because he was perfect!  He stayed still while they looked it over, kept his hands in odd positions during the X-ray when the X-ray tech moved them and overall did well.  He did receive another ice pack and motrin while we waited on the X-ray results. 

Scott did his best to keep Austin preoccupied and happy.  Hence the chicken (the blown up glove) and the stick (tongue depressor) that Austin held onto the whole time! Also this is another reason why I LOVE my iphone.  CARS, the movie, always makes Austin happy!

After the x-ray report, we found out that Austin did NOT break his finger like we though but that he could have injured it or possibly been bitten my an insect.  As a precautionary, he was placed on an antibiotic for 1 week so that he doesn't get it infected and possibly get a staph infection from it.  At this time the swelling was still apparant, as was the warmth even though it was placed in an icepack for over 3 hours.  However, it wasn't as discolored as before so that's a good sign. 

waiting for the prescription from the Dr. before we could be released

It's been a week now and Austin's hand has fully recovered.  We still don't know what happened and we probably never will :( Once we left the ER Austin passed out - it was 3pm and he missed lunch and his nap - and slept like a rock until 5pm where he woke up asking for "meh cine" (medicine)  Yes, my son, THANKFULLY, loves taking his medicine!