The Loss of Perfection?

A week has elapsed since the events I'm about to describe but I still want to capture my thoughts.

Last Friday, I got a call from Evan's day care provider saying Evan was inconsolably clingy and crying unless he was being held. This was contrary to his usual demeanor and I initially though he was just upset that I had been out of town the previous two days (my dad flew in and had been watching Evan). So, I offered to talk to Evan, who seemed to calm down immediately as I spoke to him. I thought nothing more and took a few long calls for work. Later, when I called daycare, it seemed that Evan was no better so I went to pick him up early.

At daycare, the staff had concluded something was wrong with Evan's left arm. He was holding it stiffly to his side and his wrist seemed tender. He also seemed unwilling or unable to lift his arm. When I gave him my car keys to hold, he held them weakly and eventually dropped them. I got Evan home after gingerly strapping him into the car seat and I left a message for the doctor. I figured it might be a sprain or torn ligament yet nobody seemed to have seen or heard any traumatic event. I laid Evan down for his nap and he held his arm stiffly to his side like a mummy as I covered him with blankets.

I had a lot of conflicted feelings while Evan napped. How had he gotten injured? Should I be mad at my dad, who took him to daycare? Should I be mad at the daycare staff? Had somebody done something careless and was now refusing to tell me? Were those perfect supple toddler ligaments and muscles now irreparably damaged? Could Evan, who always seemed to bounce back, now have some permanent damage that would plague him the rest of his life? What if he was left-handed? Could I have prevented it? Was Evan's perfect body now already starting to collect scars like I've collected from from my accidents and neglect over the years?

Luckily, the Doctor did have an appointment available and I'm glad I took it. After a long wait, the doctor listened briefly to my explanation and wanted to hear no more. I tried to explain that there was a simultaneous shoulder-wrist trauma. He did not care. He was sure it was a dislocated elbow - something he sees every day. With Evan in my lap, the good Doctor straightened Evan's arm, turned his hand over, and bent the elbow. With a small pop, Evan was cured and the Doctor was happily swiveling Evan's arm around. It was like when Jimmy Swaggert cures a cripple and they rise up from the wheel chair. Evan cried a bit but was more surprised than anybody. Evan was so happy he kept showing off all his new moves with his arm. I know Evan is going to LOVE going to the doctor for a while and he may well become one because of this.

So what actually happened? Normally dislocated elbows are caused by swinging or lifting a child by one arm (don't do this, readers!). They also happen when a stubborn two-year old refuses to budge and gets pulled by one arm. I'm not sure either of these was the cause here. I suspect it occurred as Evan writhed his way out of his car seat - something he does (well, actually, used to do) with gusto. Why he did not yelp out in pain, I do not know, but he does have a high pain threshold.

So, all's well that ends well but it really was an amazing day.