When Swinging Goes Bad
By Bytemi
@Bytemi (1553)
United States
June 9, 2009 6:38am CST
Well I had an eventful weekend. My daughter jump off a swing at the playground and broke her arm.
On Saturday after the accident I took her home and put her down for a nap because she said she was tired. I didn't think anything about the arm, she is a drama queen and could move her arm and her fingers so I thought sleep was the best medicine.
When she woke up, she could no longer bend her arm, so I took her the ER. 4 hours later they told me it was a sprain, gave her a sling and sent her home. On Sunday her entire arm started to swell and I figured that was not normal and gave her some ice. The swelling continued getting worse so I took her to her Dr. yesterday.
The nurse gave me a lot of attitude about questioning the ER diagnosis but it just didn't appear to be a sprain, at that point her arm from the shoulder down had swollen three times bigger than it should be. When the Dr. came in he told me that the ER misread the X-Rays and that she had a bowing fracture and damage to her growth plate and sent me to an orthopedic surgeon for immediate treatment.
I stopped by the hosipital on the way to get her X-Rays and report for the surgeon. When I requested the films there was a report attached stating that the ER Doctor had missed the bowing fracture and I should be contact to get treatment. It is now Tuesday and I am still waiting for that call.
The Surgeon bent her arm straight again and then put a cast on, you can see how happy she is in the attached picture. She is making a list of everything that she can no longer do because she only has one good arm.
I am really ticked at the hospital, I understand mistakes and thankfully I followed my instincts, but to not follow up after they found their error is unforgiveable.
What would you do in this situation?
2 responses
@DarthJustice (2014)
• United States
9 Jun 09
I'm sorry to hear both that your daughter broke her arm and that the hospital is being very unprofessionaly about all this. Unfortunately, I've been involved sort of with ERs and a doctor getting the diagnosis wrong. In 2006, my dad went to the ER for something I can't exactly remember (it involved his heart). They said whatever he went for was just a pinched nerve.
A few days later, a "pinched nerve" turned out to be five blocked arteries when he had a heart attack.
Unfortuntely, I can't think of any advice to give you on what to do. Hopefully someone can though.
3 people like this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
29 Aug 09
I would do the same thing you did, and then I would probably take legal action against the doctor who misdiagnosed the problem. they really should be able to do their jobs, and in some professions, medical and law are good examples, there is just no room for mistakes of any kind.
