Keep calm and carry on

I was working at my desk, wearing an unflattering outfit.  My hair was crazy.  I hadn’t put on any makeup since I rolled out of bed at the last minute, showered and reported to my desk with no time to spare before my shift began. Oh, the glories of working at home!

My phone rang.

At first, I couldn’t understand the male voice.  Then I realized what he was saying.

My 14-year old son was injured.  The P.E. teacher was walking him back to the campus from the field across the street.  During class, Zach had fallen onto his shoulder, maybe dislocated it.

I instant-messaged my co-worker and without even waiting for her response, left my desk, found my shoes, gathered my 10-year old and dialed my husband.  I also made sure I had Zach’s insurance card and off we headed to the school.  I talked to my husband while driving.  We discussed which Urgent Care to use–and fortunately, last week I made myself a doctor’s appointment and the lady on the phone mentioned that the Urgent Care was on the first floor and the doctor’s office was on the second.  Miraculously, I knew exactly where to go and it was only minutes from the school campus.

I found my son in the nurse’s office looking pale, sweaty and disheveled.  He cradled his left arm with his right.  The P.E. teacher explained that Zach fell onto his shoulder and a few minutes later heard a pop and then had more pain.  He said again he thought maybe it was a dislocated shoulder.

I looked at my boy and said, “You know, he looks exactly like my other son did when he fractured his collar bone.”

Then we went to Urgent Care where we enjoyed the quickest medical attention ever.  Seriously.  Amazing.

The doctor came in, asked questions, then began to examine him.  When he pressed on Zach’s collar bone, Zach winced.  I knew then that I was right.

This, my friends, is what a fractured collar bone looks like.

He has a sling now and orders to take ibuprofen and a prescription for something stronger.  He will be out of P.E. for six weeks and he’s so sad that he can’t play his guitar, either.

I have had enough excitement for this week.

If I were a different kind of person, I’d definitely refuse to leave the house and I’d wrap all the sharp edges with bubble wrap and insist everyone stay safely in bed until this passes, whatever this is.

Instead, we will keep calm and carry on.