BRO KEN

Saturday evening the Primary had their quarterly activity.  The activity girls and I were responsible for the relay games in the Cultural Hall.

I only have one primary age child; yet my two other children came because they enjoy the activities.  So, Evan, Aislyn and Allisa came with me to the church.

The quarterly activity began in the primary room and after 40 minutes it was off to the Cultural Hall for the games.  We did some jump roping and then we organized teams for relay races.

The first race was the "Bear Crawl".  If you don't know what that is; it's when you walk on all fours (palms on the ground - almost like doing toe touches).  Aislyn and Evan participated in these races.

After Aislyn finished her part of the relay I noticed that she was standing in the corner and she looked a little distressed.  She didn't say anything so naturally I thought everything was okay.  We proceeded to complete two more relay races and at the end of the last one, Aislyn's friend Bianca comes running up to me and says:  "Sister Gonzales, Ailyn thinks she broke her thumb."  I looked over at Aislyn and I could tell that something was wrong.  Her eyes were red and her skin had turned very pale.

I ushered the kids back into the Primary room and then went to get Aislyn.  She had disappeared.  It took me about 5 minutes to locate her.  I found her in the kitchen with Sister Beck who was putting ice on Aislyn's hand.  I asked to see her hand and Aislyn showed me her thumb and then she burst into tears.  I could tell immediately that her thumb was broken.

I called Victor and said:  "You need to come get Aislyn and take her to the emergency room."  He asks:  "Why?"

"She broke her thumb."

"She What?"

"She broke her thumb!  I can't leave because the other kids are here..."

"She What?"

"She broke her thumb!!!  You need to come get her now!"

"oh..."

It seemed like an eternity before Victor showed up.  He seemed reluctant to take her.  He says to Aislyn:  "Let me see you thumb."  She removes the ice.  "Can you move your thumb?"  She moves it and she begins to cry.  "oh..."

I gave Victor the insurance card.  He asks me which hospital and I told him to take her to Ventura.  He leaves with Aislyn.

I gather the rest of the kids and go home.  At which point I wished that I had gone.  I sat in the living room waiting to hear from Victor.  He doesn't call.  At about 8:30 I decided to call him.  There was a child screaming in the back ground and I couldn't understand anything he said.  He told me that they were almost done and that he would talk to me later.

He called me a little after 9:00 p.m.  "Aislyn broke her thumb.  She is lucky that she didn't tear any ligaments.  She still has to see an orthopedic surgeon.  She has a splint and her arm is in a sling."

Aislyn's appointment with the orthopedic surgeon is tomorrow.  I am a little nervous for Aislyn.  She seems to be doing fine.  She is in pain, but handles it well.  This is her very first broken bone and very first visit to the emergency room.  She was concerned about showers and doing her homework.  After three days with a broken bone, she has figured a few things out on her own and is able to accomplish the things that are required of her.

She is a very strong individual.  I am proud of her.