I should have insisted on an x-ray...

15 years ago

but didn't. The kids were in a car accident Saturday night on their way home. I was a little ways behind them on the same road. Sun was coming down and Alex couldn't see, so he was slowing down, but too late and slammed into the back of a huge SUV. His car is a mess but thankfully the kids weren't hurt badly.

I took Lauren to the ER because she was complaining of pain in her shoulder/clavicle/neck area. The ER doc looked at her and diagnosed a cervical sprain and sent her home on Flexeril and told me to give her Motrin for the swelling. Well, the pain had been getting worse so I took her to the doctor this morning. She ordered an x-ray and found that Lauren has a broken clavicle. I could kick myself for not insisting they do it at the ER and feel really stupid now. I'm a nurse and should have known better. They hit a huge vehicle (that had no damage), the air bags deployed and she had her seatbelt on.

I try not to be overbearing/know-it-all, because I am a nurse, when I go to the doctor. Sometimes you really should be more vocal, though, and speak up.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (18)

kacram
15 years ago
Oh, Kath! How scary!
she must be n pain! poor thing!
Alex must feel really badly, I bet.
Were the exchange students in the
car too?

Poor Alex, he's been having a heck of a
fall!
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
Alex doesn't know about the break and I don't have the heart to tell him right now. No, Maria was with me in my car and Johanna was with a friend back home. We were shopping for her birthday party.
Related Discussions
Value of X-Ray Shoe Fitting Machine
Q
Comments (10)
Thanks everyone. Speaking of TV shows, I just learned that they resored a similar machine on the show "American Restoration" and the guy paid them $4700 just to restore it and it was in much worse condition than mine so that was encouraging. The episode was from last season and was called "Apples and X-Rays" if anyone is interested. I dl'd it from iTunes and watched it-very interesting. To answer a couple of questions that have been asked: First off, to my knowledge it is NOT illegal to own this machine! Why would it be? The glass xray tube is broken so it can no longer generate x-rays and since there is no residual radiation in it, it is perfectly safe. Without an operational tube, there is no way for it to create the radiation thus no way it can cause any harm. Lazypup, please cite your source for the claim that it is illegal to own because I have seen nothing to this effect in my research, however, if I missed something as important as that, I certainly want to know! Thanks!
...See More
Does anyone else have a problem with Dental X-Rays?
Q
Comments (53)
I always hated getting that one back x-ray with the film. It always hurt. But I got through it. Now, they have digital x-rays. There is no film. It's a big plastic thing that has no give to it and hurts like heck. This thing made me cry. It was so painful. I could not even do it. And they kept trying and trying and it was cutting the bottom of my mouth. They made me feel really stupid and were very threatening because they said, well your insurance isn't going to cover it unless you take this x-ray. So here I am in the car crying and trying to find out if anybody else has this problem. Of course I should know by now that if I have a problem a lot of people have a problem. It's never just me. Has anyone experienced this digital x-ray bs? How do I get through this? I asked for a smaller one. they said they didn't have one. They only had one size. I said how can that be when everyone has different sized mouths?
...See More
How hard is it to remove Azek? And should I insist?
Q
Comments (2)
So long as the Azek wasn't glued on, it ought to be easy to pop off and start over.
...See More
X-ray Wiring Service?
Q
Comments (14)
There is industrial equipment available for x-raying things like walls and floors. It is a real PITA to use since you must figure out how to stop the x-rays that continue past the imaging area, and then deal with developing the film. The film needs to be at least as large as the area to be imaged since x-rays are actually more of a shadow technique than a camera image. A fluoroscope screen could be used (and is in newer meedical x-ray equipment with a video camera aimed at the screen using a mirror to keep the camera out of the x-ray beam) but it will need to be large enough for the images desired, or be repositioned multiple times to create a composite image from multiple smaller images. The x-ray spill must still be managed. The older x-ray film holders used lead sheet behind the film to block the x-rays, and the x-rays collimated to barely cover the film holder. In most cases there is no reason to find exactly were and what a problem is. If the wiring between two receptacles is damaged it cannot be repaired but must be replaced. A smple ohm meter can tell you if the cable is open, and then a new cable is run after disconnecting the old cable at each end. There is no requirement to remove the old cable. It is simply abandoned in place after being disconnected.
...See More
nodakgal
15 years ago
Poor Lauren!
Poor Alex!
Poor Mom!!

I feel for you all.
glenda_al
15 years ago
Thinking about all of you!
mariend
15 years ago
Accidents happen and I am glad no one got badly hurt. I don't understand why ER did not take Xrays? You might check into that.
bee0hio
15 years ago
Oh, that 's too bad. Poor Alex. Stop kicking yourself Kath. The ER DOCTOR should have been the one to have recognized an xray should have been done. You are the upset MOTHER whose children were just in an accident.
ont_gal
15 years ago
remember this much Kath..when you go into the hospital with one of your own,you are the MOTHER..no matter what you do for a living..as a MOTHER,you have every right to speak up...and naturally every right as well to miss something.
User
15 years ago
And, as a human being, remember that we all makes mistakes. Try not to beat yourself up too hard about this.

Remember, bones heal.
FlamingO in AR
15 years ago
Oh, how awful to be driving and see that up ahead, Kath! I'm so glad they had their seat belts on.

I hope Lauren heals quickly. When my brother broke his, (bike accident) they didn't really do anything for him except give him a brace to wear and some pain meds. He still has a lump where it knitted.
janie_ga
15 years ago
I would trust a nurse's judgment just as much as most MDs in 99% of situations... especially if it is pain related. From my experience working in schools of nursing and as a patient, nurses seem to be better trained at listening to verbal and non-verbal cues. Besides you are a good mother and the mother/nurse combination cannot be taught in medical school.

But don't feel bad. Your training did keep you vigilant to get her seen when she did not improve. Without your training, it may have take much longer if she would have gotten a second opinion at all.

It took the ER doctor and radiologist three days to diagnose a broken jaw when I was a teenager so even if you had gotten the x-ray the break may not have been caught immediately.
chisue
15 years ago
Where is the break in the clavicle? Does it require surgery? (I know few do.) DH's was pretty far out towards his shoulder. He just had a sling and pain meds. I'm sure your DD will be healed in no time. (Takes much longer when you are a Senior!) Unless surgery IS needed, you've lost nothing by the delay; don't beat yourself up over it!
patti43
15 years ago
You're a great mom, Kath! Probably in that moment you were just happy to hear she was okay. And like you said, we put a lot of faith in the words of a doctor. Thank heavens you were behind them to help.

Sounds like your exchange students are adapting well. Wish you had time to share the experience here, but understand your busy life.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
Chisue, I have no idea, they were going to show us the x-ray but forgot. It only requires wearing a sling for 4-6 weeks and no heavy lifting.

Patti, I'll make an exchange student post and try to bring you up to date. Been crazy!
socks
15 years ago
Don't beat yourself up over this. I'm sure other times you have spoken up and it has been beneficial. Glad you got her in for a proper diagnosis.
jannie
15 years ago
I'm so sorry Lauren is hurt! Hope she feels better every day! Don't blame yourself or the original doctor.
summer_tx
15 years ago
I'm so glad your kiddos weren't hurt any worse Kath. I've always heard that a broken clavical hurts like the devil. I'm surprised the ER Doc didn't insist on an x-ray himself. I can understand you taking his advice after examing Lauren. Afterall, he was the attending physician. His error, not yours.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
So scary when our kiddos are involved in accidents! Please keep in mind that an injury to that area, neck- shoulder especially in the seat belt area (possible spinal cord trauma involvement) can result in a condition many have never heard of and the symptoms may not show up for many many years even 20 or more, since you are in the medical profession you might want to look it up so you are aware of what to watch for and so is she. It is very often misdiagnosed since the accident could have happened so long ago, an MRI is a good diagnostic tool for it.
Post Traumatic Syringomyelia or PTS.

Best wishes and swift healing!
tami_ohio
15 years ago
Don't beat yourself up, Kathleen. His fault, not yours. Sending prayers for quick and proper healing for Lauren.

Tami

I should have insisted on an x-ray...

Comments (18)

kacram

Kathsgrdn
Original Author

Related Discussions

nodakgal

glenda_al

mariend

bee0hio

ont_gal

User

FlamingO in AR

janie_ga

chisue

patti43

Kathsgrdn
Original Author

socks

jannie

summer_tx

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

tami_ohio

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

I should have insisted on an x-ray...

Comments (18)

KathsgrdnOriginal Author

Related Discussions

KathsgrdnOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Kathsgrdn
Original Author

Kathsgrdn
Original Author