Our First Break...

Well, I guess it was bound to happen one day.
Yes it was Devin, doing what he does best, playing sports...this time it was football.
Our home school group decided to do a variety of team sports this year. We have such a large group that we are able to break into two: 6-9 year olds and 10+. Age wise, Devin belongs in the younger group, but ability wise belongs in the older, so he sort of floats between the two. He was playing with the older guys this time (instead of playing dodge ball with mom in the gym) and ended up at the bottom of a pile while diving for the flag. He came in to see me all white and pasty, gently holding his arm, and trying hard not to cry. He sat in a chair for the remainder of the afternoon...my first clue that something was wrong.
When we got home, it was still sore, so we called the telehealth nurse. She walked us through some moves and when he cried out in pain, confirmed that we should take him in for X-rays.
Fortunately Mark was on his way home so we waited for him to watch the other 3, and Devin and I headed out. He was pretty nervous.
We accidentally went through the wrong door and ended up taking a self guided tour through the ER (which was absolutely empty) and tried to figure out what all the different machines did. That started to lighten his fears. We finally got registered, and then proceeded through the different stations...triage nurse; waiting room; doctor; waiting room; x-ray; waiting room; and finally the confirmation that he did indeed have a tiny buckle fracture, and would need a cast for 4-6 weeks.
Those words broke his heart; no hockey, no wheel chair basketball with his best buddy on Saturday etc. etc. He finally let all his emotions out, and cried the whole time the doctor was putting the cast on. We sprang for the extra $20 to get a lighter fiberglass cast instead of plaster, but his only choice of colour was blue, blue or blue. At least it was blue - not pink!
An hour and a half later we were back home (ahh the joys of a small town hospital, only 10 minutes away!)
This morning, it's still pretty sore, and of course awkward, but he looks forward to doing school orally for the next while...when we decide to get back at it. I think we may just call this week, "mid-fall break" (and honestly...I didn't think of the pun until I typed it!)