Brad comforts Charlie after he is so brave getting his temporary cast.  Brad went home after that to change, get dinner for me and Charlie and return with the requisite treats for Charlie, a KitKat bar and some bubble gum.  Again, we are so blessed to have Marilyn.  She was home holding down the fort, protecting the other 3 from any injury, all while putting our house back together after we partied like rock stars all through Christmas.

He was so BRAVE riding in the "Ambliance" (his pronounciation, not mine) while I followed in Big Red.  I have to admit I was tempted to go with him, I've never seen the inside of an ambulance and if I am ever going to I would like it to be under such "stress-free" circumstances, knowing the victim will survive and has nothing more than a bone fracture or two from a playground accident.  But, common sense prevailed and when Charlie agreed to ride with Ricardo, our nurse from the insta-care, the deal was done.  I was not going to leave my car across town until some unknown hour.  Now he has bragging rights.  He is the only  member of our family to have broken a bone AND the only one to have seen the inside of an "Ambliance".  I hope he keeps that record 'til the day he dies and this is the FIRST AND LAST time for both!

While Brad was home the doctor informed us that they were ready for us at the other hospital.  I assumed we would just put Charlie in the back seat and drive him over there.  OH NO, instead they insisted he take an abulance ride that in the US would likely cost $5000.  But here, it's all covered by our co-pay, $14.  So, lights flashing and all, off we went.

I know, it's crazy to think of pictures at a time like this.  My baby, (5 year old son, where did the time go??) is in an ambulance in a middle eastern country!  Rewind 2.5 years and I would be in FREAK OUT MODE.  If I wouldn't have snapped a few, I would have wished I had later..I was just happy to have a charged camera with available "digits".  Let this be a lesson to all you parents out there.  YOU NEVER KNOW when a photo "opp" will come up.  The Boy Scouts have this one figured out: "BE PREPARED (with a camera)".

Waiting at hospital #2 for the orthopaedic specialist to see the films and take action.  It all turned out to be a wait....FOR MORE WAITING.  Listen up Michael Moore: "I had nurses risking their visas, whispering under their breath to see a private doctor so I wouldn't risk waiting 2 weeks to get into a specialist".  Turns out, the GP at the urgent care thought I was a "PROFESSIONAL"  so he used his "wasta" (Arabic term for: political pull or favor) to get us into the specialist TODAY.  Oh, the professional part...Turns out, one of the many items on my resume happens to be related to orthopaedics..thank you very much (Dr. Goble and Zimmer).  I usually cannot remember what to buy at the grocery store but when that "Mother's Adrenaline" is pumping...baby that orthopaedic vocab rolls right off my tongue.  Don't get me wrong.  I DID NOT claim to be a doctor or even to have played one on TV but in spite of my continued denials the doctor kept calling me a "Professional".  He asked me if I was "On Staff" at the hospital..Can you believe it.  I really couldn't have "Acted" that out if I tried.  As I've run through it in my mind I've come to the conclusion that even in the US I would be considered a "Maverick" (NOT like Sarah Palin) with my willingness to ask questions to medical authorities.  Not because I question their abilities but because I RESPECT their abilities and want to understand how they are diagnosing and treating problems.  Surely I learned this from my experience with Marlowe "Dr. Goble" and with Zimmer.  I learned they are people and they really don't mind teaching or talking about what they are doing.  If they don't have the confidence to answer my questions then I don't have confidence in them either.  However, even in the US, which is quite progressive in this area, people generally don't question authority especially doctors.  In this culture I think questioning authority is MUCH less frequent.  My willingness to do so must have shown this doctor some confidence of knowledge on my part and given him the impression that I have more knowledge than I do.  At any rate, my boy got into a specialist TODAY.  We had good quality care.  If my "Professional Knowledge" helped get us there then so be it...Again, thank you Dr. Goble and Zimmer...

In the end, after 7 hours we left with an appointment for New Year's Day to go and get the permanent cast set.  The doctor will have to sedate Charlie to manipulate the bones back into place then set them.  It should be quite straight forward and no growth problems or long-term problems should come from it.  (Those are the doctor's words, NOT mine..I do agree with him though, (as long as he sets it correctly).  JUST KIDDING)

........................

The background story of this whole thing is that my family (siblings) are always teasing me about being a "PROFESSIONAL"..._____________ (fill in the blank).  I have had almost every job possible..NO, not the OLDEST PROFESSION.  Jenn told me she and Sarah almost bought me a book for Christmas this year titled:

This could only be funnier IF  they really would have sent me the book..I guess I DON'T NEED IT, because the doctor here apparently thinks I'm already a "PROFESSIONAL".  He didn't specify what I was professional at...hmmm, maybe he meant race car driver, or stained glass artist, or hostess in a Japanese karaoke bar, or flight attendant, or dental assistant or......