Im the not the best aunty my nieces/nephews could have hoped for?

34 replies

welshbyrd · 01/05/2011 14:34

Jeez, Im not even sure if the title is correct/makes sense

I have 2 nieces, and 2 nephews by my sister
I love them as much as I love my own children,
Extremely close family, all live within 3 minute walk from each other, see all daily, have my nieces and nephews over night regularly, my children are the same age, are in same school, even in same classes

Yesterday [tear coming thinking of it]
All my family [20 of us] went to a zoo day out.
About 3ish, youngest nephew fell off a climbing frame, he grazed his fingers quite badly. Sister scooped him up/cuddled, said he was also tired. Gave him drink, walked him in buggy.Sister suggested something was not right perhaps he had broken finger or something. By the way he was holding them/bending etc, I could tell he had not. So ease her mind, and she agreed he was tired, and perhaps a sleep would be good for him [about 30 mins after accident, he did not bang his head either]
He went to sleep lovely, and we all agreed he had been tired afterall.
He woke up a little bit grumpy as usual [tends to be grumpy for 10-15mins of waking up], half an hour later he was on the rides, cars, on the diggers.

He went to run off from the play area, so sisters DH grabbed his wrist [gently] and he winced a little. It hit me seeing his face, it was his arm hurting, not the cuts on his fingers [he had a long sleeve top on] I pulled his sleeve up, he had a lump on his wrist, no bruise, but his lack of using his arm, made it clear, he had broken it

So we went around a zoo, on rides, eating, and laughing for 3 hours, all while he had a broken arm. All on my say-so/he is fine, his fingers are not broken/stupidly did not check his arm/pull up his sleeve

He had an operation this morning, because is was a bad break

I feel bloody awful, I feel so ashamed, seen his at hospital last night, he was in so much pain.

Guilty is not the word for how I feel, while we were all enjoying ourselves, that little boy was in agony, and I made the decision it was nothing serious

Thinking about him, Im balling
Last night I was balling, I can not stop balling

Not even sure why Im typing this, its as if I want you all to type you should be ashamed of yourself, disgrace, a disgusting auntie
This has ruined me inside

OP posts:

exoticfruits · 01/05/2011 15:41

Don't be so hard on yourself! If it makes you feel better when I was a DC our next door neighbour -a doctor-let his DS go overnight with a broken arm that 'wasn't broken'.
My DS was told by the games teacher that he couldn't have broken his arm, it would hurt more. I agreed and it was only the next morning when he couldn't move it without using his other arm that I took him to A&E. Teacher was apologetic and amazed!

exoticfruits · 01/05/2011 15:42

My mother went 4 days with a broken wrist herself!

mummytime · 01/05/2011 15:45

You sound like a fabulous aunt.

My story when DH was about 29, he fell over badly playing Badminton. He hit his knee, his wrist and his elbow. 1 month later (having carried suitcases across Paris in the meantime) he had a day off work and as his wrist still ached, so he saw the doctor. They thought it was nothing but as he mentioned he was a musician they sent him to the hospital for an X-ray. It was fractured!

A doctor once told me that breaks can hurt less than dislocations and sprains.

Carrotsandcelery · 01/05/2011 19:01

Welshbyrd - do you think you might be in a bit of shock? It is never pleasant to discover that someone you love has hurt themselves. Maybe you need a warm bath, a or and a big bar of chocolate yourself.

HerRoyalHighnessPrincessCervix · 01/05/2011 19:07

you soujnd like a perfectly nice kind aunt for feeling just he way you do.

would it make you feel any beter to be told that a certain person's DD walked around for a solid week with a broken arm before she got taken to the docs and x-rayed?

Shoulddohousework · 01/05/2011 20:11

Feel really sorry for you, as you obviously feel really guilty but it is no way your fault!
Honest, children are so resilient, and you mentioned in your post that you were the one that noticed that it may be his arm - which you should be proud of! Plus, he was sleeping and then playing for the time that no one noticed, he wasn't crying his eyes out and being ignored!
Really, do not feel guilty, I have 2 friends who are both children's nurses, one let her ds walk around with a broken hand for 4 days, and the second had a broken foot for 2 days!
So anyone can make a mistake!
Just make a fuss of him when he comes home - he will think it was all a big adventure!

Original poster

welshbyrd · 01/05/2011 20:12

Nephew is home, from what my sister said, the nurse were ecstatic to see him go he had been he usual self after operation, and was causing havoc up there, while coming around from op, first thing he said was where"s the ice-cream van .