Today we went back to the Pediatric Orthopedic Specialist to see if Peter's new limp on the right side might be connected to the come-and-go limp on the left side, or if there was at least an explanation for it this time. While we were in the waiting room, he wanted to run around again, and you can see the limp pretty well in this video:
I was glad that the limp was more visible this time. It's really hard not to feel like a crazy person after a while. I think that's the real test of motherhood; coming out without looking like a crazy person.
Every time we took Peter in for the limp on the left side, the doctor would push and prod and pull and squeeze and Peter never flinched. This time, the doctor pushed and prodded and pulled and squeezed- and a flinch! Squeezed again- another flinch! A real problem with real evidence! I'm not crazy! (And of course, it's very sad for Peter to be hurt, but at least his mother can actually tell when something is wrong and do something about it.)
Doc said that Peter has a toddler fracture. He went ahead and took X-rays, but let us know that the fracture probably wouldn't be visible. The fracture wasn't visible, but he said that the repair would be visible on an X-ray in a few weeks.
He told us we could either put Peter in a walking boot or a cast, and we're going to try out a boot for now and see how that goes. It will need to be on for four weeks. We picked up a boot tonight and so far Peter has mixed feelings about it, but overall he's doing pretty well.
I'm glad that it's okay to take if off while he's sleeping and bathing. That's a relief. But I am a little worried that Peter already has questionable balance and adding an big heavy impediment to his leg won't help much. He already toppled over a couple of times tonight, poor little guy.
I still have the question floating around in my mind about whether both limps/injuries are related somehow, but Doc doesn't seem to think so. At least Peter will be walking so funny with this boot on that I won't have to worry about watching for a limp for four whole weeks. I keep telling myself that everything is fine and whatever had caused the left side limp has since resolved, but every little thing still feels like maybe it could be another clue. Hopefully this will be the last of Peter limping for a long long time.
