Pins are officially out!

And Hannah couldn't be happier.  We showed up a hair early for her 8:45 appointment, but didn't get taken back until well after 9.  After some xrays, we were shown to a room to wait for Dr. Nichols.  When she came in, she showed me the xrays and said that everything looked favorable for removing the cast/pins right then, if we were agreeable to that.  We were indeed.  Hannah had a borrowed Nintendo DS to play with, and it miraculously kept her occupied for quite a bit of the procedure.  There was a lot less to it than I thought there would be.  First she cut off the ace bandage, then she picked apart the layers and pried off the actual splint that was protecting her elbow.  A bit more trimming, and her naked, skinny arm was out in view.  Hannah didn't notice much until the pins were actually being removed, and then she cried.  I don't blame her, it looked very painful considering how hard they were being pulled and twisted.  She calmed down quickly (for her) and got to hold her pins and play with the scissors and tools that Dr. Nichols had used.  After a thick gauze pad and a stretchy bandage, we were good to go.  The bandage comes off tomorrow, when the holes have had a chance to close up on their own.  After that, she has a follow up appointment on August 18, and we were told that by then she should be back to nearly full 100% usage!