I meant to post earlier this week on some pretty funny stuff Jack has said lately but he gave us some even bigger news instead.
Every day after school, Jack hops on his bike and blasts full speed down the hill to Gus's house, then he hits the brakes to spin out with a grin. On Tuesday, one leg hit the ground, the other stayed on the bike and he ended up with a massive spiral break that literally snapped his femur in two.
I was pretty sure you could not break your femur sliding off your bike so I carried him home, laid him on the floor with a bag of ice and finished cooking dinner for some friends. After I dropped it off and got home, he was pale and quiet and he's a tough cookie so I knew something was up and by the time I got a look at his leg it was at least double in size. My mom stayed with the kids, I got him to the ER and they looked at his face and got in gear. He was still in the same fetal position he had been when I found him on the driveway, so the worst part was getting the xrays. As soon as the orthopedic surgeon saw them, they sent us to the Children's Hospital in Spokane. My sister drove me and Jack, while Ed was flying home from California.
Six hours after the brake, he got his first dose of morphine:
ahh.
Ed got there about 1 am and settled on the floor for a long night of no sleep. We were still waiting to get on a very full surgery schedule but they bumped people around and got us into the first slot with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.
Waiting for surgery:
They asked his name and he said, "Edward, but you can call me Jack."
Post-op, waiting for him to wake up:
Totally wiped, fell asleep eating a cracker:
New femur! they put the puzzle pieces together and bolted them in place:
Later that afternoon, he had some visitors bearing gatorade and things started looking up. My parents came and brought a poster signed by all his friends and teachers and he ate some ice cream:
I came home to the other monkeys so Ed could have the couch to himself and they both slept all night. And my mom and sister cleaned my house and the little kids were with Ed's parents so without a house to clean or people to clean up after, it was a quiet night here. Jack started PT in the morning and by afternoon was walking with a walker and a grin:
Amazing stuff, medicine these days!
The one benefit of being in a giant hospital just for kids? You realize how blessed you are. We were sad for our buddy but never scared--a broken leg is nasty but the only thing we missed was two days of Jack's happy face and we're already getting that back.
And for the record, the kid is tough. Tough. It was miserable but he zoned out and breathed through it and did not cry or whine. So proud of our little man!
