Ouch!

Thursday February 24, 2011

Weston broke his foot today.  Poor little guy.

It was a rainy day and the kids were getting antsy.  Trying to think of something different to do, I suggested we build a fort.  The kids were super excited. 

I grabbed the two table chairs and draped a blanket over the top.  I placed a 30 pound weight on the blanket to hold it down.  As I was doing it I thought of a million reasons why I shouldn't hold the blanket down that way.  But, I did it anyway since I couldn't think of another way to hold it down.  Hmmmm ... books ya think?!  Dumb mom award to me.

The kids were anxious to get playing when I looked over and saw the table.  How cool would it be to drape it over the table too?!  So, I moved the chairs and blanket.  This did not go over well with either of them.

As part of Weston's protest he grabbed the blanket and pulled it down on top of himself.  In the process, I watched as the 30 pound weight crashed to the ground.  Since the blanket was covering Weston I didn't see where it landed but I knew that there was no way that it could have possibly missed his foot due to where his foot was at the time it landed. 

I didn't hear any cry so I thought we were in the clear.  Then I picked up the blanket and saw it.  Eek.  It instantly ballooned up.  His foot was bright purple and blue with a giant gash in the top.  It continued to swell bigger and bigger and the tears began.  He was sobbing. 

I panicked.  I knew it was broken.  There is no way a 30 pound weight can land on your foot and it not be broken.  In between sobs the poor little guy asked for a band-aid.  We put a band-aid on his foot and it seemed to console him at least a little.  I ran and grabbed some ice and placed it over his foot.  Luckily it covered his whole foot so he couldn't see his ouchie.  I am sure that was not helping the situation.  It looked pretty gross.

To add to Roland's stress of school and mandatory overtime at work, I called him to come home so I could take Weston to urgent care.  He was hoping to use his new little gadget that would allow him to work from home but unfortunately it didn't work.  Because of that he ended up having to go back in this afternoon and work really late into the evening.  I felt terrible. 

Anyway, we arrived at Care Now around 11am (about an hour and a half after the incident).  We had to drive through quite the downpour as the first spring storm of the year pounded over our heads.  Luckily it didn't end up being the severe monstrosity they were predicting (for us anyway).  What a mess that would have been!

Weston stopped crying about half way there.  He was excited to sit and play with some toys while we waited to go back to our room.  I checked his foot and although the swelling went down quite a bit, it still looked pretty nasty.  I was feeling pretty bad.  What a terrible mom!

We got called back and the Dr confirmed that it was most likely broken.  We would need x-rays.  While we waited I sat on the exam table with him and drew pictures of McQueen and dinosaurs on a magnadoodle.  He was very content.  I was so happy.

Then the torture began.  I couldn't even imagine getting my broken foot handled let alone moved around in all sorts of funny positions.  Not to mention, an x-ray room is kind of an intimidating and scary place for a toddler.  I had never really noticed before but he was very unnerved.  So, we sat and pretended we were playing hopscotch on the xray square.  It seemed to help a little bit.  I wasn't too impressed with the x-ray technician.  She seemed annoyed that Weston was nervous and taking a bit to get settled and didn't even cover us with those x-ray vests.  I am sure hoping that doesn't give us problems down the road.  Good thing I am not pregnant.  She didn't even ask!

We went back to the room to wait and drew more pictures.  The Dr walked in and let us know that Weston had two broken bones in his foot.  Luckily it was a really clean break.  So, it was off to the triage bed to get his foot put in a splint.   Weston cried the whole time.  He kept nestling his head into my arms and telling me that he was sad and that he was scared.  It was absolutely heart wrenching.

We arrived home with a splint and Weston was confined to sitting on the couch.  He was upset about the splint on his foot and that his foot was "stuck." Not a happy camper.  I called around to several orthopedic specialists to see if we could get in today for a cast.  The earliest appointment I could find was Monday afternoon.  There was no way that was going to work!  I could not possibly keep that splint on his leg and keep him off his foot until Monday afternoon.  I continued to call and finally found somewhere that could get him in today.  Hallelujah.

My friend was kind enough to watch Natalie so Roland could return to work.  She was a lifesaver.  So, Weston and I headed out.  Half way there Weston informs me that he has to pee - and it is in that dire emergency voice.  Great!  Not wanting him to arrive soaking wet, I pull off the freeway and pull into a parking lot.  I run to his seat, pull him out, and try to steady him to pull down his pants without letting his splinted foot touch or hit anything.  I somehow managed to pull his pants down, then balanced him in the air so that he could pee while "flying."  Oh we must have been a sight!  But boy did he have to pee!!!!  I am so glad we stopped.  He even commented, "Look mom!  That's a lot of pee!"  I had to laugh, and agree!  In another impressive juggling act, we got his pants up and we were on our way again.

Weston is the bravest and sweetest patient.  He was so nice and jovial to all of the doctors and nurses. Unfortunately he had to have another set of xrays done.  So, I picked him up and we were off to the scary room again.  He was not happy to see that machine again.  Poor little guy.  They had us in the weirdest positions and even had to tape his foot down to the table.  I felt awful.  I just held him in my arms and tried to comfort him the best I could as he sobbed.  He kept looking into my eyes and it just killed me.

After that terrible mess we went back to the room to wait for the doctor.  He came in and showed us the x-rays.  Weston thought it was pretty cool to see the pictures of his foot.  If I can figure out how to turn the file into a jpeg I will load the pictures on here.  Luckily he had a very clean break on both bones that were broken.  The first bone was just cut straight across the bone but the pieces were still together.  The second bone had the same break but had separated a little.  The doctor informed me that since he is so little his bones will pull back together with absolutely no problem.  Kids are amazing at healing.  He would need a cast for a week at which time we would return for him to look at how is foot is doing and put a new tighter cast on (once all of the swelling was down).  He would most likely be in a cast for 4 or more weeks. 

The bad news is that Weston can't put any weight on his foot.  Confining him to the couch for a month does not sound like a reasonable request for this kid.  He told me that his foot would be sore enough that for the first week or so he won't even try.  But, once he would try, we needed to try to keep him off of it so it would heal faster.  We will play this by ear.  I just don't see that happening.  As of now, I carry him everywhere - even to the bathroom.  It is quite the challenge.  This morning (Friday) I saw him crawling out of his bedroom.  It was the saddest thing I have ever seen.  He was dragging his casted foot behind him.

The doctor gave Weston the choice of cast color.  Weston's first choice was pink but I told him he would probably want to choose a different color.  I knew that if we came back with a pink cast that Dad would freak.  So, Weston chose black.  He was very happy about his choice.  The doctor was so good with him.  I was so impressed.  He talked him through the whole thing and told him everything he was doing.  He even told him that he had magic cotton that he was wrapping around his foot and would make it feel better.  He let Weston touch it to make sure he knew it would not hurt.  Weston was so brave.  I was so proud of him.  The doctor did take out some scary looking scissors though to cut part of the sock so there wouldn't be an annoying crease and Weston freaked thinking he was going to use it on his leg.  I felt terrible. 

In the end, he had a cool looking black cast and we had a smiling kid.  The cast made him feel much better.  He even got a sticker and a lollipop.  He was all grins.  What a sweet kid.

So, hopefully we make it through the next few weeks.  He is already antsy as can be.  Natalie however is on cloud 9.  She thinks his cast is hilarious.  She keeps touching it and giggling incessantly. She also loves her new freedom.  No brother running around and beating her up!  She is sooooo happy!  She doesn't mind taunting him a bit either.  What a stinker.