1st Broken Leg

**WARNING VERY LONG POST***
About a week and half ago we had our first broken bone in our household. The kids were kicking a ball around and Spence went to jump over the ball. We think that his left leg got caught on the ball and as he was falling he twisted his leg and broke one of his bones. The cry was one that I had never heard him make, so we knew that something was really wrong. I figured he had just landed on it wrong. But when he woke up every couple of hours that night, I knew we would be making a trip to the e.r. in the morning.

Sure enough he woke up unable to move his leg out of the position he had it in. So I got the lucky opportunity to take him into the e.r. I think that they know our family by now. The longest we seem to be able to keep away from there is 6 months:) They did an x-ray on him and found that he had a spiral fracture on the tibia. You would think that they were killing him in there it was horrible to listen to him cry. I had to stand outside of the room while they did it.

I guess usually they wait for the leg to finish swelling to put a cast on it, well the orthopedist said to come in right now to get a cast. Which was nice for the simple fact of not having to bring two extra kiddos with me to get it done. He opted for a bright orange one, the brighter the better.

He was such a trooper he had to have one up to his thigh, I am not sure why so high. So I was his designated pack mule, carrying him every where. For the first few days he just laid in our bed and we brought him things to do and took the occasional trip to the bathroom.

He really wanted to go back to school asap. I had scheduled everything with his teacher to have him go half a day last Thursday. She even had set up the use of the school's wheelchair for while he was at school. I did not see any reason to rent a wheelchair when he could use that one. We were thinking that he could get into a walking cast this past Monday. So he would be using it for only a few days. And Friday and Mondays were going to be half days for him.

Well I get an e-mail from the nurse on Wednesday evening saying that he could not come back to school without a doctor's detailed note. The note had specify what activities he could and could not do. The doctor when I asked him had said as soon as he can put weight on the leg. I figured that would have made it my choice, right?

I called and left about three messages between wed evening and Thursday morning. They probably were getting sick of hearing from me. I called the school right before Spencer was suppose to go in to try to reason with the nurse. She proceeds to tell me that we can no longer have use of the school's wheelchair..are you kidding me?!!! Just in case she has to go out into the field and use it. Well then you take him out of it and go into the "field" and then put him back in it after. Why in the world do they have a wheelchair if it sits collecting dust most of the time? And then she tells me that he has to be able to push the wheelchair by himself and lock it. That no on can help push him...what five year old can do that?? And that he has to be able to do everything in the restroom by himself. How in the world is he suppose to stand and balance while washing his hands. The kid can not stand very long on the very huge cast!! I was near tears talking to this woman who was making my life a living nightmare at the present moment.

Luckily we have a medical supply place not too far from our house and I took a little trip down there. They had a child sized wheelchair, but it still looked huge on him. And guess what he could not reach to really push himself in it. He has to sit forward and use his good leg to push himself around. He practiced really hard that afternoon getting up out of it and cruising around the house. Luckily the doctor was able to fax the letter later that afternoon, so he was cleared to go the next day.

So the long awaited day of this past Monday comes. The day that we see if he can get into a walking cast. Everyone had the hopes up way high that it was going to happen. We get there and I immediately realize that bringing Lex and Wes was a HUGE mistake. Wesley has been a little terror lately, which I will post about.

They take him back to the x-ray, which they did through the cast. The doctor comes in and gives us the dreadful news. He has to keep this humongous cast on for another three weeks. Are you freakin kidding me??? I think my face showed every emotion that I had bottled up for a week. The bone had moved just slightly...therefore he would have to keep this one on. So that meant another three weeks of him not being able to get around as much. The news did not sink in for Spence...but it did for me. This kid to anyone who knows him, knows he is one active kid.

I was able to keep my emotions in check until we got out to the car. I just burst out into tears. The day had been a tough one already and then that news broke it for me. What helps in this situation would be some milk shakes..so we drove to McDonald's and all got some ice cream. Of course they had to mess up the order and forget some of it. I have not had the best of luck with them lately.

What does this mean now that we keep this cast on. Well this means that I have to drive him to school everyday for the next three weeks. It seems simple enough to drive and wheel him into the class. But when you throw Wes and Lex into the mix...not so much. Lexie everyday has temper tantrums about her shoes, hair, or Chandler looking at her wrong. So we go in everyday with Lexie crying, Wesley running through the halls, and Spence complaining about being in a wheelchair. Chan has been great through it all.

So that also means that I have to pick him up from his class at the end of the day. Which we wait outside the classroom door in the kindergarten playground. You would think would be fun, but trying to keep track of a little certain person makes it really tough. On Tuesday Spence got out of his wheelchair and tried to climb up onto the playground. That was fine until more kids came out, then it was a little scary.

On Tuesday I get a call from the nurse saying Spencer can not come outside with his friends at recess. He has to sit in the office all by himself, while everyone else plays. I guess the liability for everyone involved is too high and to keep everyone safe he stays inside. Are you serious? You are going to make him sit in the office thinking he has done something wrong..what will that do to him.

Well I can tell you what that has done to my vivacious child. It has totally pushed him down into despair. The once happy, lively child is no longer. He has been replaced with a whiny, despondant child. Who for the past three days has been asking when he can get this wretched cast off. And has been wanting to go to bed at 5:30 the past few nights. I am really worried about what this is going to do to him emotionally in the long run. Him acting this way is totally breaking my heart. No mom wants to see their child hurting and have no possible way of helping him. His teacher has been fighting to let him get out and get some fresh air, but to no avail. Rules are rules. I wish there was some waiver I could sign stating that I will not hold the school accountable for anything that might happen to him. For goodness sakes strap the kid in and tell him that he can be outside, but he has to stay in the wheelchair. I think just being around his friends and outside, would boost his spirits. This is going to be a tough road to go down and we are not quite half done. Wish us luck!!!