Saturday, December 1, 2012 started out like any other weekend day around here. Jeff was on call and had worked all night Friday and didn't get home until around 10a on Saturday. He was really nice and brought us donuts. We were in the middle of getting new flooring downstairs so while Daddy was sleeping, Finn and I went to the park and had a picnic and played for a while. The weather was especially warm that day. Afterwards, we came home and took naps. When we all woke up that night we went for dinner and we had only been home about 15 minutes when Finn fell in the living room. When it happened, Jeff and I both thought he was fine because he didn't really fall very hard and he barely cried. He was fine as long as I was holding him, but if I tried to put him down he would start whinning. I went ahead and gave him his bath and got him ready for bed. This entire time he wasn't crying, but he wouldn't stand up or really try and move at all on his own. Jeff checked his leg and although he wouldn't stand by himself, he would put weight on his leg if we held him up, so Jeff was convinced nothing was broken and it was just sore. I decided to go ahead and put him to bed, but I just had a feeling something wasn't right. About 45 minutes later, I decided to check on Finn. When I went into his room, I could hear him whimpering and when I got to his bed he was still laying exactly where I put him which is very odd. I told Jeff then that I knew something was really wrong and we were going to the ER.
After 4 hours of waiting and basically being treated like I was crazy we finally had an xray and it was confirmed that his right femur was broken. We met with Ortho and were admitted to the hospital. Due to the kind of break he had they had to sedate him in order to place the cast. He was taken to surgery the next morning around 11 and had the cast put on.
This is him after they finally gave him some pain meds. Poor guy didn't go to sleep until almost 4 in the morning. Can you imagine having a broken leg and waiting that long before someone gave you meds. I was not a happy momma
This tough guy didn't even cry when they put in the IV! In fact, I'm pretty sure I shed more tears during this entire ordeal than he did.:-)
This is picture of him in traction. There were weights attached to the ropes to keep his legs straigt and prevent him from moving them and possibly making the break worse.
After surgery to get the cast on.
Elmo makes even broken legs feel better. :-) After the cast was on, the nurses taught Jeff and I how to take care of it and how to change diapers. Usually you would have to stay another night in the hospital, but our Dr and nurses felt comfortable sending us home since Jeff is a nurse. I was so happy since I was not looking forward to another night sleeping on a couch in the hospital 8 months preggo.
His cast started under his armpits and went to his ankle of the right leg and to his knee on the left leg. He had small openings on his chest and back for ventalation and an opening in the crouch for diaper access.
He was a trooper the entire time! He loved his pallet on the living room floor and watched as much TV as he wanted. The worst part was diaper changes. It took 2 people minimum and lot of diapers and tape. He ended up sleeping in the bed with me and poor Jeff ended up sleeping on an air mattress in Finn's room so he would be close to us during the night if we needed him. Our guest bed was also taken by family for most of the time Finn had his cast.
My sister rigged this up for him so he could play with his cars one day
And if having a broken leg wasn't enough, he ended up with a fever virus that started Wednesday and ran between 101 and 105 until the next Monday.
I really thought it couldn't get more pitiful than the picture above, but this next picture was the next morning.
Finally feeling a little better and reading his cards from Deacon Stinson
Just getting a massage from Aunt LaLa
Butch was staying with our friend Margie while our floors were being done and she agreed to keep him longer while we got settled with Finn. Butch came home a few days before Finn got his cast off and promptly set up camp by his boy.
Finn played with the spatula and Baskin Robbins tub a ton while he was hurt. I don't know what was so entertaining about it, but he was obsessed.
Catching an afternoon nap
Family picture with our little tree. I just was not in the mood to get the big tree and all our decorations out with everything that was going on, so we made due with this little tree I got at Walgreens and our Nativity.
Finn had to wear the cast for 19 days. This is much shorter than most people have this type of cast but we were very lucky that his break was so minor and since he is so young it healed very quickly! The surgeon told us that he probaby wouldn't crawl for a few days to a week and not to expect him to walk for a few weeks or even worry until after it had been a month. Well, Finn was crawling and trying to pull up before we even left the hospital that afternoon! Although he didn't start walking until right after Christmas. In Fact, he started while we were staying in a hotel because we didnt' have electricity for 7 days due to the ice storm that hit us Christmas day.
The afternoon after getting his cast off
So happy to finally be able to sit up and play!
We were so lucky to have family and friends help us take care of Finn during those 19 days. My boss was so helpful and worked with me to work my schedule out so I could be home with him alot, but still have time for a maternity leave the next month and Jeff's boss also worked with him to allow him to be home as much as possible with us.
Needless to say, Jeff and I were very happy to see December 2012 end!
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