my 6 yo broke her leg :(

[tkme4ard]

spiral fracture in 2 places on her tibia about 4" above the ankle.

It's horrible watching her in pain and I want to tell her so bad about our surprise trip to make her feel better but I know I shouldn't. Our reasons are still there, wanting to make the trip super special for her birthday and the fact that we'll hear non stop when are we going, is it time to go etc and we've looked forward to it being a huge surprise as part of the whole package deal. But it is so hard not to cave

It's so hard being the mom while there isn't a whole lot you can do for your kid and them hurting

 

[tiggger1]

how did she break it?

 

[Laurabearz]

I know how hard it is not to tell, but hold fast!

Now I could see letting her know, after the cast comes off and she needs to do physical therapy... practice walking for the big trip...

 

[tkme4ard]

not to mention learning how to walk with crutches or a walker. I just don't know how she's going to menuever kindy with a non weight baring cast.

We live in base housing that is a U shaped townhome kind of set up. Tons of kids int he neighborhood. The adults were sitting on a patio around the firepit while the kids were riding bikes. The sidewalk goes in a oval inside the U with a playground in the middle. At the end of the playground there is a square drainage ditch that slopes down but it's not a huge hole or anything. anyway her and her sister passed a slower moving biker by going down the small slope and Bella hit Liv's bike tire causing her to bump and fall off her bike. When she fell she fell in towards the incline so she twisted and fell under her bike KWIM? Hence the spiral break

 

[stepho]

I completely understand what you are going through. My D (13) broke his femur ( right thru the growth plate) on Wednesday at football practice. He had to have surgery to insert 2 pins into it. We had to stay at the hospial for 2 nights. He has to keep all weight off it for 6-8 weeks and then go therapy. Not only is his football season over but so is basketball. He is miserable right now.
The crutches were awful. His leg has to remain straight at all times. The walker is much easier for him at this time. He should get to return to school next week. He will use a wheel chair for school because he has to swith classes every period. He keeps telling me it is getting easier every day. Just hang in there.

 

[Shelley Chiarats]

It doesn't get much easier after they are grown ups. My husband got hit riding his motorcycle on May 28th. He was in surgery for 12 hours, got a rod in his femur and plates and 25+ pins in the lower left leg. He spent just over two weeks in the hospital the first time recovering medically and learning to shower and dress himself. He was non weight bearing until the beginning of August and then he was allowed to start putting weight down a little bit. Then Labor Day he got an infection that put him back in the hospital for almost 2 weeks again. Now he's hooked up to a Wound V.A.C. machine and a 24 hour antibiotic.

But he's a trooper and started a new job mid August and keeps going as much as he can.

Shelley

 

[katie111]

My Ds 15 months had a spiral fracture in his tibia this summer. He broke it going down the slide with his DD6. Worst part was that I took him to the Dr's the next day, they x-rayed it and just said it was a bad sprain. A week later he was still holding his leg up when he crawled and was clearly in a lot of pain. Called back the Dr's & had him x-rayed again...it was broken. It broke my heart to know that he had a broken leg for a week & we didn't even know it. Apparently at his age they often can't see the fracture for awhile after it happens. Luckily once he had the cast on he was fine. But now its definitely delayed his walking. He's almost 17 months & still not walking. But I know he'll get there. Hang in there, just remember its only a temporary condition...when I went to Children's hospital & saw all the kids with wheelchairs and walkers that they may be in for life, it really put it all in perspective. Of course we never want to see our kids in pain, I kept wishing it was me that broke my leg instead of him. Also, the kids in kindergarten will probably think its really cool. My Ds got so much attention with his cast on which he really enjoyed!

 

[kitsch4]

So sorry to hear about your little girl! I think if it was me, I would probably tell her about the trip. It would get her mind off of her leg and cheer her up. Since she is not very mobile right now, you could get some planning books and videos and look at them with her to give her something to look forward to. I know the surprise would be ruined as you had planned it, but she would still be surprised. Good luck and all the best to her.

 

[abcboys]

Katie111- The same thing happened to my son last year. It was a few days before his 2nd birthday. Trampoline accident at my sisters house. Took him to the ER and xrays. They say just a sprain. 5 days later still not walking on it at all. Take him to the doctor for a 2 year old check up and they send me back for more x-rays. This time it shows the break. He got his cast on the day after his second birthday.

OP, try to get a waterproof cast. We had one on my son and it was wonderful. He could get dirty and I could throw him in the tub like normal. His cast was not grody or anything when it was taken off.

 

[moredisneyplease]

just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your little one.

 

[tkme4ard]

she's got a full leg cast on now, and is doing SO SO SO much better. Thank you everyone!

Shelley I hope your dh heals up quickly!

Steph hugs do your boy. What a huge bummer for him I hope he heals quickly too.

I wish we had a waterproof cast option but we only had a regular cast to choose from in pink, blue and green LOL on base you get what you get

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

So sorry about the broken leg...I will again promote the best thing that I ever found for cast. Check this company out. www.drycorp.com

My son fractured his growth plate this summer just before a trip to the beach...this truly saved our trip.

 

[tazdev3225]

So sorry to hear about your little girl. I understand to some extent about being limited by the base drs. because my niece was born with severe club feet and my brother was in the army. My DD broke her leg at 6 and they had her use a walker instead of crutches, it's much easier for them to use. I don't know which they gave your DD but consider the walker it was also safer because there was less chance of her falling. She had a dislocated fracture of both bones in her lower leg. I don't know what I would do as far as the trip goes, it would lift her spirits and give her something to look forward to but then the surprise is ruined for all. 6 y/o's do not keep secrets. When you take the trip consider a wheelchair or stroller for her. We went a year after my DD broke her leg and she still tired out a lot. Good luck and hope your DD feels better soon.

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh poor baby. I was 5 when I had a broken arm, I don't remember much about it but I remember it hurt. I hope she's all better quickly!