My Son Broke His Femur

[SeeDisney]

HI DIS friends,




Here's his story....


My 9 1/2 year old son broke his leg during a ski trip with his dad and sister.

Two Thursdays ago, my DH took DS and DD skiing up at Blue Mountain, Pennsy. DS is a very good skier.

Later on the day, they went on a new ski lift for a different trail and DS was on the chairlift, alone, in front of his dad and sister. As the chairlift was descending to let the skiers off, my DS was confused and turned around to his dad and shouted "Do I get off now?" and DH replied "No!" and DS thought he said "Go" and got off one second too early and fell 16 feet below. He broke his femur bone. He was choptered over to the nearest trauma hospital (St. Lukes, in Bethleham, PA) and got steel metal rods inserted inside his broken bone (traversed fracture). He was at the hospital for only two nights.

THANK YOU GOD that no injury to his back, spinal cord, head or neck. Or even a more severe break, etc.

He has a splint from the top of his left leg all the way down to his ankle.

DS has no school for at least two months and no sports for about four to six months.

We have here a wheelchair, walker and commode. So far, he needs the two of us to get from one object to the other. And so far, with the walker, he can only walk about 8 steps.

Physical Therapy will be coming later on.

His school teacher will be coming to the house for in-home schooling twice a week.

He leg pain decreased considerably. His spirits are good. He has had some nightmares from it as well.

MY DH had endured a great deal of pain of guilt from what he witnessed happened to his child and blames it all on him. He doesn't like to talk about it and I can only pray that he can forgive himself.

 

[DawnCt1]

I can imagine how bad your DH feels. It was an accident. I hope he recovers soon. Did they mention if the growth plates were involved?

 

[SeeDisney]

Hmmmmm, I don't recall that one. Tomorrow, we're going to CHOP in PHilly for his first follow-up appt.

I'll ask about growth plates.

Thanks.

 

[mickeyboat]

Poor guy! I hope your DH doesn't continue to beat himself up over it. It could have happened to anyone - how frightening.

A child was just killed here a couple of weeks ago when he fell off the chair lift. So sad.

Here's to a speedy and comfortable recovery.

Denae

 

[DawnCt1]

Hmmmmm, I don't recall that one. Tomorrow, we're going to CHOP in PHilly for his first follow-up appt.

I'll ask about growth plates.

Thanks.

Well you couldn't end up in a better place than CHOP! I am sure everything will be fine but do ask about the growth plates.

 

[Poohgirl]

Oh my goodness, how awful. Im am so glad that other than a broken leg your poor son will be ok. oh, scary! I can only imagine your husbands horror! Thoughts and prayers for the hard few months ahead. again, Im so glad he will be ok....

 

[Christine]

Oh that's awful. I remember last year when I was going to my chiropractor, he told me that his daughter (about 11) had broken her femur in a bicycle accident. She was out of school for a few months and had to have a lot of physical therapy. Fortunately, it all worked out well. Good luck to your son and thank goodness he is okay. My gosh, 16 feet.

 

[KelNottAt]

OMG! Thank goodness he'll recover. Your DS and DH will be in my prayers tonight.

I can kinda relate to your DH's feelings. Last year we were skiing at Camelback in the Poconos. My DD, then 10, was riding the lift alone and was in the last chair of our "group." Well, when she put up the lift bar, unbeknownst to her, it hooked the hood on her jacket. She couldn't get unhooked. The lift made its U-turn to go back down hill and Betsy was still attached.

The operator finally stopped the lift just before she would have dangled 15-20 feet over the ungroomed area below the "dismount ramp," KWIM. As it turns out, she was just about 6 inches off the ground and the operator could lift her down.

Talk about scary. I and the other relatives were panicked that she would dangle all the way down the mountain. I felt frozen by fear and furious at myself for letting her go alone.

Hugs and prayers to your family.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Wow, so sorry to hear that about your boy. My best he has a quick and comfortable raod to a full recovery. And easy to see how your hubby feels, but, hey, it was an accident. 's for all.

 

[MsDisney23]

CHOP is a wonderful hospital. I am so sorry to hear that this happen.

 

[THE HAT]

as a parent my stomach flip flopped for you!!
thank goodness it was not as bad as it could have been.
i am sure that in time, when the rawness of it all settles down a bit, your dh will talk about it. (this is why they are called accidents, instead of purposes).
glad to hear that ds is feeling pretty good, i am sure you are going to face good days, and bad ones. when you have a rough day, just come here and vent to us!
thoughts and prayers to all of you!!

 

[pozey]

I hope your DS has a full and speedy recovery.

I broke my femur snow skiing during a spring break trip YEARS ago.

I too have a metal rod (still there to this day) inserted inside the bone. It has never given me much trouble at all.

However, I was in the hospital much longer than 2 days. I had some sort of infection on my leg that had to completely go away before they could operate. So, I was in traction for 8 days before I could be operated on. Plus, I was in a hospital several states away from home. My mom was able to come stay with me a couple of days, but other than that, I was on my own.

Again, good luck to you and your son. One piece of advice I would give him.........Do EVERYTHING that the physical therapist tells him to do!!

 

[MoniqueU]

Wow how scarey. My kids ski and snowboard and I hate to hear of any injuries. Thank goodness it wasn't worse. Tell your husband not to feel too bad, sometimes crap just happens and there is no way to prevent it.