Son broke leg, full leg cast. Cry with me pls

[dez1978]

Prepare yourself for a long sob story and a mini rant and also questioning my sanity. Saturday morning while warming up at a wrestling tournament, my 8 yr old got landed on by another older kid (total accident) and broke his tibia. He’s likely out the whole season Last year he took 2nd in state and he was so excited to wrestle again this year and got 1 tournament in before this. I’m so sad for him to lose out on that. There’s a very small possibility that he could be ok to wrestle by the 1st of March if all the stars align. I really am legitimately sad for him to miss this, it’s not one of those I’m a crazy sports mom whose whole identity dependent on my kids sport’s success. Bc there is not a single bit of me that enjoys getting up at 4 am on a Sunday to be at weigh ins across the state at 7.
Rant. Took him to the children’s hospital bc they have always been great when we’ve had to go (don’t judge, my boys are wild) heck he was there in Aug for stitches in his other leg. For stitches he got Versed and pain meds. get there with him screaming in pain. They gave him a pill and drs come look, they order X-rays, see it’s a spiral fracture, and ask about pain. They bring him another pill. I assume wrongly, very wrongly, that one of these pills is in fact good pain medication. The ortho comes in and checks it out. Gets ready to do his thing with another ortho dr. They start on his leg getting ready to set and cast it. About a min into it the original dr comes in and I hear them talking and realize they only gave him Tylenol and ibuprofen . The ortho is like uh you better get him something now bc we can’t stop what we are doing. By the time the nurse came in with anything else they were done. This poor kid screamed his head off getting his leg set with nothing to relax him and otc pain meds!!! I was so furious. He’s got a full leg cast for a month. I got basically no instructions for what to do except “he’s at risk for compartment syndrome “ and a set of crutches. Did I mention he’s 8?? It’s been a very long weekend without nearly enough wine.

Questioning my sanity… we go to a football game every year in Denver. It’s a tradition. That trip is this weekend. 1st I was like oh we probably shouldn’t go. Then my husband was like well, we could probably go, one of us will just have to set inside with him while the other goes outside with the older kid. So today I got him a wheelchair, which I was gonna have to do anyway. Called southwest and figured out the flight and an extra seat for him. Called the stadium and figured out how to switch our tickets to wheelchair accessible seats. So he’s not going to school this week bc I don’t want to put this extra work on the teacher and I don’t think they can handle all the extra right now but I will take him on a plane Togo to a football game bc priorities obv I’m perfectly sane. I really do need to figure out the logistics of the bus or figuring out how to get him to school and go to work but that’ll happen after Xmas break. At least 3 of these weeks are no school weeks.

Took him to the ped ortho this morning for follow up. He’ll likely be in the long leg cast for 4 weeks and then a short cast for another 4. I’m hoping that after that he can return to normal.

If anyone has any tips for a speedy recovery or how to deal w it full leg cast, I’m all ears. Or eyes or whatever

Please send wine. Or tequila

 

[nw6675]

Health care gone to the pits. Not sure if from pandemic or what.

It sounds like it will be stressful with the flight and all. But, relax and take a bit of time for yourself before and after the trip. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just do your best, even if it isn't the greatest trip for you. Volentold to others if/ when needed.

 

[nw6675]

Adding that I didn't really answer your question.

 

[dez1978]

Adding that I didn't really answer your question.

It’s ok. I really just needed to complain for a min. The kid that landed on him is from our club and he feels really really awful so I’m trying to be really careful to not complain on fb about bc I don’t want him to feel bad about anything or for his mom to think I’m upset with him. I talked to her tonight and she said he was so upset about it and heard it break and I feel bad for him. When you have 200 kids on the mats accidents are bound to happen. Just sucks worse when it’s your own kid.

 

[ibob52]

thinkin of the kid . drink Milk . it builds strong bones . chocolate milk is best (strawberry?) Broke my ankle at school playing kick ball when I was 10

 

[moniqueand2]

He's 8 and I would not worry about him returning for the late wrestling season. I am sure he will be fine for next year. Instead you can have your family time with him this holiday season. It certainly is terrible for him though.

 

[VFL]

I am so sorry. I have a new wrestler who is a freshman and I am honestly not a fan of the sport (he plays football and felt wrestling would help with that). First tournament of the year his friend had both bones in his arm broken on the mat right in front of my son. I hope your son heals quickly and can return to the sport -,it sounds like he is very talented! My son (who is also wild) has already had a broken thumb and foot - so been there done that.

 

[dez1978]

He's 8 and I would not worry about him returning for the late wrestling season. I am sure he will be fine for next year. Instead you can have your family time with him this holiday season. It certainly is terrible for him though.

I mostly feel that way too. He does not tho lol. He’d rather be wrestling than having “family time” during the holidays he doesn’t want to skip a year bc he likely would have made it to state again and placed. That’s a big deal to a kid. Will it seem like a big deal when he’s 30? Probably not but it’s a very big deal to him now. Skipping a year is actually a big deal when it comes to wrestling. I had no idea the intensity of wrestling but man… there are kids who wrestle year round and travel across the country to national tournaments, even at this age. He was going to go to Tulsa Nationals this year. So missing a year, even at 8, is a big thing. My 11 year old didn’t start wrestling until he was 8 and there is a world of difference between him and kids who have a year or 2 more experience than he does. Telling a kid that it’ll be fine to miss a year of a sport or activity they love and don’t want to miss bc they are 8 it’ll be fine, is kind of, idk, rude.. that’s not really the word I’m looking for but it’s invalidating his feelings, like “oh it’ll be fine, don’t be dramatic. It’s no big deal” because to him it’s a very big deal. Especially since his brother is still wrestling so he’s still got to go to all the tournaments and watch, he just doesn’t get to participate. So yeah, he may be just fine next year if he doesn’t get to wrestle again this year. But he’s not just fine with it right now and that sucks and I’m sad about it.

 

[dez1978]

I am so sorry. I have a new wrestler who is a freshman and I am honestly not a fan of the sport (he plays football and felt wrestling would help with that). First tournament of the year his friend had both bones in his arm broken on the mat right in front of my son. I hope your son heals quickly and can return to the sport -,it sounds like he is very talented! My son (who is also wild) has already had a broken thumb and foot - so been there done that.

Mine both play football too. We are def more of a football family than wrestling. 4 years in and I still don’t know all the rules but it does get more enjoyable with time. I think high school tournaments are different than youth. Youth ones tend to be several hours long so it’s a long day with split sessions. Younger kids in the am, 10/12/14u in the afternoons so we’re there all day. But I’ve found wrestling moms are way more intense than football moms it’s so very different than football. If wrestling tournaments could start at like, noon instead of 8am I’d probably enjoy it a lot more. Or maybe if they set up a margarita truck in the parking lots

 

[VFL]

Mine both play football too. We are def more of a football family than wrestling. 4 years in and I still don’t know all the rules but it does get more enjoyable with time. I think high school tournaments are different than youth. Youth ones tend to be several hours long so it’s a long day with split sessions. Younger kids in the am, 10/12/14u in the afternoons so we’re there all day. But I’ve found wrestling moms are way more intense than football moms it’s so very different than football. If wrestling tournaments could start at like, noon instead of 8am I’d probably enjoy it a lot more. Or maybe if they set up a margarita truck in the parking lots

For sure - wrestlimg Tournaments are brutal as far as duration - and It doesn’t improve in high school. I know absolutely nothing about the sport. This past weekend a dad was fussing at his son and then at the ref. I figure ignorance is bliss since I have no idea if I should be pissed or not . Some wrestling parents are a whole different breed for sure

 

[dez1978]

For sure - wrestlimg Tournaments are brutal as far as duration - and It doesn’t improve in high school. I know absolutely nothing about the sport. This past weekend a dad was fussing at his son and then at the ref. I figure ignorance is bliss since I have no idea if I should be pissed or not . Some wrestling parents are a whole different breed for sure

I can def say that at the end of the day I can look at my Apple Watch and know exactly when they wrestled that day by my heart rate! Watching them out there is heart wrenching. I always worry about them getting hurt in football bc that seems like the most likely place for a serious injury in youth sports. Never crossed my mind at this age either of them would get hurt like this. Older kids, yeah. They are brutal. I expect sprains or bloody noses and stuff. Even dislocated shoulders I expected. Not a broken leg. I also didn’t expect there to be so much crying in wrestling. Idk if it changes as they get older but like 12u and younger, there are a lot of tears. I guess bc it’s an individual sport where it’s just you and the opponent so when you lose it’s on you. Not like football where you can say oh it was a bad pass. It’s crazy how I can dread wrestling season but love watching them wrestle. Even bad seasons bc they learn something every match.

 

[Skippy918]

That sucks! Did he get a waterproof cast at least? Hope he heals quickly.

 

[ttintagel]

One time I broke nine bones in a car accident and the ER gave me ace bandages, an ice pack, and two ibuprofen, and told me to go home and call an orthopedic surgeon in the morning. I asked if I could at least have a dose of something stronger for pain, and they told me, “We don’t give opiates for pain anymore,” and implied I was drug-seeking.

 

[slo]

I’m so sorry to read this - it’s so hard watching your child be in pain (I know - my DD19 is an athlete and has had several injuries).

I have no suggestions about how to deal with a full leg cast - my DD has been in boots, leg braces and leg immobilizers, but never a cast. I just want to say that I hope your son heals soon, that his spirits stay up and that he makes a full recovery

 

[mrs. magoo]

First of all I understand your disappointment. It sucks when kids get injured especially when it is a freak accident. I just want to make sure that the ortho cleared air travel. I know when my neighbors daughter spiral fractured her leg twirling on the hard wood they could not travel due to the risk of a blood clot. There daughter needed to elevate her leg a certain amount of time everyday as well. Air travel can cause swelling so that would be a concern I would have about this weekend. If the injury was 3 weeks into healing I would not be as concerned but the fact that it is so new I would just clear the air travel with the doctor. Hang in there.

 

[RUDisney]

I'm sorry that your DS and your family are dealing with this.

2 years ago, my nephew's ankle snapped in the first hockey game of the year. He was out for most of the season. I think not playing hockey was harder for him than the actual break. Then, he was angrier when the doctor told him he needed some PT when the cast came off... longer to wait before he could play. He was in 7th grade then. FF and he is on his HS varsity hockey team in his freshman year. He travels all over the NE US and Canada to play. He's also in a private club. He is a really good goalie and scorer.

Your DS will heal... after straining every bit of patience and kindness that you can offer him. He will come out on the other side and do better than he would have imagined.

I don't know much about hockey, but I know wrestling. I got my varsity letter in it in HS as a wrestling manager. I used to go to the meets with my cousin who wound up breaking his opponents nose 80% of the time... not on purpose. His technique in taking his opponent down usually resulted in his opponent hitting the mat face first.

It could also be worse. Your DS could have a broken tib/fib. That would keep him on your sofa for the entire time since he would have no bone support until it was healed. At least he has the option of movement. He needs to find the bright side of this... although at 8, that will be near impossible.

I will raise a glass for you this evening. You'll need many more drinks during this than he will need pain pills.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ugh. I'm so sorry. That's all I got.

 

[barkley]

First of all I understand your disappointment. It sucks when kids get injured especially when it is a freak accident. I just want to make sure that the ortho cleared air travel. I know when my neighbors daughter spiral fractured her leg twirling on the hard wood they could not travel due to the risk of a blood clot. There daughter needed to elevate her leg a certain amount of time everyday as well. Air travel can cause swelling so that would be a concern I would have about this weekend. If the injury was 3 weeks into healing I would not be as concerned but the fact that it is so new I would just clear the air travel with the doctor. Hang in there.

this was my first thought as well. when my oldest was in a cast we had intermittent issues with swelling on and off for a good couple of weeks. given how much my own legs and feet swell when we fly i've taken to wearing slippers b/c my shoes have gotten so tight on flights they've caused injury removing them. i would definitely confer with my kiddo's ortho before embarking on this.

 

[Southernmiss]

First of all I understand your disappointment. It sucks when kids get injured especially when it is a freak accident. I just want to make sure that the ortho cleared air travel. I know when my neighbors daughter spiral fractured her leg twirling on the hard wood they could not travel due to the risk of a blood clot. There daughter needed to elevate her leg a certain amount of time everyday as well. Air travel can cause swelling so that would be a concern I would have about this weekend. If the injury was 3 weeks into healing I would not be as concerned but the fact that it is so new I would just clear the air travel with the doctor. Hang in there.

This was my concern, too.

I had an accident and broke my kneecap 7 weeks ago.

I am still deep in recovery myself (though it's going very well) and had to cancel a trip to a hockey and pro football game early on in my recovery.

I get the desire to go and do normal things, but I really could not do the games at the stage of recovery I was at (1 week in for the hockey game and 4 weeks in for the football game).

Had they been this week, yes, I could go but not without pain and some difficulty in mobility and realizing that my leg, knee, butt and other ligaments and tendons would make me aware that they were there. I would then require ice, motrin and/or tylenol and some time on the couch when I got home.

Even now, coming home from work and physical therapy each night, I am exhausted and need time to put my leg up, ice it and take something for pain. I could not get comfortable on the couch or in a chair in the living room last night and went to my bed at 8 pm to relax my leg and to watch tv until I was ready to go to sleep.

Good luck to your son and you! Injuries this big have an effect on the entire family.

 

[mikehn]

Sorry to hear about your son. My leg hurts just reading this.