My son Ian....
Ian....
Ian...
Ian...
Yeah...this kid...where do I even start with this kid! First he has an appendectomy the first week of Kindergarten and just about a month after Middle school starts he ends up having a 5" screw put in his right hip because of a slipped growth plate!
I call this the Meyer's gene...well I didn't come up with it and I'm no relation to the Meyer's...I just keep insinuating myself into this family...those poor people!
It all started the last week or weekend of August when Ian started gimping around...slightly at times or quite noticeably. Now Ian is a little bit of a drama queen so I didn't think much about it and decided to wait and see. Then after our camping trip to Ilwaco in August and BEFORE our hiking trip to Lake 22 I took Ian to the Chiropractor to get adjusted!
So he gets adjusted and he's 1/2 an inch out...kind of big deal but not too bad. The Chiro says it's fine if we still go on our 5 mile hike that weekend. So off we go to see our friends and to hike for an adventure. We do our hike and Ian is limping pretty good but it's hard to tell from what and I know before we got to the top I had to talk him down from hysteria. HE. WAS. DONE. Near to tears that boy was. I didn't think at the time it was from his hip but now I wonder how much of that was. I'd like to not beat myself up about all those moments and times from August-October when we did stuff. Good luck with that!
Ian is still gimping/limping and swinging his hip around and generally in pain so off to a Dr's appointment we go. This is where we hear the wonderful term: Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis. Say that a few times, it will start rolling off your tongue...bahahaha!
I had to look it up and really set myself up in a tizzy. I'm sure a few of you got some phone calls and tears! A slipped growth plate is pretty serious business. Now it's not life or death but if his growth plate had slipped all the way off it would have cut the blood vessels off and then we'd be looking at a different situation...like Ian with no leg kind of situation. Life altering for Ian and us!!!
X-rays were requested and we went in the next day to get them done. Waited around for results and our Dr. wasn't sure so he sent them to someone and that person said it wasn't, but they both felt that we for sure still needed to make an appointment with a specialist. So I get the info...wait a day (they said they would set everything up...that never happened ) and called them myself and get everything going. The pissy part is we have to wait almost a month! A MONTH!! Apparently it's their busy season? Kid you not that's what the scheduler said..."sorry we can't get you in sooner but it IS our busy month". Can I tell you just how disturbing that is??
So we waited...and waited...and waited. He continues to be in pain...he stays off of it as much as he can...he has a note for P.E....we just keep doing. Finally our day has come!!! Now, I have to say my gut has always thought we had the slipping growth plate...but there was a small chance it was something else...I really wanted something else. What I have no idea but nothing as big as this. Why our family does surgeries I don't know...it's kind of old really. We see the specialist and she looks at the xrays we brought with us and they take a few of their own. Now the time comes...what is wrong with Ian's hip. Well he had what we were thinking it might be...UGH!!!! Are you kidding me!?!
Now we had not let Ian know what it might be because it didn't make sense to get him all anxious for a month...so I said nothing...not even how they fix this. I let the DR do that. Man that was really, really tough. He started crying as soon as she said surgery and it took everything in me to not cry right along with him! Barely managed that, it's really tough being a mom I just want everyone to know! We got tough real quick and let him know this was the way to go and that let's be thankful it's not both hips because that would be a whole other set of issues! Really! The pay off was going to be much better than where he was at now...in pain, inactive...and in pain. We can do better for him, so we must...better quality of life!
The Dr let's us know this surgery needs to happen as soon as possible...she was free the next day...as long as the OR was of course. We said let's go for it, let's get this done and Ian on his way to healing and get him up and moving and enjoying things again. We get things scheduled and as soon as we leave the hospital I'm texting (well I had been texting through the whole appointment to a few key people) and calling people to tie up loose ends. Meaning the other little boys and school and work. We also take Ian out to lunch...kind of like a last meal of sorts since he was having some pretty major surgery in this momma's eyes! His daddy really spoiled him and let him get a milkshake people!!! BIG DANG DEAL!
Jump forward to day of surgery and all that prep work...our Pastor came to the hospital to see Ian and to pray with us (that was amazing...I've never had anyone do that with or for us...he even cancelled a few appointments to be there he felt it was that important...wow!). Then before you know it they are giving Ian all kinds of drugs to get him ready...the funny juice as our Pastor kept calling it. This is big...they are going to cut into his upper thigh and drill up into his hip bone/joint and put a 5" screw so that nothing moves. All I can think of is they are drilling!!! FYI...said Dr. let me know that this isn't any normal drill...you can't just go to your local Lowes and buy one...YA THINK!?! Honestly I think I have stupid on my forehead 99% of the time. I am at this point concerned about his pain...bone pain really they are drilling...the thought makes my teeth hurt! So I'm amped for pain...I'm ready for intense nights with Ian with pain.
Off he goes to surgery and it takes awhile but not anymore than what they though, 90 minutes and then it took forever to get back to him. He was in recovery about an hour and then we got there. We with him for about another hour and a half. That was mostly to get Ian awake and his pain but also someone to take us to a room. He was pretty drugged so not in pain when he woke up...thank the Lord for that little bit!
FINALLY they get us a room and he eats a little bit more...poor kid is starving. Through all this he's had some more pain pills because we want to keep it under control and we have about an hour drive home...I do not want the pain to hit 20 minutes into our drive home!!! Give my child drugs please! We get him settled and give him the remote and we now wait for the physical therapist...we must see them before they will let us leave. A crash course for Ian and his parents about crutches...damn crutches! When she finally was able to show up, Ian was pretty much lit from one end to the other on Vicoden and extremely tired. His good humor for the day was G-O-N-E! He put up with it pretty well but we were pushing it. He had a few things he had to pass and he barely did that. He got it done though and they let us go...thank you Lord! He slept on the way home and tried to go fast when he got home and he still didn't have a good feel for being on crutches. They will be the death of me...really they will.
I worried about his pain because he wasn't acting as I had prepped myself for. Turns out for the month and a half we were waiting for the specialist appointment and us trying to figure out what was wrong. His pain level on the scale was between a 7-8...WOWZA! After surgery and well after all meds and local had worn off he was only a 1 on the pain scale...A ONE! Are you kidding me!?!
He is doing good and moving along...but below is the x-ray they took on Monday (our post-op appointment) from after his surgery. Check out that screw in his hip...JEEPERS!! He has fallen once already at school and scared the shit out of a lot of people. Taken by ambulance to the hospital and x-rayed there and then sent home. (not to discount the fact that he again fell tonight, Halloween night going up a ramp that had water and slime on it...I about cried)...the weather is going to be a hindrance. By the way, he has to be on crutches, putting no weight on his leg/hip for 6 weeks!!! We have at least 4 more weeks to go and then he will have more Physical Therapy...I hope by spring he will be his self!
So there is one big thing that has happened and we continue to deal with in many ways at our house. Really looking forward to seeing Ian getting back to doing things that 11 year olds boys should be doing....anyone know what that is???
Ian....
Ian...
Ian...
Yeah...this kid...where do I even start with this kid! First he has an appendectomy the first week of Kindergarten and just about a month after Middle school starts he ends up having a 5" screw put in his right hip because of a slipped growth plate!
I call this the Meyer's gene...well I didn't come up with it and I'm no relation to the Meyer's...I just keep insinuating myself into this family...those poor people!
It all started the last week or weekend of August when Ian started gimping around...slightly at times or quite noticeably. Now Ian is a little bit of a drama queen so I didn't think much about it and decided to wait and see. Then after our camping trip to Ilwaco in August and BEFORE our hiking trip to Lake 22 I took Ian to the Chiropractor to get adjusted!
So he gets adjusted and he's 1/2 an inch out...kind of big deal but not too bad. The Chiro says it's fine if we still go on our 5 mile hike that weekend. So off we go to see our friends and to hike for an adventure. We do our hike and Ian is limping pretty good but it's hard to tell from what and I know before we got to the top I had to talk him down from hysteria. HE. WAS. DONE. Near to tears that boy was. I didn't think at the time it was from his hip but now I wonder how much of that was. I'd like to not beat myself up about all those moments and times from August-October when we did stuff. Good luck with that!
Ian is still gimping/limping and swinging his hip around and generally in pain so off to a Dr's appointment we go. This is where we hear the wonderful term: Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis. Say that a few times, it will start rolling off your tongue...bahahaha!
I had to look it up and really set myself up in a tizzy. I'm sure a few of you got some phone calls and tears! A slipped growth plate is pretty serious business. Now it's not life or death but if his growth plate had slipped all the way off it would have cut the blood vessels off and then we'd be looking at a different situation...like Ian with no leg kind of situation. Life altering for Ian and us!!!
X-rays were requested and we went in the next day to get them done. Waited around for results and our Dr. wasn't sure so he sent them to someone and that person said it wasn't, but they both felt that we for sure still needed to make an appointment with a specialist. So I get the info...wait a day (they said they would set everything up...that never happened ) and called them myself and get everything going. The pissy part is we have to wait almost a month! A MONTH!! Apparently it's their busy season? Kid you not that's what the scheduler said..."sorry we can't get you in sooner but it IS our busy month". Can I tell you just how disturbing that is??
So we waited...and waited...and waited. He continues to be in pain...he stays off of it as much as he can...he has a note for P.E....we just keep doing. Finally our day has come!!! Now, I have to say my gut has always thought we had the slipping growth plate...but there was a small chance it was something else...I really wanted something else. What I have no idea but nothing as big as this. Why our family does surgeries I don't know...it's kind of old really. We see the specialist and she looks at the xrays we brought with us and they take a few of their own. Now the time comes...what is wrong with Ian's hip. Well he had what we were thinking it might be...UGH!!!! Are you kidding me!?!
Now we had not let Ian know what it might be because it didn't make sense to get him all anxious for a month...so I said nothing...not even how they fix this. I let the DR do that. Man that was really, really tough. He started crying as soon as she said surgery and it took everything in me to not cry right along with him! Barely managed that, it's really tough being a mom I just want everyone to know! We got tough real quick and let him know this was the way to go and that let's be thankful it's not both hips because that would be a whole other set of issues! Really! The pay off was going to be much better than where he was at now...in pain, inactive...and in pain. We can do better for him, so we must...better quality of life!
The Dr let's us know this surgery needs to happen as soon as possible...she was free the next day...as long as the OR was of course. We said let's go for it, let's get this done and Ian on his way to healing and get him up and moving and enjoying things again. We get things scheduled and as soon as we leave the hospital I'm texting (well I had been texting through the whole appointment to a few key people) and calling people to tie up loose ends. Meaning the other little boys and school and work. We also take Ian out to lunch...kind of like a last meal of sorts since he was having some pretty major surgery in this momma's eyes! His daddy really spoiled him and let him get a milkshake people!!! BIG DANG DEAL!
Jump forward to day of surgery and all that prep work...our Pastor came to the hospital to see Ian and to pray with us (that was amazing...I've never had anyone do that with or for us...he even cancelled a few appointments to be there he felt it was that important...wow!). Then before you know it they are giving Ian all kinds of drugs to get him ready...the funny juice as our Pastor kept calling it. This is big...they are going to cut into his upper thigh and drill up into his hip bone/joint and put a 5" screw so that nothing moves. All I can think of is they are drilling!!! FYI...said Dr. let me know that this isn't any normal drill...you can't just go to your local Lowes and buy one...YA THINK!?! Honestly I think I have stupid on my forehead 99% of the time. I am at this point concerned about his pain...bone pain really they are drilling...the thought makes my teeth hurt! So I'm amped for pain...I'm ready for intense nights with Ian with pain.
Off he goes to surgery and it takes awhile but not anymore than what they though, 90 minutes and then it took forever to get back to him. He was in recovery about an hour and then we got there. We with him for about another hour and a half. That was mostly to get Ian awake and his pain but also someone to take us to a room. He was pretty drugged so not in pain when he woke up...thank the Lord for that little bit!
FINALLY they get us a room and he eats a little bit more...poor kid is starving. Through all this he's had some more pain pills because we want to keep it under control and we have about an hour drive home...I do not want the pain to hit 20 minutes into our drive home!!! Give my child drugs please! We get him settled and give him the remote and we now wait for the physical therapist...we must see them before they will let us leave. A crash course for Ian and his parents about crutches...damn crutches! When she finally was able to show up, Ian was pretty much lit from one end to the other on Vicoden and extremely tired. His good humor for the day was G-O-N-E! He put up with it pretty well but we were pushing it. He had a few things he had to pass and he barely did that. He got it done though and they let us go...thank you Lord! He slept on the way home and tried to go fast when he got home and he still didn't have a good feel for being on crutches. They will be the death of me...really they will.
I worried about his pain because he wasn't acting as I had prepped myself for. Turns out for the month and a half we were waiting for the specialist appointment and us trying to figure out what was wrong. His pain level on the scale was between a 7-8...WOWZA! After surgery and well after all meds and local had worn off he was only a 1 on the pain scale...A ONE! Are you kidding me!?!
He is doing good and moving along...but below is the x-ray they took on Monday (our post-op appointment) from after his surgery. Check out that screw in his hip...JEEPERS!! He has fallen once already at school and scared the shit out of a lot of people. Taken by ambulance to the hospital and x-rayed there and then sent home. (not to discount the fact that he again fell tonight, Halloween night going up a ramp that had water and slime on it...I about cried)...the weather is going to be a hindrance. By the way, he has to be on crutches, putting no weight on his leg/hip for 6 weeks!!! We have at least 4 more weeks to go and then he will have more Physical Therapy...I hope by spring he will be his self!
So there is one big thing that has happened and we continue to deal with in many ways at our house. Really looking forward to seeing Ian getting back to doing things that 11 year olds boys should be doing....anyone know what that is???
I hate that Ian has had to go through this. You SO are a Myers. That is a totally gnarly screw! GROSS
ReplyDeleteOOH my goodness Anita! I knew some of this but their BUSY SEASON???????????????I'm surprised you didn't go thru the phone. I am grateful for you that it is fixable and that he has very little pain and pray that he won't fall again. ALSO your pastor needs to go back to school! seriously this is the first time one has come to pray with you at the hospital? we have to chase them away!( but this is the "Bible Belt" :) ) And before you start blaming my "gene" you must learn the spelling MYERS! Give him a hug from Auntie if he will let you!
ReplyDeleteLOL Oh Auntie!!! I knew I spelled it wrong, but my eyes were crossing just trying to finish this! It took me 3 days of late night typing...LOL BAD hands! And you are right about the Bible Belt! LOL!
DeleteAnd I will hug him in the morning and tell him it's from you in TN ;)