This Cup Overflows: December 2013

This is the story of Mac's first broken bone. I'm writing it for our memory and so that Mac can read about what he went through at such a young age.

I took Mac and Paisley to Mother's Day Out about 9:30 on Thursday, December 12, 2013. I went home to grab our Angel Tree gift bag and left Wells with Mimi (Jordan's mom) to drop it off the bag and run other errands. As I drove passed the school, my phone rang. It was MDO. I tried to answer, but my phone wouldn't so it went to voicemail. It was odd to get a call from them so I decided to stop. As I pulled in I listened to the voicemail that Mac had hurt his leg in the classroom, and he was upset. I initially sent a friend in to check on him to prevent adding to his stress, but my gut told me to go in also.

As I walked down the hallway toward the gym I heard Mac crying. I knew this wasn't 'normal'. Mac's teacher handed him to me, and the teachers were brainstorming on what happened. I was told it was probably a twisted ankle and shown how Mac was found on the floor. I left
Paisley there to take Mac to the pediatrician because he was clearly in a lot of pain.

Mac squeezed my neck so hard for fear I would put him down. I carried him to the car and placed him in the car seat. I called the pediatrician to verify they would see us. We were on our way.

I watched him in the car to see if I could figure out the severity of his 'ankle' injury. I noticed his left (injured) foot wasn't propped on the seat like the right foot. He also screamed each time we went over a bump in the road. He sobbed the entire way to the doctor's office.

When I would pick up or carry Mac, I would protect his ankle- shielding it from bumps and any additional harm. When he sat in my lap and I stood, he would scream and squeeze my neck. Looking back I can see why.

The pediatrician did an overview of his leg.. feeling joints, his skin, looking for swelling, etc. By his lack of startled response when she touched his ankle, I assumed he was fine. She left the room for a bit, and Mac couldn't keep his eyes open. Of course now I know his body was in shock.

When she came back, she had me touch on his leg to see how he'd respond. He didn't react until she had me place my hand behind his thigh. From his snoring slumber, Mac sat straight up and screamed. My heart broke. What was wrong?!

We were sent to the imaging center for an x ray. Jordan met me there so I could go pick up Paisley, put her down for a nap and feed Wells. While I was nursing Wells, Jordan called. He was crying hysterically and could hardly utter the words 'Ashley, he has a broken femur. He has to have emergency surgery.' I burst into tears and could not hold my composure. Mimi took the phone from me and listened to the details. Once I caught my breath I called the pediatrician (we were supposed to go back after the x ray to have them read it) to see what we should do.

Dr. Jeanie was on the phone with a colleague in the TC Thompson ER telling him we were on our way. They wanted to call an ambulance, but we were able to keep his leg stable in the car seat so Jordan took Mac to the children's hospital.

I packed a bag for Wells and me because I would be staying overnight with Mac. I couldn't gather my thoughts or wrap my head around what had happened. I couldn't even comprehend what I needed to throw in my bag. The sick feeling in my stomach when I heard the news about his femur still makes me cringe.

Wells and I walked into the ER, and they immediately let us back to see Mac. I found him surrounded by an x ray team to get more pictures of his leg. I felt like the world was spinning around me as I stood still trying to gather my thoughts.

The splint on his arm was holding his IV in place. They were administering pain medications through his IV.

They got pictures, we talked to several doctors and waited to find out when he would have surgery. We were escorted to see his x ray, and I couldn't believe my eyes. He had a spiral fracture down his femur.

We opted for surgery first thing the next morning so that Mac could eat and drink. He hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning. He was hurting, scared, hungry and thirsty- Absolutely miserable to watch.

We were transported to a room where we would spend the next few days. My poor baby couldn't understand, and I wanted to switch places with him every second.

Mac was in so much pain and hardly ate anything. Our friend brought him a smoothie, and he ate part of it. Once admitted and in the room he was on fluids until midnight. His procedure would take place at 7am Friday morning.

As soon as my mom heard the news, she dropped everything at work and came immediately. She lives 2 hours away so Mimi stayed until she could get there. My friend Tedra picked Lilly Scott up from school, and I had Wells with me. We are lucky to have such support that comes to help as soon as we need.

Jordan stayed the night with Mac. I went home but came back at 6am the next morning. Someone took all of us to the pre operation area where we met the orthopedist, anesthesiologist and nursing team. The world was still rapidly spinning around me, and my strength was fading quickly. I never let Mac see me cry, but I lost it when he wasn't around.

They wheeled my baby to the operating room, and he was crying and screaming for 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' until we couldn't hear him any longer.

The 'surgery' was not invasive as we were originally told. They had to put him to sleep, intubate him, set his bone and put on a SPICA cast.

We were called as soon as it was finished, and we met him in recovery.

Once we were taken back to our room, he started vomiting everything he had on his stomach.

The heart break continues.

We stood staring at this massive cast. It was overwhelming to read the pamphlet about how to care for him in the cast, his limitations and knowing he didn't understand any of it.

Mac was given morphine around the clock, and about 20-30 minutes before it was due he would sob and scream from pain. This happened for 24 hours. He couldn't relax enough to sleep more than a few minutes at a time. He had nausea medication in the recovery room, but he still vomited. This is a picture of a 5 minute nap. He was utterly exhausted and in intense pain. God was with me because the strength required to hold it together in front of him was nothing but spiritually given.

Mac is such an affectionate child who loves to be held and cuddled. He kept asking to be held by saying 'hold you' and reaching his arms toward you. The picture below was after he was sick so I put a cold washcloth on his forehead while Jordan held him.

This picture has two amazing people in it.

Mac had congestion from the anesthesia and his throat was raw from the intubation. He was so weak he couldn't cough up the mucus so we had to suction him. Then he vomited afterward. This cycle was all day Friday. :o(

Friday evening we were interviewed by hospital personnel, police and child protective services. In this type of break, it is the law to follow through with the family. Repeating the pieces of the story I had was draining. Then I'd look over at Mac and crumble inside.

We rented a new car seat, started the search for a reclining wheel chair and learned diaper changing and bath routines.

In this horrible event, we had incredible care at TC Thompson. We are blessed to live near this hospital. Mac received the best care we could imagine. We thank everyone on his treatment team.

Saturday afternoon we were on our way home to begin a new journey.