Monday, October 14, 2013

You can't say we are boring

Well all I can say is it has been an interesting and not in a good way week.  I have been in plans for some weeks now to throw the littlest boy a giant, screw you Pinterest, hallelujah you made it to six, we're so glad you're alive party.  It involved a banquet room all done up in a forest theme, turkey buffet,  First Nation dancers and drummers, candy bar etc etc.  Ninety people confirmed they were attending. The cake was special ordered and to be delivered to the event location.  The photographer was booked and at the ready.  Everyone had new party clothes even if it was down to the wire exchanging and returning the purchases that were not of the correct size and finding just the right socks for the littlest boy.  You might not know that it is hard to find black socks for baby sized feet.

Then there was the tuxedo.  Ohhhh the tuxedo!  It took me a while to decide what to dress the boy in for the big day and then I decided white tux.  Then I discovered white jacket, black bow tie, black pants etc.  This is where the trouble came.  There are a few stores in the city that carry boy's formal wear however there is only one supplier in essence making only one way to get what I had hoped for.  Unfortunately they had neither of what I wanted but in the end I settled on the black tuxedo in which he looks very dapper.

So there we were all ready to paaaarty....

Then it happened.

Two o'clock in the morning I hear loud banging on the wall.  I stumble to the source and find my biggest boy, the reason we are who we are, on the floor holding his leg.  I pretty much knew what happened.  He had had a seizure and fallen on his leg.  There was obvious deformity.  I knew what to do but how to do it was another story.  I needed someone to come to the house and watch the other kids and have an ambulance come and get us.  Lucky enough for me our friend and sitter responds to texts in the middle of the night!  She said she would be on her way.

Calling for an ambulance believe it or not is mostly foreign to me.  The only other time I have called for one was when the man did the same thing but broke his foot.  I knew what to ask for this time though.  I said we didn't need lights and siren but basically needed transport.  I also suggested they send an engine with as with the man unable to weight bear and his room at an awkward angle to put a stretcher in there would be lifting as well and too much for two paramedics to do.

Our friend arrived, I called the ambulance and they soon arrived.  Two lovely young relatively buff men.  They were so good.  Once the degree of cognitive disability was described and done so as simply and relatable as possible ie functions as a two year old then we were golden.  The paramedics agreed they needed more man power to lift and get on the stretcher and soon the cavalry was on scene.  Everything went smoothly and I think because Jordan knew they were the ones that were going to help him (and came with the good drugs!) he was calm as a cucumber.

The end result of our little adventure was that Jordan suffered a spiral fracture to his tibia and fibula and required surgery.  It was done Saturday evening and minus a little bit of conflict over his oxygen saturations, his terror and refusal to wear nasal prongs and a battle ax nurse I darn near took out surgery and recovery room were almost uneventful.  Jordan's pain management was great and I had prepped the medical team even before surgery that this was going to be an in and out deal.  Normally with this type of procedure (insertion of tibial nail and screws along with plate and screws in the fibula) the criteria for discharge is pain under control and ambulation.  Since Jordan would not be able to learn to use crutches let alone use a walker all he would need to learn is how to transfer from bed to chair.  First day after surgery Jordan was responding well to oral pain meds so as soon as the resident got in I told him what his orders would be and that would be immediate discharge.  He bought into my plan and off we went. I am fortunate in that my bus is wheelchair accessible as is our house.  Had this not been the case the situation would have played out horribly differently.

I had always dreaded having to deal with a hospital stay with one of my adult kids.  Having now experienced it things I thought would be a concern were but also for the short time we were there there was more good than bad.  It is surprising to me in both pediatrics and adult health care that the providers have so little experience with people with disabilities, cognitive or otherwise.  It requires a lot of advocating and educating by the family and it would be horrible for those whose family cannot stay with them.  Safety would most definitely be an issue

Recovery is to be six to eight weeks of zero weight bearing.  Lord Almighty!  Have I mentioned the man is B.I.G.?  We have been home a full week now and are still fine tuning how the next two months are going to go.  Toileting is the biggest issue.  I can't overemphasize that!

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving.  You can believe that I am more than grateful for so many things but most especially this year is that things could have turned out so much worse for Jordan and even though his injury is severe he is recovering and at home.

Colour me THANKFUL
Emerg. MMMM morphine
ouch!
well that's good news!
Room with a view
HOME!!

A man can never have too many birds
Either I get the square at the bottom of the bed or the couch!

I got your back Man!

Showered and shaved.  We both need a medal!


LOVE
Blood clot preventer.  Shooting hoops

More LOVE


Sharing

One week post op, very early in healing.  Can you guess which leg is broken?
(pardon my crappy iphone photography)




2 comments:

mainiac said...

Poor Jordan!! :( So glad that surgery went well and he is home but I'm dying to know; did you have to cancel the little guys party? :(

holland was my destination said...

The party was postponed and has been rescheduled for the 26th.
You can't let a miniature tuxedo go to waste!