Home!

Story ID:	2610
Written by:	Kristine L.
Story type:	Diary/Journal Entry
Location:	-- --
Year:	2007
Person:	Nathan

"Home."

No word ever sounded so good to a kid who's spent six days in a hospital bed. Or to his parents.

Nathan was asking when he could go home by Sunday, July 29: "I hate this place!" No kidding. But there are about 98 zillion "hoops" a patient has to "jump through" before hearing the sweetest of all hospital verbiage: "Discharged!" Probably the toughest "hoop" for Nathan was getting past Jeff, the Physical Therapist. They won't discharge anyone without the P.T.'s say-so, and Nathan had to show Jeff he could get around well enough to head home.

Son Nathan, 14, underwent four hours of surgery last Thursday to put a plate and nine screws in his broken femur (broken in 3 places) following a July 25 mishap with a rope swing at camp. The "adventure" included an ambulance as well as a helicopter ride to the nearest Trauma Center. About 2.5 hours by car; 15 minutes by chopper. After a 6-day stay in the hospital, we were all rarin' to go home!

Monday morning's initial P.T. session with Jeff took about half an hour. It went more or less like this: sit up under own steam with minimal help. Rest. Scooch to edge of bed under own steam. Rest. Maneuver to bedside chair. Rest. Get crutches. Stand up. Rest. Hobble to doorway with Jeff - about six feet. Rest. Ten steps down hallway with Jeff. Rest. Ten steps back. Rest. Repeat getting-out-of-bed process in reverse. Nathan was exhausted from the effort. Much as Nathan wanted to bail, Jeff wasn't convinced he was ready. Nor were we. So Jeff said he'd be back in the afternoon for another try. He was. Nathan improved 100% and Jeff said: "You can go home now."

We didn't let any grass grow under our feet. We probably set a new land-speed record exiting the hospital on Monday evening. Got home late Monday night. (Incidentally, on Sunday night they brought in another kid with a broken leg from... a rope swing. I am NOT making this up! Maybe those swings should come with warning labels - "kids, don't try this at home - or anywhere." Or maybe concertina wire?)

Anyway, the Pharmacy on One Leg came home with six different meds which require a road map to follow. Also a paper blizzard cleverly camouflaged as Discharge Instructions, Follow-Up Instructions, Med Instructions, insurance junk and the one document we laughed our heads off at: "Eating to Heal: How to Add Calories and Protein to Your Diet." Nathan's usual appetite is returning. He's consuming enough calories to fuel a Third World Country. All in all, he's doing remarkably well. The pain meds are effective and he's comfortable. We made it from the couch to the end of the living room via crutches today. I saw the surgical incision for the first time when we washed and re-dressed the wound per doctor's orders. Man. Kid. Whatever. That'll be a 5-star scar some day. (There are some things Moms are better off not knowing.)

The Physical Therapist gave Nathan exercises to do at home: "Femoral Intramedullary Nailing Exercises." Does that sound like a new jazzercise/Home Improvement hybrid? Nathan's to work his ankle, quads, leg and hips/knee flexion according to the diagrams and detailed instructions. We get to help. "Oh, joy." (I must've missed this course in Mom School.) The Ortho also wrote an order for follow-up physical therapy. We're not sure yet how we'll get there, what that involves or for how long, but one thing at a time. The Suits (M.D.s) were talking months, not weeks, until full recovery. At present Nathan is not allowed to bear full weight on his broken leg for at least 6 weeks. He can only bear "toe touch" weight for balance while standing and walking with his crutches. Don't look for him in the Boston Marathon any time soon.

Next on the immediate calendar besides physical therapy: an f/u appointment at the Orthopedic clinic in Seattle on August 14. At least one more surgery in about 8 weeks. This will be to remove the two lower screws near Nathan's growth plate. The Suits say Godzilla "has more growing to do"--??!! (Chris maintains that if Nathan ever grows into his size 13 feet, he'll be a 100 foot Redwood!)

We're exhausted -- but hangin' in. We're still trying to figure out what day it is. Note to self: Don't ever try to subsist on intermittent dozing and occasional cat naps for nearly a week. It doesn't work and you make a lousy cat.

We have a keen sense of the near Presence of the Great Healer who sustains us with His strong right hand. Special thanks to our church and camp families for their prayers and creative kindnesses.

Kept,
Kristine
(For Chris and the "R.G. - Resident Gimp")