The Leg

The boys have been doing so great playing together as Carson has gotten older. It's so cute to watch Miles create these play worlds and have Carson interact with them. 

One day we were outside and I'm cleaning up the yard while the boys play on the playscape. Both are very confident in their climbing and sliding skills and require little help. So, I'm doing my thing, trying to pick up the toys when I heard Carson crying. I turned around and he's on his hands and knees at the bottom of the ladder. I thought surely he'd fallen off the ladder (a couple ft drop) and he's fine, just upset. I take the boys inside to cool off and got Carson all set with some ice on the couch  

Carson is a pretty tough kid. When he gets hurt, he'll cry for a second (if at all), but then gather himself and keep on going. --- He can definitely milk the whiny cry though --- When it had been awhile and he hadn't calmed down, I started to worry. I scooped him up to see if he'd eat and he wasn't interested. I set him down to see if he's walk, and he didn't. I thought maybe the fall made him sore, so I put him in the tub with some warm water. That seemed to calm him down long enough for Stephen and I to realize we probably needed his leg/knee/foot looked at.

So, away we go to the doctor to get some answers.

We come to find out it's broken. His Femur - the biggest bone - is broken. I was devastated. I honestly didn't think it was broken and was completely taken back. I barely held it together long enough to make it out of the office. They wrapped him up and told us to schedule an appointment with the ortho.

With everything going on, Carson was still his happy little self :)

I am thankful Becky is friends with a pediatric ortho (Lindsay) because I was able to pick her brain about what to expect / what to do, which made things SO much easier. She spelled it out pretty much exactly as it happened. 

- It's a non-displaced fracture and they'll need to cast it 

- The cast will be a funky one going around his waist and down his leg. It's the only way to stabilize the hip in order to heal correctly.

- They'll put him under anesthesia to apply the cast. "If they tell you they have to cut your baby open, call me immediately!" (ha!)

And sure enough, that was it. Long day at the hospital, but Carson did great. 

Next day:  "Mama - stuck!!" pointing at his leg. I mean... he's not wrong.. lol

The doc said after a week or so he'll start cruising and soon enough, he'll be running - with the cast. Seemed so crazy, but sure enough, a couple days later...

It was like we were back in the infant world doing tummy time, setting down blankets for him to roll around on, encouraging him to crawl, cruise and eventually...

Yall... it was a LONG 4 weeks. I didn't take many pictures during this time. I was counting down the days until he was able to be whole again. It was definitely heart wrenching to see him in this state, but kids are so resilient. Once he figured out how to move around, he was back to doing his own thing which made things a little easier.

The day had finally come... Carson gets his boo boo off!! We got his final X-rays and the doc cleared us to remove the cast. YESSS. She said he'd be wobbly and would take a couple days to get back on his feet. He might walk a little weird or have a limp for about a month or so, but he'll eventually be back to his old self.

No cast Day 1:

No cast Day 2:

I texted Lindsay and I'm like, is this okay?!?! "Yes, he wouldn't do it if it hurt. Follow his cues and you'll be great. Just don't let him on a trampoline..."

Done. Cast done. Sayonara. 

Ps. 3 Days later we were at Direct Orthopedic Care thinking Miles broke his arm. UGHH - Can't catch a break! ....He didn't. Thank goodness. But COMMON boys... lets keep the bones intact....