What's the worst that could happen?

Trying to regain my center and find some balance has not been easy around here. After my last post, I did finish my last assignment and went off to school feeling really great. I turned in everything that afternoon, some assignments a day early and some a whole week early! (you learn a few things in your "older" age). Andy and I had a rough weekend, getting on each others nerves and fighting over stupid stuff... I think it was just everything from the last 6 weeks coming to a head. We were both trying to figure out how to re-shift all of the jobs and responsibilities. We had a good talk and settled a lot of things and the rest of the weekend was good. We rested and went to a pool party (torture for Gavin in his splint) and headed to his parent's house for our Sunday dinner visit. I got to cook, which I haven't done in 6 weeks! I even made a pineapple upside down cake for dessert.. yum!

The week started out smoothly enough. I had big plans for my week off.. mani/pedi, dr. appt that I have put off for 8 months (you know the one), scrapbooking, reading by the pool, my list goes on... Gavin begged to go back t Broadoaks for the week and we happily obliged thinking that we might even get some grown up time together while both kids were at day camp! We had a date planned for Wednesday... out to breakfast and a 10 a.m. movie...

Boy.. did I have it all wrong!

Tuesday, Gavin could not go to camp because he had his follow up appointment and xrays. We waited a while and when they did the xray, my stomach dropped into my toes. I am no Dr., but what I saw was horrible. I turned to Andy and mouthed, "He is going to need surgery." Of course, we both thought that I was exaggerating (I do that, ya know) The entire tip of his ulna was shirred off on one side and it was slightly displaced. It really did look bad.

The xray is backwards but you can see, even in this grainy copy how bad the break is!

We saw the Physician's Assistant who told us that this was an uncommon break and that it would more than likely need surgery. Then my heart did a flip because I had HOPED that I WAS just exaggerating... but.... The Pediatric Orthopedic surgeons were not available to see us, one was in surgery and the other was on vacation, so they would re-splint his arm, the Dr's would look at his films, conference and then get back to us later in the day. We left, feeling hopeful that maybe there would be no surgery. We went out to lunch and took Gavin to see Wal-e (is that how they spell it?).

Gavin had soccer practice that day too, and he did drills and had a great time, acting like there was nothing wrong with his REALLY broken arm. The Dr. called during practice and told me that Gavin would need surgery and that it needed to be soon. She asked if we could be at the hospital at 6 a.m. the next day (there went our date). I said of course, started shaking and wrote down everything she said. We went home, made arrangements for Ella and packed up a bag. That night I cuddled Gavin and stayed with him in his bed until he fell asleep.

I woke up at 4:30 the next morning and we left the house by 5 a.m. We dropped off Ella at Jack and Sharon's house (they would take her to and pick her up from school) and headed to Kaiser in Bellflower. Gavin was strangely calm. We got admitted and waited in a little room for an hour and then the action began... a stream of docs, nurses, etc came in and talked to us and that is when Gavin lost it. He asked me to take him to the bathroom and once I closed the door, he started to cry and begged me to just take him home. I calmed him down and we went back in to listen to the Dr. tell us about the procedure. They gave Gavin some drugs to calm him down (thank goodness) and then off he went. Andy and I had our breakfast date on the hospital patio and I caught up on the magazine reading that I had fallen behind on during school.
The calm, before the storm...note his cozy and GIGANTIC Broncos sweatshirt.

About an hour and 45 minutes later, the Dr. came out and told us that all had went smoothly and that she had put in two screws to hold the bone in place. He could come back in a week and she would check the incision and either re-splint or cast him. He would only have to wear the cast for 2 weeks. We asked about options and she decided to have him in earlier, on Monday and that she would put on a WATER PROOF cast! Hooray! I went in to the recovery area and he was so confused and disoriented.. this was the worst. He was crying and asking if I could get him out of there.... finally he settled down and went to sleep. After an hour, we got to go back to our room and Andy could come in.




Screwed back together, resting quietly with Teddy and a
photo op with mom. My sticker says, "Hug Me! I was brave!"

Gavin was fine... he was hungry and wanted to play his Gameboy. We waited a couple of hours, ate a sandwich, watched Gavin sleep and were able to leave the hospital at 3:00 p.m. On the way out, Gavin spotted Del Taco and asked if he could have a burrito. He ate the whole thing!

We got home and it all hit me like a ton of bricks. School, the surgery... all of it... I took a nap and ate dinner and went to bed. Luckily Gavin slept well all night (thank you codeine). The next day he was up and running around like nothing had happened. It was quite an ordeal, but everything has worked out. Gavin is excited to get his cast on Monday and hopes that it comes in "coral", but "teal" would be o.k. with him too.

I didn't get to do most of the things on my list, but I did read, I did have time with Andy and I did get that mani/pedi! I also got to have dinner with friends and go to Dream Dinners to make my meals for August and September. We are now officially on vacation.. it's a "stay-cation" and we are looking forward to some down time, some together time and a fun time. I'll keep you "posted".