Saturday, April 17, 2010

Hot Pink Body Cast

On Thursday the 15th Cowpokette and I went out to the barn to clean stalls, fill water buckets, and let out Ozzie. It was what we do every morning, but that morning ended up a bit different. Cowpokette climbed up on some cattle panels that were leaning up on a fence. When she got to the top of the panel, it fell backwards, and she landed on her back with her left leg back behind her.

When that happened, she screamed. It was a panic scream. I was across a turn out pen filling up a water bucket. I ran across the field and climbed through the barb wire fence. I was telling her, "Momma's coming! Stay calm, it's okay, momma's coming!!"

I lifted up the fence and saw her left foot bent behind her, it wasn't how a foot was supposed to be. I put her leg back how a leg was supposed to be and it felt like jelly. Cowpokette looked at me and said, "I want to go home and get an ice pack."

We went home and I propped her up on some pillows and gave her an ice pack. She wasn't crying but kept telling me that her bo bo hurts. Just then my sister in law knocked on the door. Which was wonderful because I was worried about what I should do. I answered the door and said, "I think Cowpokette broke her leg!"

We looked over her and I called the doctor. Which was annoying. Nobody could get her in until 2 pm and it was 11 am. I was debating to take her to the ER, but I now how much that costs and I knew the doctor's office was opened so I wanted to get her into there first. I ended up making her an appointment for 1:45 pm. I left the house at noon and just showed up and said, "She broke her leg, can he see her now!"

They saw how much pain she was in and they got her in right away. The lady who took her x-ray was the best ever! After she saw just how broken her femur bone was, she insisted we don't move Cowpokette. She showed me the x-ray and her bone was snapped in two. Just like a stick. I felt so bad. That same x-ray tech drove us to the hospital. She stayed with us in the ER to make sure the ER knew how severe the brake was. She was wonderful.

It was wonderful having her in there with me and Cowpokette. She parked my van and then gave me her personal phone number in case I needed anything. At this point I was a crying mess, Cowpokette? Nope, not a tear, she was smiling!

The nurses came in and prepped her for surgery. Cowpokette got an IV. She just watched. Here she is smiling for the camera and showing us her bracelets. She thought tat was so cool that she got TWO of them! We then went from the ER to the Recovery room where they prepped Cowpokette and Me for surgery. I didn't go in, but they told me everything that was going to be done. By then Mr. Cowboy had gotten there. He had to drive over an hour to get to us.

Cowpokette had to have a tube put in and then a full body cast. I asked the Dr. if she could have a pink cast! He said sure! And here is my Princess in her room for the night. She was all smiles and such a wonderful kid. I am kinda sad because she was fully potty trained and now we are back to diapers, so hopefully this won't set her back too much. Cowpokette wouldn't let anyone sign her cast. She wanted her best friend Ryanne to sign it first.

The next morning the Dr. came in at 7:45 and woke her up to check her out. He said we could go home. We loaded her up in a wagon and took her down to the van. I laid her in the middle row of seats. She told me, "Momma, drive soft soft and slow slow!" She is such a sweet girl. Still smiling. We got home and I gave her some pain medicine. The stuff tastes horrible, but she drinks it up because she knows it makes her feel better. The first day she spent on the couch. Today we have her in a big wagon. She actually is bugging me right now to take her for a walk in the wagon. I am glad she is so wonderful about it all. This morning I had to put her on her belly and really wipe her bottom well. I then took alcohol and wiped her cast and her bottom down. Then I had to take a blow dryer to her to dry out her cast. She liked being on her belly. And she enjoyed getting aired out. I am so nervous about her getting sores.

So, if anyone has any advice about how to take care of a full body cast let me know! I am hoping that next week, when she isn't so sore, that I will be able to hold her over a bed pan. That will help her stay dry. I have Googled it and read a lot about using hair dryers on cool, and using alcohol to keep the skin dry and tough.

Cowpokette will wear this for 4-6 weeks. We go once a week to have an x-ray done to check the heeling. I pray that the 4-6 weeks go by quickly.

30 comments:

Dusty Devoe said...

Oh NO! Poor baby. Sounds like she is being an angel. Sometimes I think the parents are the bigger babies when they get hurt. Give her hugs from me!

Pony Girl said...

Oh dear! What an ordeal. She looked and sounded like such a trooper through the whole thing. Interesting she has to wear a body cast! Can she stand up at all? Is it to really help immobilize the bones? What is the healing rate for this kind of injury? I would think kid's bones are pretty much able to almost heal as though they were never broken!
Good luck with the cast issues! At least you have a cooperative patient! ;)

Trailboss said...

The poor thing. Such a major bone to break. She sure is taking it all well. Kids can be so amazing. I hope she mends up fast. Summer will be here before we know it and she will get a tad bit hot.

TjandMark/AKA PearlandHawkeye said...

Poor you and cowpokette. Oh my goodness though, she is such a super trooper! I broke my measly ankle once and ended up writhing in pain and sucking my thumb like a baby. BTW- I was 30. LOL. Hang in there.

Grey Horse Matters said...

Oh no the poor baby girl. She looks like a real trooper though. I know some adults who would be whining their heads off. I hope she heals quickly, she's got such a good attitude for someone so small I'm sure she will. Good luck to you all and give her hugs and kisses from me.

Amanda said...

Sorry your baby got hurt and I do not know much about body casts but I was in an accident and broke both elbows and crushed my knee. As long as you do not move, it really is pretty painless. My biggest pain was my butt from laying on it and I was so thankful to be turned onto my belly for some relief. I ended up in a wheelchair for 6 months.

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Oh no, that's so terrible! I'm glad she's such a trooper- kids are incredible, aren't they? Here's hoping the pain goes away and she heals up quickly.

Mrs. Mom said...

What a tough little cowgirl you have Andrea! I'm so sorry she got hurt so badly, but I am very glad that she is such a strong healthy and rugged little lady.

Prayers for you all from our little corner of the world. Keep us posted when you can, and give her squeezes and snuggles from all of us!

Paint Girl said...

Oh I am so sorry little cowpokette got hurt! That is so terrible!! What an ordeal! She is a tough lil' girl to be able to handle all that pain. I was a wimp after knee surgery!
Sending good thoughts and prayers her way for a speedy recovery!!!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Oh wow! Poor angel girl! I'm so sorry, but also amazed that she's been so tough and brave through it all. I still get weepy and grouchy from the discomfort caused by my knee, and don't even talk about how I felt after my surgery. I was a mess!
I hope she heals quickly and the time goes by even quicker for you, too.
I'm wondering why they do a cast on the other leg, too. I think I would go nuts if my leg was frozen in that spread eagle position for weeks and weeks. gah!

~Lisa

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

I'm sorry that happened. It's gotta be hard for an energetic little girl to lay still for all those weeks, and having cared for my mother when she had a broken leg, I know it can suck up all of your time. I look back on those weeks when I cared for my injured mother and wonder how I found the patience and strength to deal with helping her get her basic needs met. It's tough.

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh!! Poor thing!!

I bet shes gonna be driving you bonkers before that 4-6 weeks is up.

Alone in Holy Land said...

I don' even know how I got to your blog, but here i am...
I am so sorry your sweet girl broke her leg but I was also amazed of how brave she is. You must be a very proud mother!
As a mother myself I know how hard it is to see your children hurt and your are amazingly brave, too (well, you know the saying with the wood and the chip, so).
Your post actually made me cry, as I remember our days in the hospital with our daughter Maya.
You are in my prayers!
Love,
Ramona

Be A Saint said...

Oh, ANDREA, how awful. I can't believe that she is so tough. My kids would have been crazy. I don't know anything about body casts, except Zack spent tons of time as a kids in one. He was much older, though. Be happy she is so small and you can still clean her up with out much embarrassment. Even Lily would be furious at 7. What can I do to help?

Karen said...

Oh my goodness! Poor little girl, and poor mama! She's such a trooper - I can't believe she wasn't screaming in pain. Gosh, what a brave little cowgirl. I hope she recovers quickly.

Sheila said...

Oh my goodness!! How terrible! Sounds like she is DOING great through it all, though! Poor baby! :(
Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Danielle Michelle said...

OMG girl! I wondered if anything happened when you hadn't blogged in so long! What a little trooper you have there! Tell her we're proud of her here in CO and we love her big smiles in her picture!

I bet this is harder on you than her! I have a girlfriend who's daughter was in a cast like that due to birth defects (twins who both made it and are now 4!).

I know she struggled with keeping everything clean and dry. I can't imagine with the humidity there - at least it isn't the middle of the summer. She used a blowdryer a lot and I believe she also used cotton batting around the openings of the cast to keep it from rubbing and to absorb moisture.

Also - ask what kinds of physical therapy she can start NOW. Like what can she do to keep blood flowing well and what sort of exercises and massages can you give and do that will help keep her muscles more toned. Anything you can do now will help with her when she does get out of that cast.

Chelsi said...

Awww! poor sweetie!! What a trooper!

My cousin (and adopted sister) had to wear a body cast just like that one at just about the same age. I was only 16 but I do remember that the doctors kept saying how tough kids where and how quickly they healed. Your girl will be up and around again in no time.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Oh... and speaking of Recovery my sister was just in an accident and her doctor told her to take Recovery (the product) as it naturally promotes healing.

The Wife said...

Poor thing but she's one tough cowgirl! Sounds like it was harder on mom! Prayers for fast healing.

Susan said...

Oh bless her heart, how awful, I'm so sorry! At least she'll be out of it by the time it gets really hot. I'll tell you one thing though...she's one tough cookie!!

TjandMark/AKA PearlandHawkeye said...

Just checkin in to see how the tough little cowpoke is doing. Praying for her and you guys.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Oh Andrea...Poor little Cowpokette...and poor you.

Hope she heals well and quickly.

The Caple Crew said...

Were the cookies yummy?! We had some leftovers and we got home they were gone in a matter of SECONDS! haha!

The first thing Ryanne asked for this morning was if we can go see Cowpokette! She is so worried about her! PLUS she thinks the pink cast is fun!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! Bless her heart, but what a trooper!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! Bless her heart, but what a trooper!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! Bless her heart, but what a trooper!

Callie said...

There is a product we use at Childrens in Milwaukee where I work that is small plastic sheets with like a sticky tape on one edge that can slide just inside the cast around the top of the leg to protect it from say explosive diapers, etc.. Those work well, don't know if that's available to you. You're lucky, I'm sure they explained how dangerous a femur fracture can be.......It's amazing how well kids adjust to situations even when we are falling apart. And it happens, they have a natural ability called "NO Fear!" LOL. Good luck and hope all goes well for the little one. Oh, also, if you can get it, a thicker foam tape that can go around the edge of the cast opening that can be changed and will protect her skin as well as the cast. Good Luck!

Kellie said...

It will probably be harder for you than her. My daughter was in a spica cast 3 times. The shortest period was 6 weeks, longest was 3 months. And yes your potty training will go right out the window. We used an infant diaper in the cut out area of the cast and then used a size 4 diaper over the whole thing. Is the inside of the cast lined with gortex or cotton? My daughter had gortex and that made for relatively easy cleaning. We could actually lay her in the tub with about an inch or two of water and flush her out, then use the blow drier on the cast.

I wore a belt and could hook her cast on the buckle for easy carrying :)

The Wades said...

Leave it to your precious muffin to be adorable and smiley while in a full cast like that! She's so very cute. Praying for quick healing.

acdeno said...

omg! that looks terrible! i hope shes better!