While I was at work yesterday, I got a text message from Jeff telling me that he was at the ER with Matthew. Evidently during a game of air force football at P.E., he got pushed down and fell on an outstretched arm.
The rest of the afternoon for Matthew and Dad were getting pain meds, reducing the fracture at our local hospital, only to find out that it was not successful. So the drove down to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids and were preparing for the next reduction when Mary and I arrived around 6:15pm. This time they had him under some pretty strong sedation and reduced the fracture again under flouroscope. The senior resident, Dr Tanner, felt as though the reduction went well, but that it was pretty unstable and that he would most likely require surgical repair. All the doctors and nurses were very nice. We had a choice to stay and have the surgery today or wait until Tuesday as an outpatient. We thought we should just stay put and have it fixed and taken care of. Plus Matthew was really zonked out from the sedation. I didn't really want to take Matthew home like that. He rested pretty well last night getting pain meds twice. Early around 0500 another resident, Dr. Bradley, came to let us know that all the doctors would be looking at his xray and then coming up with a plan. The attending, Dr Gelbke, came around o700 and explained that the reduction was very good from last night. That left us with 2 options: Go ahead with the surgery, noting risks of anesthesia, nerve damage and bleeding. OR Watch the fracture "like a hawk" and see if there would be any shifting of the little fragment that caused some numbness in his fingers prior to the reduction. What a decision to make so early without Jeff too! So the doctor, Matthew and I decided to wait and watch, as even if there was some shifting it wouldn't effect a surgical repair a week later. So we are back home and he is doing pretty well. He has a splint on and is keeping it elevated nicely. Needs to take pain meds regularly and he does sleep a lot.
Because of this "mishap", Matthew missed his PLAN test, a Village Green performance and opening night of the play (he is part of the stage crew). We aren't sure if he will be able to help out at any of the 3 shows. Most importantly, we need him to rest and protect that arm so the bone pieces don't shift and he dodge the surgery all together.
I work for 4 hours tomorrow and then parent teacher conference. Mary is going to pick up Sarah on Saturday morning so she can attend the Glee concert with us. Jeff wants to Christmas lights up this weekend before the cold wet weather gets here for Thanksgiving.
Better get going,
Gracie
