Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I ~ I Can't BELIEVE I Broke My Hip


These are the continuing adventures of a Swedish immigrant during her first year as an American. She boldly went where she'd never gone before...please come along on Adventures in America.


If you don't know why I'm lying in a hospital bed, in traction, go read yesterday's post.

They took lots of x-rays of me in traction, re-adjusted the traction (loads of fun...loads...) and then took more pictures. Left me in traction to see if THIS position would work. The plan was for me to lie there and HEAL while in traction. As in months. I was not a fan of this solution.

Meanwhile, Farmor and Farfar (Father's Mother, Father's Father and you really ought to know those by now...) had arrived for their long planned Christmas visit. My parents had decided not to tell them about the accident until they arrived, but when I wasn't at the airport, they immediately freaked out and insisted on being brought to the hospital before going to the house.

We had of course anticipated this, and I'd been sponge-bathed and dressed in regular pajamas, not the hospital gown, all to calm Farmor who was, shall we say, an emotional woman. She of course bawled while hugging me. Farfar? He hugged me hard and then turned away and left the room for a moment. Must have had something in his eye...

It was great to see them, traction didn't seem as horrible when Farmor was holding my hand and telling me stories. But they'd been traveling. No one was going to force-feed them ice-cream before taking them home, but I'd say a stop at the hospital to see your granddaughter broken and in traction would be worse than midnightvanilla.

After everyone left, it was bedtime. I'd never felt so alone in my entire life. I was in a biggish room with at least three other hospital beds, but I couldn't really see because I was sorta tied down in various places – to keep me positioned correctly for healing- and sitting up and looking around wasn't an option. So I stared at the ceiling and cried myself to sleep.

Soon (not soon enough) they decided traction wasn't going to work. I don't care if it would have worked MEDICALLY, but keeping this 9 year old tied to a bed for months would have made me literally insane. I think this incident is the root of my claustrophobia 

Instead, I got surgery, two pins, which I still have, but can't find, so just picture 4 inch bolts from the hardware store. Seriously. I stayed a few more days, now in a body cast which went from my chest to just my toes peeking out on the injured (right) side to above my knee on the left. There was a big metal pole from the left thigh to the right ankle. I think to keep the cast stable. Aunt Risky colored it like a candy cane.



I had great nurses as you can see. That didn't stop me from wanting to go home. Receiving a girl in a body cast takes some preparation, and living in one takes some...patience. This saga (Swedish for story, did you know that?) will continue at another letter...as I learned when I started watching commercial TV, “Stay tuned!”

45 comments:

Tonja Drecker said...

Ug! What a terrible experience. Glad you didn't have to lay in traction though.

Sally said...

It must have been awful. So glad you didn't have to stay in hospital a long time.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Glad you're ok now. Sorry about your hip. Came over from Alex's blog and you now have a new follower.

Suzanne Furness said...

Hi hopped over from Alex's blog today. What a story glad your hip is ok now.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Traction sounds awful. I wonder how they would fix a broken hip today?
Be sure to stop by Tina. Surprise for you!

Brian Miller said...

whew...what an ordeal...i had to lay in traction when i crushed both my legs...they thought they might swell and...not a fun picture...

Jeremy [Retro] said...

wow... just wow.

Cathrina Constantine said...

At nine years old that horrific and the procedures weren't as phenomenal then as they are now. It sounds so sad!

A Daft Scots Lass said...

Thats some serious shit.

Unknown said...

Poor thing! Juliet atCity Muse Country Muse

Jennie Bennett said...

wow, very cool old picture. Sad for nine-year-old, but something you'll never forget!

JoJo said...

OMG!!! There was a girl in my class who had hip replacement surgery in 3rd grade and she, too, was in a body cast for months and months.

jaybird said...

Hi- just popping in from the A-Z and I'm so sorry to hear about your hip. Gah! I can't even imagine having to lie in traction like that for months. I can't ever sit still- I would have lost my mind.

Jo said...

I guess these days they would replace a broken hip although maybe not for a child. I am glad you were finally taken off traction. No wonder you cried. Bad enough as an adult.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

LD Masterson said...

I'm a new visitor, came over from Alex Cavanaugh's blog. Read today's post, read yesterday's post, immediately became a follower.

Ella said...

Oh, I'm so sorry! I can relate, but not as a young child. I was older when I had to have pins and screws put in place. A car accident was the cause~ You are adorable and midnight vanilla can cure a lot, but not traction-yikes! You are a trooper~ I'll stay tuned ;D

Andrew Leon said...

My brother had to be in traction like that when he was 3. It's pretty horrible.

katie eggeman said...

What a terrible life altering accident. You were very brave indeed. Great to have grandparents near.
Katie atBankerchick Scratchings

Sue McPeak said...

It's experiences as you've described...right down to the reason for adult claustraphobia...that make for Stories like this. Who knew?

You are INVITED to a Quilt Show...by INVITATION only...click on CITexasGal Link.
Sue CollectInTexasGal
AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. dreadful experience .. I guess the only good thing was the realisation that home was where the broken hip wanted to be ... with the rest of the family - talk about scuppering Christmas for everyone - I know, I know not your fault!!

Cheers - talk about an introduction to America ... Hilary

Intangible Hearts said...

Can't even imagine having a body cast, you poor thing. Great story!

Anonymous said...

I cannot even imagine breaking my hip at 9yrs old...although I broke my hip last year while on a training run training for a half marathon...I am healed and running again...thanks so much for sharing, your story is great to read!

Shannon at I Survived and Now I Run

Anonymous said...

Girl! You have really been through it...most people live their entire lives here and don't have such stories to tell. Good call, Alex. Glad you're directing people here through your blog today.

Matthew MacNish said...

Your life has been so crazy lately, Tina!

Hildie McQueen said...

Wow poor you! I can't imagine how uncomfortable that was, but the stories from it are inspiring, so things do happen for a reason.

Jo said...

Hey Hilary, that's a word I haven't heard in years, not in Canada or the States anyway, scuppering, or scuppered. Being a boating family we used it quite a bit in the original sense of the word.

Sorry Tina, hijacking your comments.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Laeli said...

Uck, I'm cringing over here.

Robin said...

A 9 y/o in a body cast. Egads. I feel so bad for Little Girl You.

Sandy said...

Reminds me of my volunteer Candy Stripping Days at the hospital. We had a child as a patient in a circle bed...traction that we would flip over once an hour to keep pressure on and off the right places. Wow...can't imagine how hard this was.

A-Z

Anonymous said...

Hello, coming over form Alex's blog.

My first experience in a hospital was when I was 5. It traumatized me because I was pretty much alone (long story), but I am glad you had great care and compassionate people around you.

Sweden .. how cool! I am originally from Germany.

Alexandra

Lucy said...

Oh, my gosh, a nine year old, in traction and then a full body cast,you poor thing.
Lucy from Lucy's Reality

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I would've gone insane. I can't hold still for five minutes, let alone days on end.

M Pax said...

Traction would have been horrible. I'm glad they fixed you up and you healed. That's quite a story.

DayDreamer said...

Must have been so tough at such a young age. Hope Farmor and Farfar were able to make lots more visits as it obviously helped make things feel a bit better.

Andrea said...

Oh that does sound/look dreadful!

bertie said...

Tina, you are a great storyteller! It's amazing that you could go on to be a gymnast in spite of having broken your hip. Thanks for sharing this and for the language lesson... didn't know that saga was Swedish.

Golden Eagle said...

That must have been a harrowing experience. I recently had to stay in a hospital after an incision; that one night was bad enough!

Jarm Del Boccio said...

I hope this means you are writing your memoirs...good story! Happy A to Z!


MakingtheWriteConnections

Li said...

Nurses really are angels. Your story of possibly being in traction for months- and resulting in claustrophobia - brings to mind the stories my Mom told me of kids in iron lungs during the polio epidemic here in the 1950s. It's just beyond my imagination to be trapped, immovable, for months, years, or a lifetime.

Donna Smith said...

I was claustrophobic when I had a cast on my ankle! I can't even imagine a body cast!

Patricia Stoltey said...

I felt claustrophobic just thinking about being in traction for months.

Carrie Butler said...

Nice to "meet" you, Tina! :)

Unknown said...

Can I be ignorant and just ask what traction is? Having to lie still for months on end would have been terrible. I'm trying to imagine my nine year old sister doing that, and I just can't. Thank goodness that didn't happen to you.

Lyre said...

Wow, that sounds like a totally miserable experience!

I'm enjoying the little snapshot additions, though.

Lyre at Lyre's Musings

Rachel said...

I would have lost my mind! I don't know how you made it through that.