my daughter fell while ice skating.
en route to the setting of her leg after a very painful 36 hours:
and finished!
we are keeping her out of pain and working on her mobility.
any advice is welcome.
whole thing sucks, but thankfully it is just her leg that is broken and it will heal!
I know it couldve been so much worse. Like if we didn’t fill the e111 form in time and got refused for coverage.
xxx
jennifer
fb: jennifer koppelman hutt
twitter: @jenniferhutt
WOW that looks like it hurts. 🙁 I hope she gets moving again soon. my only advice is to watch out for her hair, the same exact thing happened to my sister when she was little; only there was a sled involved. The knots in her hair (from being prone all day) were so bad my mom ended up cutting off what didn’t break off.
Mobility is going to take some getting used to as you know I am sure. It’s the other things, bathing, toilet, getting dressed, etc..that will be challenging in the beginning. My son severed his pinky toe last year ( nearly off) and he was stitched extensively and wrapped up and could not put weight on his foot for 2 weeks. No where near your daughter’s accident, but challenging just the same. Comfort is key in the beginning for her…….will be thinking about you guys…..
Cherise
I’m so sorry that your daughter fell and got hurt. I’ve been a doppy person a lot during my life, and I’ve broken my foot, ALL of my toes, two of my fingers…well, you get the picture. I know it’s really scary, but she’s going to be just fine. I was told after I broke my foot (fell, twisted it, and it broke) that I would never be able run again, that I would probably have pain for the rest of my, on and on. None of those things happened. So keep your chin up, distract your daughter as much as possible with games and stories, whatever you can think of. Unfortunately she’s going to hurt for a little while, but she’ll be on the mend faster than you think. Take Care.
Shit happens. Just a part of life. I’m sure she will be fine and will get back on her skates and break something else. 🙂
Gosh, what an ordeal for her. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Hi Jennifer – My son, age 14, broke his right forearm, both the radius and the ulna, while riding his scooter early last summer 2009. He didn’t complain about the pain but was obviously in shock. I, on the other hand, was in complete and total psychological pain and went ape-shit in the emergency room (completely justifiably of course!). He has various developmental delays and I expected that the 6 weeks of healing would be a daily battle with coordination and personal attention but he adapted immediately and sailed through without even a hint of discomfort. They’re young, they adapt (even though we might not). I know, a leg is different from an arm but she’ll be leaving you in the dust within a week. I wanted to hold him back and comfort him, he wanted to get back on the scooter!
its kind of scary and strange that a childs leg breaks from just an ice skating fall??? My sisters daughter broke her arm not too long ago from a similar innocent tumble. Seems to me there is a fundamental nutritional deficiency issue to blame – why are children’s bones not as strong and resilient as they used to be?? I remember as a child we lived fearlessly on our bikes, skates and whatever else, no helmets or safety gear, falling all over the place and always bouncing back unharmed. It really sucks your daughter had to go through all this pain – I wish her a speedy recovery!!!!
a scratching tool; long, thing thing to scratch under her cast, ’cause I hear it’ll be itchy like mad at some point. cool cast color!
THE NEXT THREE MONTHS FOR YOU IS GONNA SUCK!!!! YOU ARE NOW HER SERVANT!!!
Hi Jennifer! Sorry to hear about your daughter’s fall. I broke my tibia and fibula a couple of years ago. This may sound silly, but two things that really helped me was a chair for the shower and one of those toilet seats with arms so you can get momentum getting up. I hope she feels better soon.
I love the show. You both make me laugh hard after a long day at work.
She looks like quite a trooper! This happened to my 9 yr. old daughter, but it was her arm and elbow. Get good physical therapy when she’s out of her cast, and resume all her normal stuff!!
OMG OMG! It’s a mini Jenny Koppelman Hutt! Very cute. Good luck. Hugs and chocolate.
Oh Crap! Poor thing!!
From my own experience a year ago, OUCH! I fell on ice but not from skating. You said it already, ” the whole thing sucks.” My Ortho Dr had me walking on it to stengthen the bone to heal faster but my break was above the ankle, and after the boot was off I had another 6-8 weeks for ligament and tendons to heal. Keep those toes moving to keep things loose. Hang in there Jennifer.
OH MY! Poor kid.It must have been painful.But on the bright side it isn’t summer when school is out and camp and other fun stuff is happening.
Hope she feels better.
It is a fact that purple casts heal faster than non-purple ones!
I had a cast -just- like that when I was in junior high and the one thing I remember absolutely SUCKING about it was the fact that none of my jeans fit. My mom’s solution? I got to start 7th grade in my mother’s way-too-big trousers–which I wore for the entire three months I was in the cast. Needless to say I felt like a total loser.
My advice? Make sure that she has some cute, cast-friendly bottoms to wear!
Please know that I am wishing your daughter a speedy revcovery. Thank God the surgery is over!!!! Not a fun time for you and your husband, I know!!!!
Yikes!! How long does she have to keep the cast on.
She’ll be the talk of her class. 🙂 That’s always fun when you’re in elementary school.
bribe her. works all the time. and make sure they give her good medication. if she’s on narcotics, make sure she doesn’t get constipated which will make life more hellish for you. feel bad for the kid. it will hurt but she’ll get used to the pain. sorry.
I wish I had more advice, I don’t – that cast is so intimidating. I feel bad for all involved. I’m sure it has been a harrowing few days. My son was a bone breaker. I’m glad the last few days are behind you. Feel better baby Hutt!
Hi Jennifer! Hope she heals quickly and feels better soon! My daughter recently had surgery and friends, books/mags, crafts (pottery place) and of course t.v got her thru-
Best wishes!
Jen, My friends daughter (9yrs old) had a spiral fracture, from skiing accident. Make sure she does the rehab religiously, & she will heal fine.
ouch! i am sure you are giving her lots of comfort and making it as bearable as possible…i wouldn’t be surprised if you manage to make the recovery fun for her! having fun while just hanging out seems to be one of your skills!
Oh boy! She really broke it – look at the size of that cast. As we would say in our house, Poor Fish! My daughter has broken a leg and an arm and it’s amazing how they figure out work arounds on their own. Just keep her entertained.
Poor Girl! And Poor Mom! Hope she feels better soon. Trashy magazines always help.
omg jennifer- how did it happen? your poor kid- looks painful! my 7 year old daughter just started skating.. on top of skiing and snowboarding! sucks when stuff like that happens when they’re just trying to have fun.
Best wishes!
Sending love and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
My 7 year old daughter did the same thing with her arm. Broke in 3 places, cast from shoulder to wrist. In a couple of weeks, the itching inside the cast will start. Give Benadryl, and try to distract as much as possible. I remember baking choc chip cookies with her at 2 am!
so sorry about your girl! mine is starting ice skating lessons this thursday so I’m now even more nervous than before! she’s only 6 so at least there’s not a long way to fall….
cheers!
I am very sorry. Be well to you all.
I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s leg 🙁 I am glad she will be fine. I can understand the pain she was in. Years ago I broke my wrist roller skating, actually I was pushed down and all I remember was the PAIN during the time they reset it. BRUTAL! Sending your daughter lots of speedy get well wishes. Maybe you can make her favorite dessert to cheer her up.
Love the purple cast!
I wish your daughter well and hope that her recovery goes as it should. Keep us posted on her progress and yours, of course, as a mommy who has to juggle so many activities.
Sorry to hear about her fall. Hopefully the healing time will pass by in a flash. She is rocking the purple cast. 🙂
So I guess that means speed skating at the winter olympics are out 😉
I was your daughter’s age when I broke my leg, I missed my monthly period. They said it had to do with the body’s trama of the break.
She will love having all the attention with the purple cast.
My daughter broke her leg years ago. Here are my favorite things. Go ahead and bite the bullet and cut 2 or 3 pairs of pants — or go buy 2 or 3 to cut, because looking great is half the battle. As for hair, my daughter had long hair, and it was hard to wash with the cast, so we made the best of it during the week, and hit the salon for a wash and dry on the weekends, oh and for a mani and toe polish change, let’s face it those toes are a showing. Best of luck. 🙂
Sorry to hear about your daughter.but such is life! She needs to “put on her big girl pants” and deal with it. It could have been worse and the situation reinforces for your family to count blessings and value good health. We always try to just deal, think positive and count our other blessings whenever this type of stuff happens in our family….and with a boy in 3rd grade….I’ve made several trips to the Dr. and ER and thank God for health insurance. Would love t see some form of health reform pass very soon so all Americans can be covered and not have to worry about paying for food & rent vs. paying for doctor visits and needed meds…
Just to clarify – Jen, I did not mean to insinuate that your daughter is nutritionally deficiencient (according to the standards of modern medicine today). I’m sure she eats a balanced diet of wholesome foods. What I am referring to is on a granular level – the differences in the quality of our food sources today (monsanto genetics, corn-laden, etc) are significantly diminutive to the food of yesteryear, that kids our age were raised on. Food today in general is more processed and lacking in the amount of nutrients they contain, with more chemicals and preservatives thrown in the mix. You’d have to raise your kids on a specialized diet to avoid this situation, which most people do not, and therefore we have fatter kids with more broken bones and more tooth decay. Again, I’m not referring to your daughter, but kids today in general.
Ouch! Poor baby!! She needs hugs and kisses, fun magazines, movies, bad TV and an iPod touch (if she doesn’t have one already). LOVE that she’s got a purple cast…
I know how it hurts to see your child hurt. It’s heart breaking… 🙁
Bless her little heart
Jennifer, Nicole from Richmond is right on with the chair for the shower and toilet seat handles. Forgot about that part but those are two must haves!
My son broke his fibula in half when he was chasing after the sled and he stepped in a hole…needless to say he continued on and NOT his leg! The only thing I would say to watch for is swelling of her leg in the cast which can happen. If she complains, get her back to the doctor to get some relief. Also, when that cast comes off stand way back..the smell will knock you out! Also, I would suggest shaving her leg if she doesn’t already as her leg hair will be really long and her skin will be scaley then lotion it up! Hope this helps and hang in there! My son went on to play Varsity hockey and tennis and is just fine!
I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter’s accident! A few years ago, I broke my leg and ankle in three places so I can very much sympathize with her pain. The reason my injury healed so well was the fact that the mobility was encouraged from the very beginning, not like when we were kids and they casted you up for 4-6 wks!
Anyway, she has the advantage of youth so healing should be swift and complete but I HIGHLY recommend physical therapy as soon as possible with someone who has a very aggressive treatment plan (yes, it is tiring and painful but four years later, I’m grateful for it because I have full mobility and that’s not always the case).
I watch you guys as much as I can find on TV and hope to get radio when I get a job again!! Sometimes, you guys are the only laugh I get so keep up the good work and keep laughing/smiling! You and Alexis are lots of fun! Thanks
I’m sorry to hear that. She has a great color for her cast! My favorite! She’s in my thoughts. Sucks to be young and not be able to do things you should be able to do. She’s getting lots of well wishes from your fans though!
This is advice for clothing—-Velcro. Cut her jeans up the seam from bottom to top. Put Velcro from top to bottom where the seam was. You can sew on the Velcro, which will hold up better, because the stick-on Velcro, may not stay on after washing jeans many times. The point is I hope you have a friend who can sew, as its a simple task. If her jean legs are skinny, may have to get the boot cut. Good luck.
My only advice would be don’t let her go in the sun… I made the mistake of taking the down time as an opportunity to lay in the sun while my mother waited on me… it took years for my two legs to actually reach the same tan color after that. Also, when they remove the cast they use this thing that looks like a mini buzz saw, I almost fainted when I saw it, but the saw doesnt spin the blade like a normal saw, it vibrates, so tell your daughter her leg wont be ripped to shreds when they remove the cast.. OH you should think about buying some neon paint pens for cast autographs … also purple is AWESOME , I wish they had that back in the 80s…
My son broke 4 bones in his foot playing highschool football. Kids heal fast. Enjoy playing nurse!
nothing worse than your baby in pain. my daughter broke her back when she was 12 yrs old. she fell out of a tree (had never climbed up/on ANYTHING before!) i spent a week in the hospital with her. i hope your daughter feels better soon……and you take care of yourself too mommy 🙂
Jennifer
dont feel bad my daughter went two days before I figured out she had a broken wirst great dad I am.
I broke my fibula about 6 weeks ago. Just got my cast off yesterday which only went up to my knee. I had access to a wheel chair and was able to get around quite well using it (I am older and overweight and using crutches was / is a real challenge.) I am very grateful that I had the wheel chair, a shower chair, crutches, a chair with a nice long footstool that was the same height as my chair and that I could put pillows on to keep my foot elevated, a portable computer desk that I could put my laptop on and scoot right next to my stool, a brother who helped me immensely, cable television and health insurance. I never knew what a hassle this would be and still can hardly walk. She is young and will heal much quicker than an oldster like me. Best of luck to you and yours.
ouch- that cast brings back far too many memories. The first week is the toughest- after that she will have mastered her crutches. Once she is mobile and able to get things for herself she will be fine- however get her a big robe with lots of pockets to wear around the house and a giant sippy cup- she will be able to get things for herself, but she won’t be able to bring them anywhere without those pockets as her hands will be needed for the crutches. Also- her armpits and hands are gonna hurt at first. Get her some nice padding for the grips. My cast was on a total of 6 months start to finish. so I feel for her. After 6 weeks they will probably remove the hard cast and give her an immobilizer instead, which will help with hygiene and itching. In the interim- some large plastic bags and tape will do for bathing. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I am now a RN.
ps. for pants get some basketball pants. they snap up the side and will be easier and cheaper than cutting brand new or old pants.- plus it will give her some autonomy and privacy when dressing.
Jennifer make sure the docs were sure about the alignment of the bones in her lower leg. Displacement and poor healing could be the end result of hyperextension of her leg and conservative casting of it. Most tibial fractures are treated by internal fixation. I know her age is a factor for fixation, I hope they made the best decision for her based on all factors. best wishes for her speedy recovery.
((Jennifer & Daughter))
Wow, that stinks. My daughter fell off her bike the night before kindegarten started and had a cast from her toes up to her groin. The hardest part was going to the potty and bathing. I got a handicap potty and she was able to use that. I would keep her long, thick hair in a bun after I brushed it out every night/morning. We would wash her hair every other night in the kitchen sink with her sprawled out across the counter. Poor lil thing was so uncomfortable at night and I would go in every hour or two and carefully shift her body weight around a pile of pillows for support. I feel for you and your family right now. Make her as comfortable as possible. Heal quickly R!
Lori
The most important thing to know is that if your daughter is still growing – she may have one leg longer than the other if she wears the cast for a few months. I wore a cast on my left leg (from knee to my foot – similar to your daughters cast) for several months for a broken arch when I was about 13 years old, and was a growing girl, and the cast stunted the growth of my left leg by a little more than an inch as compared to my right leg. I’ve always had to live with one pant leg (off the rack) longer than the other. Also, while standing, I favor my left leg over the right because it’s shorter, and this throws my right hip out of alignment – which causes more problems the older I get (i.e. arthritis). Trust me – you really should address this issue with your daughter’s physician if she’ll be wearing a full leg cast for a while. One more thing I’ll add is that I knew a little girl (about 11) when I was growing up who had one leg significantly longer than the other, and her doctor put her longer leg in a cast until the shorter leg caught up. In her case, the cast was a very good thing, and her problem was solved. I wish your daughter a speedy and full recovery, and all my best to you.
My son broke his arm his first day of summer vacation, back in middle school and this thing saved the summer! It’s called a dry pro waterproof cast protector. google it and you’ll find several choices. It’s brilliant and at least will allow her to get into the bath/shower, which always makes us feel better. Best wishes for healing!
My daughter broke her tibia two years ago and the worst part of the whole ordeal was get her bathed and into the car to go places! ugh! if you can make it through those ordeals you’ll do just fine! =) Good luck, it does suck, bad. =(
So sorry! The worse part is the bathing. It is so difficult to put up with the whole thing. Be very patient and thoughtful for her. I am sure you are. I am a granny of 8. Get well soon Mom hang in there.
D.
Poor girl. I hope she is past the worst.
Contrary to the advice by sw DO NOT give her something long to stick inside her cast to scratch when it itches. She could cause a tear in the skin which could become SERIOUSLY infected under the cast. A dark place like that is a perfect medium for bacterial growth. You would not know of the infection until it 1) began to stink, 2) she developed a fever, 3) she became septic. As a RN who worked on an orthopedic unit I have seen this first hand.
So sorry to hear about your daughter’s accident. It’s not fun!! My daugther tore the acl in her knee and damaged surrounding tissue playing basketball in 8th grade. We tried to see some positives about my daughter’s situation and this iis some of what we came up with: The child who comes to school with a cast of any sort (and crutches?) receives all kinds of attention and sympathy from classmates. History shows that children who have any kind of challenge or struggle grow up to be much stronger people. Keep as much humor as you can with this–and remember, the accident and resulting “situations” could be great material for her college application essays!
After breaking leg in 7 places, multiple surgeries I was off my leg for 7 months. I was on crutches because it had to weightless so it was great to also get a small kids wheel chair (I am a thin person) and took off the leg pieces and the arms. Great to get around house or shopping because you can carry things.
no knitting needles to scratch the itchy’s!!!!
Hey jennifer, sorry to hear about your daughter that sucks. I just had surgery myself and am laid up so was thinking about starting a veg garden this spring. I went back to your april 09 post and wonder if you could update us on how it went, what it looks like etc. I know it is a little early but in the next few months will you keep it in mind? Can you tell i am sick of this cold weather? Thanks a lot and good luck to you and your daughter!
WOW, poor thing I am so sorry. This is quiet the cast to carry around. Be sweet to her and give her lots of compassion, it is not easy nor will it be a fun month at least. I know you must feel for her, make her laugh you are good at that.
So sorry about your daughter. Soon she will be up & about.
I would go with keeping the wheelchair as long as possible. Crutches aren’t with the agony and pain (in the hands & armpits!!!).
If she has to ice it, use SNOW! Sounds crazy but it works! Several years ago my daughter fell off the bus steps fracturing her arm! Since we live in Michigan and it was in February, we had pleanty of SNOW to use!
My son thought of a great idea! He used one of his SLEDS and shoveled snow into it, placing it by the back door! Then he would scoop SNOW into a ZIPLOCK bag and bring it to his sister! The snow conformed better than plain ice cubes and was just as cold!
Hope she feels better soon!
Don’t know if anyone has said this or not… don’t have time to read through all comments.
1. Don’t get it wet. It never really dries out on the inside and besides being torture, the smell becomes horrific. There are products online for sealing up the cast to protect it from water but I found using garbage bags with 3 or 4 bands of surgical tape was best solution for showers. soft surgical tape doesn’t pull out hair too bad.
2. Dark stained casts- purple (shown here) when wet will stain rugs/sheets. Definitely don’t do black. or wipe down with warm, damp cloth a few times to protect carpets/blankets after each new cast.
3. Always bring back your sock and any walking shoe they give you (not sure if applicable here) because they’ll just charge for another one when cast gets replaced and that’s a waste of insurance money:)
When I was in a cast for 3 months, the techs always looked at my like I was crazy with the above questions. I learned that just because they were excellent at putting on casts didn’t mean that they ever lived in them or even cared what it was like. I didn’t have my mom to help me but I had advance notice so I stocked up on micromeals and surgical tape:) I wish you both luck. Oh, and if you do go back for multiple cast changes, bring soap, cloth and lotion to clean leg and lotion up between casts. It will make her feel better. Smell was so bad:( Good luck!
Jennifer – I broke both of my arms twice when I was a kid.. I obvioudly was quite the klutz. However, I do remember the pain and when they say to elevate that leg KEEP IT ELEVATED.. The pain from not having it elevated is unbearable.. Other than that, she needs a ton of love and spoiling. she’ll be better before you know it.
Get well soon! That looks like it hurt alot!
this is for Miss R. Koppleman ~
Hope you are feeling better soon!!! Keep your chin up and I know you will be feeling better very soon!
..and Jen, hang in there, it will be easier quicker then you realize.. and it is SO amazing when you see her RUN again after this. … she will be kicking so soon..
Sending good thoughts to NY from SEA
I tuned in when you were discussing your trip to the pharmacy didn’t catch the name but I’m almost sure you were talking about walgreens I go to Target pharmacy which is awesome but in the few cases where my husband or I needed an emergency late night prescription we were forced to go to a 24hr walgreens and deal with the biggest asshole you can a imagine this jerk resembles the jackass you described it has to be a job reqirement
I don’t like you. You’re a brat, B U T you have a talent for writing. It’s a great gift, reward yourself!
Hi Jenny from the block:)
Cut the outside seam of her jeans on the broken leg side. Put 4-6 grommets on each side. Lace up with cool colored shoe laces. Alexis should be able to help with this. She is crafty.
Hope the little one is doing well. I’ve had the experience many years ago, so it’s not fun. My grandbaby had a bone break at nine months (thanks to his big brothers) and we had to put a plastic bag to cover the cast so he could go in the swimming pool since it was over 100 degrees in Texas at the time.
Also HAPPY BDAY!
i hope your lovely girl is mending well.
i also want to wish you a very happy birthday and hope that you have a lovely day tomorrow
First Happy Birthday. I love the dynamic of you and Alexis and by the way this is my first blog message. I have bookmarked the daily beast now. Good luck to your daughter, my son broke his femur playing football and it is very difficult to keep their spirits up, but this to passes and their friends help. Good luck and thanks for the entertainment.