argh- the 1st fall - lands on back, gives me heart attack & has been pushing envelope

[LSKOCH5]

Whew. Jacob's at home now, but called from the nurse's office at school. Tripped & fell, landing on his back, pain was about an 8 but he WANTED to stay in school. He was worried, I'm a little freaked but wanted him home to keep an eye on him. Gave him Tylenol, sent text to his surgeon as far as what to watch for, if anything out of the ordinary. He's been pushing the envelope SO much lately, having fun but seemingly making up for lost time. For example, he was cleared to march w a snare drum last visit, to build up his time. Fine. I walk into the band room, he's lifted the 50ish pound quad drum & has it strapped on. At least he was sitting playing it, but he's not ok for that kind of weight - he needs to work up to, and I just have no confidence in his decision making re his back right now. It's tough - I don't want to baby him, but God forbid he screws himself up. I was happy he played basketball w his buds last month, but concerned that he shouldn't have been jumping, & he could barely move for a few days after. But he was soooooooo happy. Your thoughts?? Guess it's my turn to vent, & to find what is normal...

[Pooka1]

Sorry to hear he fell. That's scary.

The instrumentation is very good and he will probably be okay.

I can only repeat to you what our surgeon told us... 95% of kids need no physical restrictions beyond their pain to get a fusion and avoid pseudoarthrosis. The only reason he restricts all kids is because he doesn't know who the 5% who need restrictions are ahead of time. He restricted my kids for 8 months but they both felt so much better so quickly that there really weren't restricting themselves past the first several weeks as far as I can tell.

There is at least one surgeon in California who doesn't restrict at least some of his patients AT ALL. He seems to be playing the odds... very good odds but still. Or maybe none of his adolescent patients have ever had a pseudoarthrosis. The instrumentation is so good that I might believe that.

[LSKOCH5]

Sharon - thanks so much for your reply. Geof pretty much said the same thing - he should be fine, it would take SO much to damage anything, but to keep him in the loop & let him know if he's not slowly improving. Jacob is still in so much pain, where he had been a "0" for several months, but he's moving though it. Hopefully it'll ease up fast. I was so freaked that after I brought him home that day & he was as comfortable as he could be, I actually was physically sick. That didn't even happen through the whole process after diagnosis thru surgery thru recovery.

[Pooka1]

I was so freaked that after I brought him home that day & he was as comfortable as he could be, I actually was physically sick. That didn't even happen through the whole process after diagnosis thru surgery thru recovery.

I completely understand that!

This was my reaction when my kid got a "hug" injury at the homecoming dance 19 days post op...

I have been crying and actually nauseous over the incident, two non-productive reactions but I can't help it. The poor kid was doing so well and working so hard.

It's very easy to get wrapped tightly around the axle over these things. The two surgeries feel like they have shortened my life.

Hang in there... it gets better. :-)

[susancook]

To the MOM: Sounds like you have a neat kid who is trying to catch up on the time that he has missed out on. Tell him that you love him alot and that you have confidence in his decsison making to do the things that the surgeon asked him to do when he got home from the hospital as far as activity is concerned. Ask him what restrictions he was given and how he is doing with that. If he was given a sheet of restrictions that he is not following and he is aware that he is not, then he needs to talk with his doctor or the doctor's PA on the phone and they need to go over it again. It is tough being a kid and tougher being a kid who feels that he is different. Tell him how proud you are of him when you can and when he does make a good move, tell him how great that was. I'm not being patronizing, but I bet you're a great mom and that's why he is so confident.
Good luck parenting! Susan

[Elisa]

Boy can I relate to all of this. Elias is just over one year post op and fortunately there have been no falls or car accidents or injuries etc. but I have anxiety just 'thinking' up stuff that 'could' happen. I do have anxiety issues though and for that reason I take medication to help me with it but it does not remove it completely. Last summer after only a few months post op, my son was heading down the back steps with my laptop and just about fell and told me that he managed to keep from falling and not drop my laptop. I didn't care a nickle about my computer, it was his back I was worried about!! I harped on so much about that stupid little back porch and narrow stairs that they are no longer there and my husband has built a huge deck. Now I worry b/c there's no railing on it yet. I am a lost cause, lol.

I hope everything is going to be well with Jacob, keep us posted. It's great to hear he's getting back into the things he loves to do. :-)

Pooka: Elias' two surgeries/traction hasn't shortened my life but dealing with BC Children's Hospital or the lack of dealing with them practically killed me. I am always grateful to you and others on this forum for steering me towards Shriners!!

[LSKOCH5]

To the MOM: Sounds like you have a neat kid who is trying to catch up on the time that he has missed out on. Tell him that you love him alot and that you have confidence in his decsison making to do the things that the surgeon asked him to do when he got home from the hospital as far as activity is concerned. Ask him what restrictions he was given and how he is doing with that. If he was given a sheet of restrictions that he is not following and he is aware that he is not, then he needs to talk with his doctor or the doctor's PA on the phone and they need to go over it again. It is tough being a kid and tougher being a kid who feels that he is different. Tell him how proud you are of him when you can and when he does make a good move, tell him how great that was. I'm not being patronizing, but I bet you're a great mom and that's why he is so confident.
Good luck parenting! Susan

Good point to ask him what he's been cleared to do, & what he hasn't been YET. Boys tend to hear differently, lol. I do tell him regularly what he does right tho.

[kennedy]

im sorry jacob fell.