JAKE: Never a dull moment

Remember the birthday party a couple of weeks ago? You know, Finn's 8th birthday party at the Ultimate Air trampoline park.  Finn had a few friends there, an epic spiderman cake, and a great time was had by all?  Well, by MOST anyway...

Jake loves that place.  All of my kids do.  Lara has been there several times with her sports teams for team building.  Jake has been to a few parties there, and dad has taken Jake and Finn a half dozen times just for fun.  They are great supporters of the Pioneer Booster Club, and we are grateful to have this fun place in Stillwater after years of few alternatives for indoor fun for kids.  I know how dangerous trampolines can be, and I have seen some crazy injuries result from jumping - as a mom with friend's kids, as an advisor for the sorority and a trampoline park we went to once, and with my time working in the Orthopedic clinic a dozen or so years ago.  But they're FUN and the kids LOVE it and Finn wanted his party there.  So we did it.

Finn and his friends?  They were great!  And so was Jake - for the majority of the 2-hour party!  But with about 45 minutes left to go in the party, he was in the dodgeball area playing Ultimate Dodge Ball, and he got hit in the hand with a soft foam dodgeball.  Thrown by a teenaged boy.  Hit his right hand.  His pinky.  AND HOW.

About this time we were serving the pizza to the kids, and about to eat cake and open presents before that last 15 minutes of jumping,  Jake came up to the party room to join in on the food, but he was cradling his right hand and we could tell "something" was wrong.  Let us now ZOOM in on some of the pics from Finn's party:

kids eating pizza

jake in pain

"smile for the camera"

jake in pain

Finn opening presents

Jake icing his hand

One last photo of the group

Jake wishing the party would just END already

The party ended at 5pm.  Jake and I headed into town (this place is on the edge of town) to seek out an urgent care place.  THEY WERE ALL CLOSED!  So we went home, found an old finger splint, iced it, and went to bed.  Thinking it might be better in the morning.  Hoping it was just jammed.

Swollen, bruised, unable to straighten it

Splinted and taped for the night

I woke Jake up early Sunday morning to see how he was doing and determine our next course of action.  He had managed to sleep with his right hand behind his head.  NOT SMART!  He was in a lot of pain.  Helped him throw on some clothes, as we were off to the hospital's urgent care center.  Where we got X-rays (BROKEN!) and a referral to the orthopedic doc.

Spent the rest of the day with splint and ice.  We called the ortho doc on Monday morning for an appointment.  We went to see them late on Tuesday afternoon.  Where we got the bad news that we would need surgery.  FAST!  Doc wanted to do it Wednesday, but there were no openings, so we settled for Thursday afternoon.  Arrival time at the hospital was noon, and the surgery was supposed to be about 1:30, but we got pushed back - he finally headed to the OR about 4:00pm.  LONG, agonizing day for our nervous boy.

Before the 3 IV attempts

There he goes (3:50pm)

Reunited (5:15pm)

After a stop at Cane's for some food (he thought he was starving - hadn't eaten in over 24 hours!), we got settled in at home for the evening.  We kept him comfortable and medicated, and he slept through the night.  Not a bad way to start recovery!

Friday he just laid around.  He said his pain was at zero all day, but we kept him medicated anyway.  He was restless and bored and whined his way into a Walmart trip midday.  We ended up letting him go to the football game, as well.

Saturday morning he was up early for 7th grade basketball tryouts.  

I sent him in this sling, but Dad said it was gone before warmups even started.  He worked hard and did everything he could with his left hand.  Results were posted Sunday afternoon:

Restless Jake Syndrome struck again on Sunday, so we took the boys up on OSU's campus to see the Homecoming preparations.  They had just dyed the fountain orange and the signs were up for judging on Library Lawn.  

Monday it was back to school and learning how to be left-handed.  He had a 3 day week, as Fall Break fell on Thursday and Friday of the week.  Jake went to WyldLife Monday night, and FCA Wednesday morning - nothing is slowing him down!  He was just working through the week to be ready for his follow up with the surgeon on Friday morning.

When we got to the ortho doc, the PA came in and unwrapped Jake's hand.  Although he couldn't really "see" the pins coming out of his finger and they had a protective cap on them, he was still a little freaked out by the whole thing.  After she unwrapped him, she told him to sit still until the doctor came in.  I have never seen him sit that still!  He looked it over, said everything was looking good, and to come back on Nov. 1 to see if the pins could be pulled.  She wrapped him back up with a new splint and gave us supplies and instructions on how to clean it and re-wrap it every day for the next 2 weeks.  Oh - and Jake spilled the beans to the doc that he went to basketball tryouts 36 hours post-op.  We just weren't going to say anything...  But, Dr. P was glad Jake made the team!

So, 2 more weeks and we can see what the next step is.  The only thing the doctor was worried about was stiffness in the joint.  Jake, of course, thinks he is a medical miracle and this won't be a problem for him at all.  *eye roll*  He is going to a church camp (Clearwater Cove with WyldLife (YoungLife)) this weekend, so while I am a bit nervous about sending him in his injured state, everyone else is ok with it!  Pray for us all!

I hope to have a good update in 2 weeks!