Monday, March 10, 2008

Our weekend, and a prayer request

Friends, it was a rough weekend. Caitlyn and I became the most recent victims of the nasty stomach bug that's been making it's way through our family late Friday afternoon. (Dylan, Darren, and Meghan had all previously suffered through it in the preceding week or two.) As Caitlyn and I were both pretty much bedridden (between trips to bathroom) for most of Friday and Saturday, all previous plans were cancelled, including "Cowboy Days" at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, which we had all been really looking forward to, a birthday celebration for my Nana, and a half shift at work Saturday night.

By Sunday morning, though, we were both feeling remarkably well, so after church yesterday afternoon, we ventured out to the second day of "Cowboy Days" and had a great time. In fact, I planned to blog about it last night.

However...

We decided upon returning home that, given that extra hour of daylight, we still had plenty of time to play in the backyard and work a bit in the garden. The kids were having a blast swinging, while I sat at the picnic table resting and alternately watching them and Darren, who was working on planting at the flower bed. My gaze had just turned from Caitlyn, gleefully suspended in mid-swing, when I heard the sound of her screams. In that short instant, one of the chains of her swing had somehow slipped off of it's hook, and she was thrown to the ground below, where she sat screaming and cradling her leg. Quickly scooping her up, Darren carried her into the house where we performed a quick assessment and found, to our horror, an ominous lump on her right shin. Given the fact that she was screaming in anguish, saying she couldn't move her leg, and trembling with pain, we wasted no time in bundling her into the van for a trip to the ER. Darren accompanied her while I stayed home with Dylan and Meghan, though it was pure torture for me to wait anxiously by the phone the entire time they were gone. After several hours and a series of X-rays, it was determined that Caitlyn had, as we feared, broken her leg. (More specifically, she suffered a spiral fracture of the distal shaft of her right tibia.) The orthopedic surgeon who was consulted last night felt confident that surgery was not indicated, so a temporary cast was placed from above her right knee to the tip of her toes until he can assess her again (hopefully tomorrow).

It was after 11 when Darren and Caitlyn finally returned home last night, and we tucked her tenderly into a little "nest" I had prepared for her on the sofa in our bedroom. She woke up once in extreme pain at around 2:45 this morning, at which point we medicated her with Tylenol and codeine, and we've decided to keep her (at least for a day or two) on a three hour alternating schedule of the Tylenol with codeine and Motrin, which were prescribed for her last night. I hate, hate, hate seeing her in such pain! Darren has been calling every medical supply place in town this morning in an attempt to procure a set of pediatric crutches, but none seem to be available in quite the right size. For now it looks like the best we'll be able to do is to have set delivered from Albuquerque to a local store tomorrow. Thankfully, Darren is able to be home for the next couple of days to be with us and to help our poor sweet little Cait.

But if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could spare a quick prayer or two for the comfort and quick, uncomplicated healing of our little girl? Thank you so much!

13 comments:

Cheryl said...

What an awful weekend and poor Caitlyn! I will definitely keep her in my prayers.

Lillian said...

Oh Melissa!! How awful! Please be assured of my prayers!!

Blair said...

Oh, poor sweet Caitlyn! Praying for her and for you...

Celeste Creates said...

Oh, dear Melissa. How awful. As often as I watch my children swinging, you just never think it will really happen. I know it is a possible part of childhood, but terrible for them nonetheless. I am soooooo praying for her and all of you. I hope the next evaluation goes extra good and she will begin healing to perfection. Our God is a good good God. He can bring fruit and beauty out of this too.

Love you, dear one!

Mrs Marcos said...

Poor thing! Sounds terribly painful :( Praying for you and the family.

Jen said...

Oh no! How awful! The poor thing, and poor parents. There is nothing more painful for a parent than to watch her child suffer (except the suffering child). I will offer my rosary for her tonight. Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter... We will keep you all in our prayers!
J.C.

Jill said...

Oh no! What a weekend indeed. Poor Caitlyn. We'll keep you in our prayers. Prayers for healing for Caitlyn and for Mom and Dad to survive the ordeal as well. It is so hard to see kids sick, hurt, in pain, sad, etc. Bless you all!

Charlotte (WaltzingM) said...

Praying for your little one and you! Please update us on how you all are doing.

Jamie Jo said...

Poor Caitlyn, I will be praying for her and Mama too!

*I be the kids are worried about her too, they're such sweet kids!

Unknown said...

OH MY GOD! MY POOR BABY!

Can I bring you guys anything? I am off on Friday. Call or email me.

MY POOR BABY!

Beth said...

Oh gosh. You guys are in my prayers for sure!

Frances said...

I hope Caitlyn is well on her way to recovery now - what an ordeal! Be assured of my prayers for her and all of your family.

My husband injured his leg at a young age, too. Having to take life more slowly and be dependent on others for assistance really opened his mind. He often reflects back to that experience and how it changed his life for the better - he became more patient and compassionate and he took up swimming.

May you and Caitlyn continue to enjoy God's bountiful blessings through these challenging times.