My Daughter, the Warrior
My daughter Zoe broke her leg on Day 2 of our vacation. She wasn't even doing anything crazy, which is her normal nature.
The first 36 hours were awful. It hurt. She couldn't get a permanent cast until the next morning. Then we had to drive while it was "setting." Casts get hot and uncomfortable as they set. We were far from home. We couldn't stop when she had to pee- we were in eastern South Dakota- not a lot of stops. I'm not supposed to be lifting since my surgery, so I was struggling to carry her. We couldn't get a wheelchair until we got to a more permanent location, so my husband had to carry her everywhere.
It was not great.
She was sad that her vacation was ruined: "I want to be normal again, " she cried. The cast is a full leg and really, really heavy for her to move. The cabin is three level of stairs.
But you know what? Six days later and she is having a great time.
She loves her wheelchair. She has already learned some cast moves. She calls most of them Cheerleader Poses. When she stands, she puts her cast in the air and says "Cheerleader leg." She also does a Cheerleader Scoot and a Cheerleader Sit.
She has been getting a lot of attention which is okay in her book. She can even boss her brother around more than usual.
When she yelled "I GET TO DECIDE EVERYTHING BECAUSE I BROKE MY LEG" we did put the hammer down... a little.
Yesterday she even started to throw things and said "I can't get them. I broke my leg, you know." We ended the Parents Play Fetch game as well.
But overall, her disposition has been spectacular. She's joking around. She's adapting. She seems completely content.
In fact, the only one with a stick up the butt is me-- and I'm usually the cheery one. I think it's because I am worrying forward- what happens when we turn in the wheelchair and have 3 days of driving and sightseeing? How's she going to feel starting kindergarten with a cast? It's starting to itch... oh crap.
I need to take the lead from my daughter.
She likes to be carried. She likes that her brother in being nice to her. Overall, it hasn't been too bad of a gig.
Aside from the broken leg, of course.
Life is what you make of it. It's just a broken leg. It will heal. All will be well.
In the big scheme of things, this is nothing. Not even a little bump in the road.
She's off fishing now with her dad and brother.
I'm signing off to go join them....
The first 36 hours were awful. It hurt. She couldn't get a permanent cast until the next morning. Then we had to drive while it was "setting." Casts get hot and uncomfortable as they set. We were far from home. We couldn't stop when she had to pee- we were in eastern South Dakota- not a lot of stops. I'm not supposed to be lifting since my surgery, so I was struggling to carry her. We couldn't get a wheelchair until we got to a more permanent location, so my husband had to carry her everywhere.
It was not great.
She was sad that her vacation was ruined: "I want to be normal again, " she cried. The cast is a full leg and really, really heavy for her to move. The cabin is three level of stairs.
But you know what? Six days later and she is having a great time.
She loves her wheelchair. She has already learned some cast moves. She calls most of them Cheerleader Poses. When she stands, she puts her cast in the air and says "Cheerleader leg." She also does a Cheerleader Scoot and a Cheerleader Sit.
She has been getting a lot of attention which is okay in her book. She can even boss her brother around more than usual.
When she yelled "I GET TO DECIDE EVERYTHING BECAUSE I BROKE MY LEG" we did put the hammer down... a little.
Yesterday she even started to throw things and said "I can't get them. I broke my leg, you know." We ended the Parents Play Fetch game as well.
But overall, her disposition has been spectacular. She's joking around. She's adapting. She seems completely content.
In fact, the only one with a stick up the butt is me-- and I'm usually the cheery one. I think it's because I am worrying forward- what happens when we turn in the wheelchair and have 3 days of driving and sightseeing? How's she going to feel starting kindergarten with a cast? It's starting to itch... oh crap.
I need to take the lead from my daughter.
She likes to be carried. She likes that her brother in being nice to her. Overall, it hasn't been too bad of a gig.
Aside from the broken leg, of course.
Life is what you make of it. It's just a broken leg. It will heal. All will be well.
In the big scheme of things, this is nothing. Not even a little bump in the road.
She's off fishing now with her dad and brother.
I'm signing off to go join them....
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