A Big Boo-Boo

Last Monday, I was giving the boys a bath and waiting on Kinley to come home from the gym.  I heard Zeke say, "Mama?  Ankle!" and looked around to see him carrying Kinley like a baby into the bathroom.  She had folded her foot under when she tried to land her vault, and then it popped to the side.  Of course, in true gymnast fashion, they gave her a cold pack for it and she continued her workout on one leg.  (Grr.)  She was in pain, we called Papa to come check it out, and we all assumed that it was just a bad sprain.  It really started to hurt (and swell!) at bedtime, but we gave her Tylenol and she went to sleep.

When she woke up Tuesday, she was really hurting.  I didn't want her to hop all over school, I couldn't take off work, and people at my parents' house were sick, so I gave her such sweet motherly advice: "You are going to have to limp on it today, and I'll call the doctor."  I am sure my Mom of the Year medal is arriving any day now (sarcastic font).  Little did I know that her third grade day consisted of not one, not two, but THREE trips out to the playground!  By the time I saw her around 12, her face was pale and drawn and she was in mega pain.  

We left for the pediatrician's office right after school.  She hobbled in and Dr. Parmer took one look at it and sent us to the orthopedic doctors for x-rays because of a growth plate close to the place where most of her swelling (and, at this point, pretty colors!) was.  After an x-ray, Dr. Ellis informed us that her growth plate was, in fact, fractured.  He said that she would be in an air cast/boot for around 4 weeks and asked if we had any questions.  Kinley (in her most grown-up 8 year old voice) spoke up. "Um, actually, yes I do.  I have a pageant Friday night, and I was wondering if I would be able to take this off for that?"  He was amazing with her, and very seriously answered her very serious question by telling her that she had to be careful because even a slight twist of the weakened bone could cause it to break, and because of the location, she would have to have surgery.  She was satisfied with his answer, they fitted her with a boot, and we left.

It was almost 5:00 (time for gym!), but no fractured growth plate could keep this girl down!  We called to let them know that she would be late, picked up her brothers, changed her clothes, and off she went to the gym.  These girls are tough as nails, I tell ya.  

I'm proud of how she has handled her injury so far.  She has been super brave and hasn't let it get her down--or slow her down!  She is still going to the gym and following doctor's orders so that she can heal soon and return to her regularly scheduled program.  She's a tough cookie!