My Tiny Granddaughter Zoey Could Use Your Prayers

[Ursa Major]

My sweet little granddaughter Zoey (we just went to her second birthday party last Sunday) broke her femur very near the hip joint yesterday (Friday) evening.

It was one of those ridiculous freak accidents. My daughter's mother-in-law was with them when it happened, as she had been babysitting Zoey and her ten-month-old sister Sophia, and my daughter was there to pick them up.

My daughter was sitting on the floor with Zoey on her lap, when Zoey got up and tried to crawl over my daughter's leg to get behind her. She somehow lost her balance and fell very badly, twisting her leg. Nobody would have thought that something like that could break anybodies leg!

She really cried, and first they thought she hurt her knee. But she couldn't stand up at all, so her dad took her to the hospital, while my daughter went home to put the baby to bed.

They x-rayed Zoey's leg and found that it was broken. They thought it was a complicated break, and them being a small hospital, they sent her by ambulance to the next city, where they have better specialists.

They had to give her morphine last night to allow her to sleep, she was in so much pain. Today at around noon the specialist finally checked her out. Originally they were saying she might have to stay in the hospital for a week for traction, or she may need surgery.

Now they have decided that she will just get a cast and can go home tomorrow. The poor baby will have a full-leg cast that will go to her waist, meaning that she won't be able to sit at all, but will have to lie flat until the cast comes off.

Zoey is such an active child, she will just hate lying around for weeks! Not to mention that they won't be able to put her in a car seat, so she will pretty much be stuck at home. It won't be easy to look after her and her baby sister, since now both need carrying around. And Zoey will be hard to carry with that cast and being straight like that.

Anyway, anybody who prays, please pray for little Zoey to heal quickly and not be too upset, and for her parents for patience and being able to deal with the situation.

My poor daughter was wondering if it was her fault for not giving Zoey milk, because she is casein intolerant! But of course, it has nothing to do with that. Toddler's bones break a lot easier than most people realize. But I advised her to give her extra calcium and magnesium to help the bone to heal faster.

[ptkds]

Poor little thing! I can't imagine dealing with that with one of my little ones. They would be miserable. I will definetly keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

[home-based-mom]

OUCH! Poor Baby! Prayers for all of you.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I'm so sorry--prayers sent!

This might be a good time for her to learn to do a lot of hand things, like drawing, coloring, music games (you can get her lots of compact discs, and even start toddler-Suzuki type stuff. They make cardboard violins for $9, and you can teach her how to properly hold it (with a soft foam shoulder rest, they're only a few dollars), and how to clap, sing, and bow all the Suzuki Twinkle rhythms. Then she can play "duets" with Grandma! And then you can get her a real (1/16th size or 1/32nd size) violin. Suzuki teachers DO teach them that young, and you might even be able to find one, who, under the circumstances, will come to the house, maybe with a slightly older child (say, a four-year-old) who has already started lessons.

This is also where TV/videos/DVDs can be a good thing instead of a curse.

[Ursa Major]

Thanks everybody for your prayers and thoughts.

Alison, Zoey lives a four and a half hours drive away from me. With the little energy I've got, and the gas prices being so high, I won't be able to go and see her for another month. So, while your suggestions sound great, I can't do any of that.

Her parents also have just barely enough money to stay afloat right now and can't afford music lessons for a baby. She just turned two a week ago. And there is no way my husband would pay for it. Plus, it wouldn't be fair, because our oldest granddaughter, who is eight, would love music lessons, and her parents can't afford it. She should be first, because she cares about music lessons, while Zoey won't know what she misses.

But I am planning to send her a parcel with a bunch of my videos and DVDs that I still keep at my house for visiting grandchildren. She loves watching children's movies. I don't believe they watch tv (not hooked up, like ours), it is used only for watching movies. That way you know exactly what the kids are watching!

Drawing will be hard, as she can't sit. The cast will go to her waist, so she can only lie down until it comes off. That would be a challenge for anybody, but especially for somebody as young as her.

I am sure lots of people will read to her and play clapping games and other things she can do. They live in the same town as all her dad's family. They are Mennonites (modern ones) and are very family oriented. There are uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, aunties and an uncle (her dad's siblings) and two great-grandmothers who will visit and keep her entertained. Plus her Auntie Susie, my youngest daughter, lives with them, who will play with her after school.

While I was writing this response, my daughter called. They just got back from the hospital, and brought Zoey home.

Her cast is almost up to her nipples, and will be on her for at least four weeks. They couldn't determine 100% what the damage is. If it is broken, it is probably the growth plate. Which would be bad news, because her leg could end up being shorter.

That happened to Susie. Her left femur was broken by the dumb obstetrician who did the c-section on me (she was transverse and couldn't come out any other way). He pulled and twisted her leg so badly that he broke it. Susie now has to wear orthotics in her shoes, with one being higher than the other to make up for the difference.

It could also be that her connecting tissue was badly pulled. But because of her severe pain they believe that it is most likely broken.

When they do another x-ray in four weeks they will know for sure. Because if they then see calcium deposits (which always form around a break to brace it while it heals, which really takes a year), they'll know it is broken, and she will have to keep the cast for a while longer. If they don't see calcium deposits, they will take the cast off.

I talked to Zoey briefly, and she sounded quite cheerful. She is very glad to be home, she didn't like the hospital, and was afraid of the nurses (who obviously had no choice but to hurt her at times).

They put her into the office, which doubles as the guest room with a comfortable futon. The other grandparents have a small TV and a spare DVD player, which will be put into the office for Zoey to watch DVDs.

That way they don't have to move her from the couch in the living room to put her to bed upstairs and back down for naps and bedtime. She will stay in the office, where everybody can visit with her. And when she is tired, she can just go to sleep. That sounds like a perfect arrangement to me.

Her beloved Auntie Susie is on a youth church retreat this weekend. She will get quite the shock when she gets home in about an hour, seeing little Zoey in that big cast! She adores her little nieces and will likely cry when she sees her for the first time.

I know there are things a lot worse that can happen to children. She could have broken her back or her neck. Still, we don't like children hurt, of course. I only hope that her leg won't end up shorter, too.

[blueeyedmanda]

Prayers are being said for Zoey....poor girl. Could you send her care packages until you see her again Ursa?

[Ursa Major]

Prayers are being said for Zoey....poor girl. Could you send her care packages until you see her again Ursa?

Oh yes, that is exactly what I am planning on doing. This week I'll be sending the movies. Next week a sticker book and stickers (she LOVES stickers), the week after a new book......... you get the idea.

Plus, Zoey loves talking to me on the phone. When she isn't actually talking to me for real, she'll often pretend to talk to me on her toy phone, my daughter tells me.

Sometimes she will point at the phone, and say, "Oma?" And my daughter will have to call me so she can talk to me. It is very sweet.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Oh, I'm so sorry--I thought she lived in the same town as you.

I used to have playdates with a girl who was in a total body cast for a year (she had severe scoliosis). I would come to her house, and we would do Let's Pretend games, and board games, and drawing, etc. with me sitting at her bed. But she was much older--she was in 7th grade.

I'm so glad she has lots of caring family close by. And while 4 1/2 hours is far, it could have been much farther!

More prayers sent!

[ravenwoodglass]

I hope that she heals quickly. She will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[MELINE]

she is a lucky little girl cause she has so many people caring for her!!! I wish she gets well soon and after this she will be stronger than before. good luck to you all...

[Phyllis28]

Poor baby. I hope she gets well soon.

[jerseyangel]

Oh my gosh, Ursa--I'm just seeing this. It's been crazy here....

The poor little thing Who would have thought a fall like that could cause such a break? Freak accident, for sure. I'm glad to hear she's in good spirits and will say a prayer that she mends quickly and it won't be too hard on her.

I'm sure the "care packages" from Oma will bring a smile to her face

[kayavara]

A speedy recovery to Zoe.....it always breaks your heart when you can't help "fix" the hurt for your children/grandchildren.Sound like her loving family will be there for her and get her through this.Blessings to all.

[Cheri A]

Awww, poor Zoey! Prayers for her and your whole family. ((hugs))

[Ursa Major]

I called today, and talked to Zoey's dad. She had a good night, woke up only once at 3:00 AM, and my daughter went and slept with her on the futon for the rest of the night. She didn't need painkillers.

Today she's been watching movies, colouring and having books read to her. I talked to her, and she told me that she watched Dora today. I asked her if she would like me to send her a parcel with a movie about curious George, the funny monkey, and her 'yes' was quite emphatic on that one.

But then, when I talked to my son-in-law again, I heard her say, "Daddy, I go outside?" And he said, "Oops, I better go". I asked if it wasn't possible to bring her outside and have her lie on a lounge, and he said that right now it hurts her a lot to pick her up and move her.

So I agreed that he better go and distract her, and we said good-bye and hung up.

It sounds like she is doing okay, but unfortunately can't really be moved around too much until she heals a little and moving her won't hurt so much. Zoey is a real outdoors person, like her mom, and that is the hardest part. That now, that it is getting warm and nice outside, she can't go and play outside.

She also got a new swing set with attached slide (one of those cool wooden ones) as a joint gift for herself and her baby sister's birthdays from us, her other grandparents and her parents. She only got to slide on her new slide less than a week, due to rainy weather. And she just loves that slide. And of course, she knows it is out there in her backyard! Which isn't helpful. Sigh, poor baby.

At least she is a very patient, stoic little one in comparison to her little sister (who is ten months old). Sophia is either very, very happy or very, very sad. And there is nothing in between. A very highstrung baby who is upset very easily, the exact opposite from Zoey. They'd be in real trouble if it was Sophie who had broken her leg! Her dad said if Sophie would break her leg they would have to tie her down. With Zoey, he just needs to tell her, 'no, you need to lie still, it will hurt you if you move too much', and she stops.

[JNBunnie1]

I called today, and talked to Zoey's dad. She had a good night, woke up only once at 3:00 AM, and my daughter went and slept with her on the futon for the rest of the night. She didn't need painkillers.

Today she's been watching movies, colouring and having books read to her. I talked to her, and she told me that she watched Dora today. I asked her if she would like me to send her a parcel with a movie about curious George, the funny monkey, and her 'yes' was quite emphatic on that one.

But then, when I talked to my son-in-law again, I heard her say, "Daddy, I go outside?" And he said, "Oops, I better go". I asked if it wasn't possible to bring her outside and have her lie on a lounge, and he said that right now it hurts her a lot to pick her up and move her.

So I agreed that he better go and distract her, and we said good-bye and hung up.

It sounds like she is doing okay, but unfortunately can't really be moved around too much until she heals a little and moving her won't hurt so much. Zoey is a real outdoors person, like her mom, and that is the hardest part. That now, that it is getting warm and nice outside, she can't go and play outside.

She also got a new swing set with attached slide (one of those cool wooden ones) as a joint gift for herself and her baby sister's birthdays from us, her other grandparents and her parents. She only got to slide on her new slide less than a week, due to rainy weather. And she just loves that slide. And of course, she knows it is out there in her backyard! Which isn't helpful. Sigh, poor baby.

At least she is a very patient, stoic little one in comparison to her little sister (who is ten months old). Sophia is either very, very happy or very, very sad. And there is nothing in between. A very highstrung baby who is upset very easily, the exact opposite from Zoey. They'd be in real trouble if it was Sophie who had broken her leg! Her dad said if Sophie would break her leg they would have to tie her down. With Zoey, he just needs to tell her, 'no, you need to lie still, it will hurt you if you move too much', and she stops.

Oh, your poor sweet baby. I hope she gets better soon and gets to sit outside!