[Don't] Break A Leg, It's Good Luck
“Break A Leg!” they say. It means Good Luck.
Oh no no no please don’t ever break anything because the troubles and heartaches that come with it isn’t worth the while. Yet, young children are prone to injuries. Especially the active ones.
I was going back and forth about my decision to self-medicate Ewan with R.I.C.E [Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate] or order in an X-Ray to ensure there were no fractures. The swelling and bruising of his ankle could mean a Sprain, a Fracture or a Break! So what should we do as parents?
We deliberated between not making a mountain of a molehill and making a big deal out of it lest we regret not giving him the right medical treatment. The final decision was to order in an X-Ray when he couldn’t walk at all the next morning.
We could have known better but was blinded by, "He Can't Walk!" Usually in the mornings, these injured joints will be very much immobilised and stiff because they haven't been moved the entire night. If you give it a few more hours and move those joints, they will feel better.
I would like to take this opportunity to share what we had learnt from his mishap to equip parents better should similar incidents happen at home.
Our orthopaedic shared with us that children are less likely to get sprains because their growth plates are weaker than the muscles or tendons. Ewan yelped in pain when the doctor examined his ankle. Indeed, it was his growth plate that was injured and he was more concerned about it being a fracture than a sprain. We do not know how serious it was and so an X-Ray had to be in order.
When I got hold of the X-Ray film, I was in shock! While the empty spaces in between the bones are cartilages, I had thought they were broken! Daddy questioned my deduction because if it was broken like this, shouldn't he be crying in pain every minute? He wouldn't have been able to sleep through the night! That is true though because when he dislocated his arm or that time when he almost broke his collarbone in two, his reaction was totally different. The pain was unbearable and he couldn't stop crying.
Back to these cartilages, they will eventually fuse with the bones as our children grow up and that’s probably when sprains would surface. Different child has a different growth pattern too and this is Ewan’s. It’s akin to the fact that everyone reaches puberty at different ages. So does bone growth.
We couldn’t find any visible fractures from the X-Ray and an MRI was too big a cost to put down. In situations like these, fractures will show up after two weeks if bone shifts. Nonetheless, YAY to no broken bones! However, his doctor decided to err on the safe side and treated this as a fracture with a walking boot and kiddy crutch. If proper care is given, it will reduce the likelihood of uneven growth rate in his bone. No, we do not want him to face challenges in sports should his ankle be compromised by this episode because sports is life to him.
At the end of the day, an X-Ray can rule out or confirm a broken bone and the doctor can help to identify if the trauma involved is a ligament, muscle or bone. Even if it turns out to be a small deal, at least no regrets were made.
How Did Ewan End Up Like This?
A wrong move in Taekwondo Sparring class. Accidents happen and there’s no one to blame.
Is He In Pain?
Yes, at certain angles or when touched. However, his biggest agony is the fact that he has to lay off his badminton sessions, long-awaited Sports Day and time at the great outdoors. He couldn’t control his tears when he thought about all the sports he was going to miss.
Your grandma suggested you stayed home and not go to school since you have medical certificate. She was afraid you might show off your boot and being as active as you are, you will not be able to resist from running or kicking. What if you tripped and fell? I actually agreed with her.
Hmm... but I was also concerned about sheltering you too much from the realities of life!
Since I happen to have a Parent Support Group meeting the next morning and would be in school, I decided to let you go to school. At least, I am a stone's throw away. Should anything happen, I will be there.
You cannot imagine how worried I was when I watched you walk into the school gate on your own. I asked many times, do you need me to go in? Are you ok? Can you handle it? All you said was, "Ok. I can. My friend will help me." You bumped into your friend while going in and I thought he was going to help you up but he didn't! Apparently, you told him to get to his class and you will find your way up yourself. When I watched from afar, my heart ached as your lonely back went further away from me. Schoolbag on your back and crutches struggling to keep in sync. I immediately felt like a crappy mother for not being there.
Before I knew it, your teacher ClassDojoed me, "Ewan has arrived safely in class."
At that moment, I know I cannot always be there for my children and have to trust that you will cope even though you are only but 9.
After my meeting, I went to the library to help out during recess. That was when I bumped into three of your friends who updated me everything about you! They told me you were in class for recess and they are going right back up to keep you company. Such sweet children! They told me about a buddy being assigned to you and that nobody laughed at your odd-looking demeanour.
I was worried for you because you cried the night before not only about not being able to attend your Badminton CCA and Sports Day but also for the possibility that you will be laughed at, teased at and ridiculed. We spent the night sharing our experiences and assuring you that it may or may not happen. We went through scenarios on how you can handle the situation when it arises!
But you know what? You came out so strong and happy! I asked you if you had anything to worry about the night before and you replied a resounding No. While you lost a lot, I saw you gained a lot from this episode too. Your tears of worry turned into Confidence when you went into school on your own, Trust when your friends fought to help you, Kindness when you allowed your friends to step in, Resilience when you were discussed with your teacher a new role to take up for Sports Day and Courtesy when you told one of them politely not to tease you.
For everything bad that happen to us, let us all see the good it will bring.
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