My son nearly broke his ankle

CaryH · ‎05-02-2010

Good Morning everyone.

On Tuesday, my son (he's 17) was trying to go up the steps outside to come inside after school. Well he said he was most likely going up too fast and tripped on a step. (It all happened so fast)

He fell down the steps onto the stone landing below. It was about 7 steps he fell down.

It didn't look or feel broke so I had him do the RICE method (rest, ice, compression & elevation). It felt better but definitely not good the next day. He was able to walk our dog though but only slowly and not for a long distance.

I had him stay home for 2 days but last night right after work I took him to the Urgent Care facility because he said the pain was searing. Yikes!

He was x-rayed and we found out it was NOT broken however it was VERY BADLY sprained. No torns either but the doctor said that with this kind of injury the pain is very often worse than if it had just broken.

So he's home again today from school and he needs to keep the ankle wrapped and they gave him a splint he needs to wear for at least 7-10 days.

My main concern is that when he goes back to school on Monday. His school is 3 stories and his classes are very spread out. I am hoping that the paperwork the Dr. gave us will be enough to show the school and they will allow my son to use the elevator (he has classes on all 3 floors). And if the pain does not subside enough to also allow him to leave a few minutes early from class to get to the next one before the massive crowds enter the hallways.

He's not on crutches and with the splint he can't wear his sneakers. He'll have to wear his sandals or go barefoot (of which I already told him no). I'm worried that he will get bumped and make the pain worse.

I've been long winded and I am sorry, I'm just worried about him.

If you could just say a quick prayer for him I would appreciate it. And maybe for me too so I don't worry myself crazy over this.

Hope you all have a nice weekend!

CAH

Chrystaltree2 · ‎12-08-2014

Is this the first time your 17 year old ever had a boo boo? You are making something out of nothing. If they didn't give him crutches or cane and nothing was or sprained, he just has a sore ankle. They must have prescribed something for pain. If not you can get some Motrin. First, find out if feels he needs some accommodations from the school. That's his call to make, he's not a child. If he needs help, call the school nurse and explain his situation. I work for hospital, the ED report clearly states what he should avoid, things like stairs. He should take that to the nurse and the school will takeover it from there. Don't make something out of nothing.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Thank you for the RICE method, will have to remember that. Good luck to your son!

violann · ‎03-10-2010

@CaryH- As the old saying goes, "Little people, little problems, Big people, big problems".

Having raised two active boys, AND been a HS teacher, it has been MY experience that the best goal for this age group is to miss as little school as possible, and when there's ANY question about an injury, get it professionally diagnosed as quickly as possible.

Your son will have missed 3 days of school, and if he started at the beginning of September, that's already a problem for him.

He hurt his foot on Tuesday, but walked the dog afterward. Assuming that you are not a medical professional, there were immediate indications that the injury was OR was not serious.

Continuing, he was able to go to work, but not to school. If he had been seen in a medical setting on Wednesday, it is within reason that he could have been in school Thursday, and definitely today.

If the school has an elevator, there should be no question that he could use the elevator, and if you have that concern, you can contact his guidance counselor or the school health office.

You sound like a concerned and attentive parent. I have always heard of sprains referred to as more painful than broken bones, but being at home may not be the distraction from his discomfort that will help him get over it faster.

My sons went through broken thumbs, broken ribs, and most of the other HS boys' health issues, and the goal of getting back to school was always the most important.

I will be glad to offer a prayer that your son returns to good health, and that you are spared needless worry. He's your baby, Mom, but he's also very nearly an adult. Be sure you encourage him to assume adult responsibilities and think of solutions to problems on his own. Some day soon, he'll be thanking you for doing so!

CaryH · ‎05-02-2010

@violann wrote:
@CaryH- As the old saying goes, "Little people, little problems, Big people, big problems".

Having raised two active boys, AND been a HS teacher, it has been MY experience that the best goal for this age group is to miss as little school as possible, and when there's ANY question about an injury, get it professionally diagnosed as quickly as possible.

Your son will have missed 3 days of school, and if he started at the beginning of September, that's already a problem for him.

He hurt his foot on Tuesday, but walked the dog afterward. Assuming that you are not a medical professional, there were immediate indications that the injury was OR was not serious.

Continuing, he was able to go to work, but not to school. If he had been seen in a medical setting on Wednesday, it is within reason that he could have been in school Thursday, and definitely today.

If the school has an elevator, there should be no question that he could use the elevator, and if you have that concern, you can contact his guidance counselor or the school health office.

You sound like a concerned and attentive parent. I have always heard of sprains referred to as more painful than broken bones, but being at home may not be the distraction from his discomfort that will help him get over it faster.

My sons went through broken thumbs, broken ribs, and most of the other HS boys' health issues, and the goal of getting back to school was always the most important.

I will be glad to offer a prayer that your son returns to good health, and that you are spared needless worry. He's your baby, Mom, but he's also very nearly an adult. Be sure you encourage him to assume adult responsibilities and think of solutions to problems on his own. Some day soon, he'll be thanking you for doing so!

I guess I should have been more clear I just didn't want to go on and on and on.

one of my neighbors is a nurse and she came over to look at his ankle on Wednesday morning. She saw no signs of breakage so she wrapped it. That compression helped him enough to the point that he could walk the dog.

My son does not work. I took him to the Urgent Care after I got home from work. And the doctor agreed that he should have stayed home as well for these days so I'm not concerned about him missing school.

His school assignments are all online and he's been in conatct with all his teachers as well via email and two of them on a Skype call. His school is pretty high tech in that regard. He hasn't missed an assignment.

And my son does not drive so unless he called an ambulance (which would have only taken him to the ER), then he had to wait on me. He called me right afterward and I told him I would come right home but he said no. I see this as a learning experience for him. He said no so he has to deal with the consequences (the pain).

I feel like your response is basically shaming me for not having him right back in school. While education is important to me my son is MORE important then missing a few days. I take his wishes into consideration because he is almost a legal adult but I know my son and you don't.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

@CaryH- Glad to give you the chance to vent.

If you thought I was "shaming", an accusation I know is VERY TRENDY right now, you need to know that I wouldn't waste my time.

Hope you and your son figure it all out.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

@CaryH,

Wonder if you call the school if they can help you figure a plan out. I'm sure as a mom you are concerned. Hope you both are doing better today and the leg/foot area is healing. I never had to go through that, thank heavens. Best of luck and both of you take care.

Qgirl26 · ‎03-20-2010

CaryH, my heart goes out to you. I have 3 adult children now and no matter how old they were when they got hurt, I think it really did hurt me as much as them. I worried, it's what I do and it sounds like you are a lot like me in that respect. My children, with the exception of my middle child who is autistic, have grown up to become extremely independent adults and so my worrying or fussing over them did not hinder them in any way just as yours won't. I'd have kept them home too under the same circumstances you did and my children did not miss much school at all. But sometimes it is necessary and since the doctor thought so, you were right to listen. Perhaps they felt he needed to stay off that foot for a few days? Anyway, you have the paperwork to show he has this injury and I see no reason they shouldn't let him use the elevator. Try not to worry, he will do fine and this will be just a memory before you know it. Let him handle as much as he can without you as he is almost an adult but let him know you are there for backup if needed. But he will be fine! Monday is still a few days away so he might be feeling loads better by then. I will say prayers for both of you. I know it feels like a very big problem but he will probably come home on Monday with no problems and you will see you worried for nothing.

itsmagic · ‎08-08-2011

@CaryH My adult daughter kind of did the same thing a couple years ago but tripped going down a few steps. At first the family doctor said it was just sprained but after a couple weeks of not getting better they sent her to a specialist and she actually had torn a ligament. She ended up having to go to physical therapy to help it heal. It ended up being a long ordeal. So I sympathize with what he is going through and hope he has a quick recovery.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Several months ago my trucker daughter sustained a crushing injury to her foot. The radiologist saw no broken bones, so the ER physician diagnosed it as a severe sprain, and sent her home on crutches. Over the next few days, the foot continued to swell and show the full extent of bruising. By the end of week one, her entire foot; top and bottom was red and purple, and no way could she bear any weight on it. For two weeks, she stayed on her bed with the foot wrapped and elevated. After the second round of X-rays, the doctor referred to it as a stress fracture. Ultimately, my daughter took FMLA, and missed 10 weeks of work. There is permanent damage to her foot, and after 8 months it is still a little swollen and tender, but she is able to do her job, and is back on the road doing west coast runs.

Based on what you've written, your son will likely experience pain, swelling, and general discomfort for several months yet. As a parent, I would question whether a full day at school is the best thing for him, since this foot is going to swell and cause great discomfort with that much movement. The school can make accommodations for your son, but you can also go thru the county office to see if homebound instruction is available for your son temporarily. My teacher daughter has done homebound instruction for many students, for many reasons, including illness and injury.

Best wishes.