There are those who walk on water, but few who can walk on ice.
Anyone who is a parent knows how the heart races when the phone rings at 2:30 a.m. It’s never, ever good news.
“Uh, mom, can you maybe come get me and take me to urgent care? I fell and hurt myself.”
Well, at least she was the one calling me, so I knew she was conscious. How fast do you think you can get out of bed, dressed, in the car, and to someone else’s house? Faster than you think.
Upon arriving, I was met by Daughter #2 and her boyfriend. Naturally, I had to ask why I was called out in the wee hours of the morning when the boyfriend was on site and had a car – turns out it was the boyfriend’s birthday and there had been a celebration during which the boyfriend had been drinking. Daughter #2 was the designated driver so wasn’t drinking [much], but still managed to fall on black ice in their own driveway, breaking her right wrist. At least the boyfriend realized it would not be wise to get behind the wheel of a car – hence the call to Mom.
JUST HANGING AROUND
At the emergency room, x-rays showed a “very, very bad break” (in the scientific terms used by the ER doctor.) An orthopedic surgeon was called in. After an hour or so of traction, the wrist was re-set as much as possible (big ouch!), a cast was applied, and surgery was scheduled for two days hence.
The day of surgery, we were to arrive at the hospital at 3:00 pm. I took the entire day as my regular day off, figuring I could sleep in a bit. Around noon, Daughter #2 got a call from the surgeon saying he was behind schedule and don’t go to the hospital until 4:45 pm.
At 6:00 pm, we were still in the pre-op area. The surgeon came out between procedures and asked if Daughter #2 preferred to stay or re-schedule for the next morning, as his next operation would take 3 hours. He said he didn’t mind doing her operation and that he was used to working that late, but it was up to her. Daughter #2 was already hooked up to IVs (naturally, it took more than one stick, the poor girl), and just wanted to get it over with.
The ambulatory surgery unit closes at 9:00 pm, but the nurse caring for Daughter #2 agreed to stay with her until she went into surgery. After surgery, she would be transferred to a regular hospital room upstairs.
Surgery started at 9:45 pm. I was directed to the surgical waiting room, where there was a huge airport-like screen showing the status of the various patients in the operating suites. Each name was color-coded for pre-op, surgery, recovery, discharge. The only problem was that since the ambulatory surgery unit closed at 9:00 pm, there was no one to update the board. I finally realized this fact after staring at that damn board for about half an hour and noticing that not one single patient had been moved – and I began to doubt that the guy who went into OR5 just ahead of Daughter #2 was still in there, even though the board clearly indicated that he was. (Was the surgeon doing two simultaneous surgeries? I didn’t think so.)
At midnight, the board finally refreshed – deleting all the current patient names and listing the names of patients scheduled for surgery the next day. Meanwhile, the lights in the waiting room would periodically be turned off, until someone realized there was family still in there.
It was well after midnight when the surgeon finally appeared to tell us all had gone well. We went sent upstairs to await my daughter’s transfer to her room.
On the way up, we were met by the anesthesiologist, who was searching for Daughter #2’s glasses. He said she was feeling dizzy despite the medications she had received, and he thought wearing her glasses would help. I must say I was impressed – how many doctors would go to the trouble of personally tracking down a patient’s eyeglasses – wouldn’t they just send a nurse or an aide?
Finally, Daughter #2 was brought in. Earlier in the evening, the surgeon had asked if she’d care to spend the night rather than go home after surgery, and she had refused because she has crappy insurance. But after surgery – perhaps because it was so late or perhaps because she was not recovering as quickly as desired – she was told that she was staying for observation until the next morning. I silently cheered – really, neither the boyfriend nor I were the best ones to take care of her during the first few hours after surgery. We would have done our best, but it’s not the same as having nurses who can run in and shoot those narcotics right into the IV line.
I finally went home at 1:30 am, once I was sure she was stable, and the boyfriend stayed until 2:30 am. She didn’t care that I left, but I understand she was a little upset when the boyfriend said he had to leave. (Listen up, mothers – there will come a time when your child will forsake you for another.)
When I returned the next morning, I was happy to find Daughter #2 sitting up in bed, watching TV and in good spirits. The boyfriend had arrived before I did. The discharge orders were written, and she was finally released early in the afternoon. Did she ask Mom to help her? Nope. The boyfriend did everything.
But that’s OK. Until this incident, I wasn’t sure about the strength of the relationship between Daughter #2 and her boyfriend. Now I’m confident that she has a good man who truly cares about her, and that she is willing to let down her guard and allow him to help her. (And trust me, while Daughter #2 was in x-ray two days earlier, the boyfriend and I had a chat of the sort to make any mother happy.)
The great Wrist Incident of 2016 has ended, and not a moment too soon. Daughter #3 is in the middle of closing on a new home, and old Mom is beginning to bend under all the stress.
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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com or notcordeliasmom@aol.com
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Top image by Jamie; second image by Cordelia’s Mom (who is probably going to get major grief for posting it)
Cordelia's Mom, Still 
Wow. She is lucky to have you nearby…close enough to answer that cry for help,CM. I/we all think about things like that, especially as our “kids” constantly change geographies. So glad it worked out for all. That early a.m. phone call…sets all our hearts into overdrive. ☺
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She’s less than a mile away, thank heavens. I can’t imagine if I would have had to catch a plane to get to her! Fortunately, all three of my kids are nearby.
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You are blessed in that one. 💕 It seems so rare these days.
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I’m glad to hear that she’s doing well. Hospitals and doctors shouldn’t even bother with schedules. I don’t think they know how they work.
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For sure. And my daughter was an “add on” so no matter what the proposed schedule was, she would be the last procedure of the day. I wish someone would have told us that ahead of time, we maybe could have planned a little better.
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Ouch! Sorry to hear about your daughter’s wrist. Wishing her speedy recovery! You can relax now, CM….she’s in good hands.(•ˇ‿ˇ•)
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Once she woke up fully, she was basically ok. She just needs to do everything with the left hand for awhile, but she can handle that. And the boyfriend, God bless him, put in for his vacation time so he can be there to help her.
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Aw, good for her. ≡(*′▽`)っ
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Bad break, but sounds like good boyfriend. Actually was there in the morning, doing stuff. Reassuring. I can’t remember how many middle of the night ER calls there have been through the years. Now, mostly, though, the granddaughter calls HER parents … but we are still the backup plan. It never stops scaring the crap out of me.
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Once a mother, always a mother. It’s was a little hard to distance myself and let the boyfriend take over, but it seemed to be the best way to go. At least now my mind is settled that they will be able, and willing, to take care of each other for a long time.
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Glad she is OK and has found a good guy.
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Thank you. I’m feeling much better about their relationship, although it’s too bad it took a medical emergency to bring that to light.
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Sometimes it’s the best way. At least you know he won’t let her down.
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Glad that all worked out OK for #2/ Sounds like boyfriend is hanging in there.
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The boyfriend is the most patient man in the world. He knows she’s a little scared because she’s the one who lost her first boyfriend to cancer. I’m confident they’ll make it.
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You are such a good mom. That is a pretty good relationship test. Next is to go to IKEA and put together an item of furniture. If they survive THAT they are meant to be together. I hope the wrist heals up nicely. 🙂
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Actually, Victo, they’ve already done the “assemble your own furniture.” He even let her repaint and redecorate the house so it no longer looks like a man-cave. And his dog has accepted her. All good so far.
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There you go! Woohoo!
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Although this is such a dreadful story, broken bones, testing of patience, I find as a parent, this post pleases me. What a smart pair. Sounds like a good match.
I have to disagree about one thing though — I still, at my age, want my mother when I’m badly sick or in pain. It galls my husband, who tries his best, but I was a sick kid, and when my mother tells me I will be okay, I believe her. I try to believe him, but I still want my mommy 😛
MY mother lives over a thousand miles away. *sigh*
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It all depends on the kid. My other two would ask for Mom first. But for some reason, this particular daughter feels she needs to be strong for Mom, so when she’s hurting, she wants her boyfriend instead. I guess she can show her vulnerable side only to him.
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Kinda precious 🙂
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The picture of traction made me wince. Oh man, CM, good thing I have a strong stomach. Glad to hear all turned out even if you had to wait such a long time which to me, is the worst … sitting there not knowing. I would have made inquiries as to what was taking so long. The doctor who looked for your daughter’s glasses gives me HOPE. Please send my best regards to your daughter and tell her I really wish her a speedy recovery. As for you, please take care of you!!! (((HUGS))) ❤
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There was really no need to ask questions, Amy, because the surgical staff kept us posted on a regular basis. The ORs were just all backed up that day for some reason, and it wasn’t just my daughter’s doctor. Another patient had been there since noon and finally got into surgery at 8:30 pm, and he had a different doctor. All we could do was sit and wait.
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Not an easy place to be …..
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Glad they were responsible enough to call you rather than drive!!! Could’ve been an even worse call! Good luck!
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That’s one more plus in the boyfriend’s favor – he knew he was over the legal limit and didn’t want to risk it.
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I wish my daughter was that close. She is 1600 miles away.
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Bummer. I just happened to luck out because my girls were all able to find decent jobs close to home, and met their significant others here. I understand now how my mother felt when I moved 500 miles away. She cried when I got on the plane, and my mother was never one to cry.
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CM, you are a super terrific mom. I want to be like you.
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That’s so sweet! Thanks.
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Me too! Me too! I want to be a Mom just like CM!
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😕 😯 I think you need more medication – or less.
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Bwahaha! As I tell them at the hospital : More please.Please sir may I have more?
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But then you wouldn’t be you, and we like you just the way you are.
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Awww shucks, you are so kind to me. 🙂
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Sounds like Cordelia’s mum is a fantastic mum. She is very lucky to have someone like you, and extremely lucky to have someone like her boyfriend. To have the intelligence not to drive shows they are responsible and won’t do something (overly) stupid.
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Making that rational decision while already under the influence definitely made me think highly of the boyfriend, and I already liked him. He also seems to be able to talk sense into my somewhat stubborn daughter, which is not always an easy thing to do.
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Huge plusses all round then. Sounds like she has the perfect one there 🙂
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I am glad she is ok, I am glad he didn’t try to drive, and I am glad you are such a great mom that went to the rescue! 🙂
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Thanks, Jason. Lord knows I try.
PS: Your human side is showing – do you really want that? 🙂
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Big Ouchie there. Great you are so close and can provide backup if needed. There’s a lot of shuffling that goes on around ORs and staffing. Sounds like the doc was looking out for your daughter.Hoping for a speedy recovery
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That particular hospital is especially good for planned procedures and for admissions. I was there for 10 days when my colitis flared up. The nurses and doctors there are wonderful. However, it’s not a hospital you want to go to for a serious emergency – broken bones are OK, but if you’re suffering a heart attack or stroke or something, you’re better off driving to one of the other local hospitals.
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