We are learning together in this new experience and we can use any adive on helping a convalescing child.
If you follow Five J's on facebook you probably already know this, but my 11-year-old daughter, Jerah, fractured her femur this last Saturday in a judo tournament. She had surgery later that day during which the surgeon placed a titanium rod in her femur. Thankfully, none of her growth plates were injured and she's expected to be able to recover completely, and the injury shouldn't affect her ability to grow normally. She's still in the hospital as I write this, sleeping soundly in her bed.
Due to the severity of the fracture (the doctor actually described her femur as 'blown apart' and 'exploded'), she will be confined to a wheelchair for the next six weeks. Thankfully we have a one-story house, but we've never had to deal with anything like this before, so it'll be a huge learning experience.
She will have her wheelchair as her primary means of locomotion, but she'll also have a walker and crutches for transfers (although right now she hates the crutches). We're going to have to figure out how to help her accomplish everyday activities like dressing, bathing, etc. so if you have any advice in this area, I'd love to hear it.
I am sure others deal with this kind of thing everyday but it is new to us. We could really use your advice on helping our convalescing child.
Thank you in advance!
As far as bathing, I would get a plastic chair for the tub/shower with rubber on the bottom of the feet. Dressing I would find very simple clothes that are comfortable.
For mental, I would put together craft buckets. A craft per bucket that you pull out. Some activity to take her mind off the doldrums of being physically captive to her injury. Clay (sculpey clay although not natural, has such pretty colors and she could create). Does she like to knit like you? If so, she could get a project going, if not and she's interested you could teach her. Intricate coloring pages, new and unusual books, planting seeds and caring for them in preparation for when she is up and about again and can plant them in the earth…
I hope that's at least a few ideas. I hope she's resting well and healing quickly.
Hi, my name is Kandi. Growing up I spent most of my time in the hospital or confined to the house. One thing both my parents and my big sister, as well as others, learned from me was if I said I could do something myself, they needed to stand back and let me try. I may not accomplish a task, for example, getting dressed, the way they would have helped me, but I got it done in a way that caused me the least amount of pain and discomfort.
I am not telling you not to help but to listen to her, she will let you know when she really needs help. Sometimes you might feel like she is needing to much help but rest assure she is more than likely just trying to keep you from feeling helpless for not being able to take her pain and discomfort away, since most kids, myself included, think mom and dad can do this.
Keep her entertained by encouraging her to figure out new things she can do while she is recovering from her injury and surgery. Her body has been through something it was not prepard for so it is not going to respond the way she might want. Also prepare her, gently, for the possibility that it might take longer than originally thought for her to get back to where she was before the injury. Remind her that she will be able, eventually, to go back to the activity she was doing when she got injured. She will be afraid of getting hurt again.
And number one and most important, have her doctor always talk with her and tell her the whole truth, as though she were an adult. After all, it is her leg he is talking about. You will be surprised at how much better she will feel after having a talk with her doctor.
So it helps, I am 43 and have had right at 100 operations, so I have spent alot of time recuperating.
Hope this helps.
Hi, I am a home health social worker and I think you should ask for home health. They can have a physical therapist come to your home and show her and you some hints for transfers, bathing and other activities of daily living. I hope she heals fast. Blessings, melody
Just one bit of advice. When I broke my ankle, having a wheeled office chair was a huge help in getting around my room. It is much more maneuverable than a wheel chair. It won't be useful at first, but later, as the leg heals, she might be able to sit in that and push herself around. I had a broken ankle, not femur, so I knelt on the chair with my injured leg, and pushed with the other, and it felt so good to be upright without crutches.
oh my goodness. i am living that type of nightmare, too. i am so sorry about your daughter's pain! ((hugs and prayers))
my son had surgery on his leg the morning after his break–on valentine's day. lovely, huh? he is also in a wheelchair and refuses to use his walker for fear of reinjuring himself.
what i've learned so far..
brushing teeth: cup and brush; no need to stand at sink.
washing hair: propped up outside the tub, sitting on a stepstool, leg supported by cushion or stool, leg wrapped in trash bag to prevent cast from getting wet, head leaned backwards-inside tub for washing.
washing body: damp wash cloth with soap, then dry wash cloth; outside tub.
dressing: provide privacy-either have others leave or move her to another room. offer something big that can drape over her easily. then, as she grows more comfortable, try other things.
er, uh, toilet business: step stool or something of the like to support her leg and keep it up. i have to carry my son in and out. make sure she feels stable before leaving. the cast throws of the center of balance so much it can be unnerving.
mind and spirit: lots of tlc, mind occupying things. and funny, lol-shows.
thats all i can think of at the moment. i feel for you, your daughter, and family so much.
your daughter will heal, she has a strong family by her side!
with love, hugs, and prayers,
melinda
I broke my leg in a car accident several years ago and could not bear weight on it for 3 months. The biggest problem I faced was being bored. I couldnt get outside alone, take a walk, etc. You can only watch so much TV (if you allow that). Keep her brain busy with school work, logic puzzles, reading books, etc. You also can get some physical activity in through use of small hand weights (or canned goods). Also, sitting in the wheelchair and doing leg lifts with the unbroken leg. This will strengthen it for when she is ready to transition to the walker or crutches. I agree with getting home health involved for a least a week or two. They can show you several things: the best way to transfer from bed to chair and back, getting her set up in the tub/bathroom, also exercises she can do to keep her muscles from atrophying. This can happen very quickly. Also, dont be afraid to ask others around you for help.(You especially Mom! 🙂 ) This is going to be trying for everyone. Prayers and good luck.
Joy,
I have no experience on that area, but I want you to know that you can count with my prayers. I hope your princess will recover soon and that you all may find joy & peace in all this. Good luck!