Continuing from our last post. I’m now chuckling as I ask myself, how are we surviving? By the Grace of God!!!

Our grandsons spent last summer with us, written about here. I’m not sure, but I don’t think I included how the boys wonderful summer ended.

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Both boys are healthy, active, and are very typical BOYS. They love activity, anything outdoors, running, bike riding, roller skating, playing in the sand at the beach and riding the waves! And they have the need for speed….But none of that had anything to do with either injury. I will say, we were toughened up when Bryce cut a slice near his eye last summer. But oh, deja vu when on…..

July 7, 2020 our oldest grandson took his first trip to an Emergency Room. Surprisingly, Colin had very little pain after the initial fall. UNTIL I had to get him in his car seat and buckled in! OUCH he was screaming! I felt like calling 911 – but he said NO. He’d be ok so he did settle down. He didn’t understand how cool it would have been to ride in an ambulance – I think he just didn’t want to have to get out of the car after we struggled getting him in.

Thankfully, the wait was minimal to be seen upon arrival at the ER. This was my 3rd or 4th visit to this ER this year! I had to take Bill there two or three times (details here) and then once to take our grand niece while she was visiting us in June! EACH time, I was so impressed and thankful. The staff is second to none!!! Anyway, the diagnosis indicated surgery was needed to repair the broken bone(s). And as soon as possible. We had a HUGE decision to make. His parents and Healthcare medical staff were in Virginia. IF there had been a pediatric orthopedic surgeon in the area, he would have had surgery that day! The closest one was in Charleston, only 60 miles away. So close, yet so far. It can take two hours to make the drive! The ER doctor recommended taking him home as he would need follow up visits, so it just seemed to make sense. I had both parents on the phone in a conference call while the doctor filled us in. All agreed…..

By the time we left the ER, it was dinner time and we all were so stressed/exhausted. We went home, ate dinner, packed and prepared the boys for the six hour drive the next morning.

July 8, 2020. 🎼On the road again!🎶Once we sold our motorhome and settled in Myrtle Beach, we hoped to still do some traveling – to great hiking areas as our quest continues for the EPIC hike! We never imagined this trip would be one of our “road trips.” Not to mention, traveling during the pandemic (how many road trips since it began in March? Let me count the ways….). I’m sure I am not alone in saying it is a bit unnerving traveling from state to state. While things seem somewhat settled down, who knows when another mandate would come down – one where people from Myrtle Beach (or South Caroline) were not welcome in another state! Our numbers spiked again….Thanking God, we had no problems and the boys traveled very well – excited to see their parents mainly!

July 9, 2020. We took Colin to see the pediatric orthopedic doctor recommended by his health care plan. Wouldn’t you know, he agree, he needed surgery ASAP but he also needed a specialist!!! There was too much at stake in a young elbow – growth plates for example. He needed someone with a lot of experience. So off we were to another ER as that was the best way to get the needed surgery ASAP.

Bill dropped Colin and I off at the ER at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. Our daughter’s office wasn’t too far away. We decided she should finish her day at work as it would take a while to go through the process….and it did! We were left hanging whether he would have surgery that afternoon or early evening. Had they mentioned he needed a COVID test and the results take 3 hours, we would have figured it out. Poor guy was starving – but no food “just in case.” I couldn’t wait for his mom to arrive – it was hard to soothe a very hungry guy now “stuck” in bed literally. They had an IV going!

At 7 pm, he had the test and THEN was allowed to eat. Of course, the hospital cafeteria was closed so his mom had to find a place to get him dinner. And you probably have figured out, I wasn’t allowed to stay. Only one person per patient. As far as Colin was concerned, it was one of his best nights – after he ate! He could watch unlimited Disney movies and just lay in bed with his mom at his side!

July 10, 2020. We were impressed with the medical staff – and the overall experience (other than letting him nearly starve the day/night before). The surgery in the morning was successful and the prognosis good. He was released early evening. Again, he was so hungry as he had not eaten since dinner the night before. What sounded good? We said he could have whatever he wanted. Chipotle!!! There are many nearby. His mom ordered it so all we had to do was pick it up. He was feeling no pain and his appetite was good. And was I ever praying he’d sleep comfortably all night. HE did!!! Wow, all I could do was praise and thank Jesus as we had a HUGE prayer warrior army pleading with God for no pain!

July 21, 2020. There was good and bad news came 10 days later at his next appointment. The x-ray showed the surgery was a success and prognosis was good. BUT Colin had to continue to stop all things fun for him until his elbow was completely healed. Initially, we thought it would be four weeks…..but every doctor we saw declined to give a specific time. Now we had a date by the specialist, September 11, two months after the surgery. As he and his brother like to say, “that will take forever.” They seem to say that a lot! And sadly, it has limited the fun for his brother as well. It’s so hard for his younger brother to go off and have fun when he has to stay at home. His brother decided to stay at home with him. What a sweet heart!

In the meantime, after the surgery and until the July 21 doctor appointment,  we learned their school would not open its doors – but would be virtual for the first nine weeks. School was to start August 17. But we now know, that was a joke. We had no faith in the local school system. Only in the Lord, so we let Him direct us as best we could. Since both parents worked, they would be in day care all day – and now the day care facilities took the stance, they were not being paid enough to supervise or oversea the children’s “virtual” training. And that’s fair!

We decided to get them enrolled in a local private school – only to learn we were too late. All the private schools were booked up. The residents of Virginia figured it out before we gave it thought and filled them up. We then learned at least the elementary schools in our county in Myrtle Beach planned to open! But being the skeptics we are, we decided to look into private schools.

Long story short, we were led to get them enrolled in a private school near our home. It was VERY hard for their parents to let the boys go, but we all felt there was no choice. We brought the boys back to Myrtle Beach with us. The private schools had a hard date to start while the public schools were still being left with lots of uncertainty. As it turned out, the public schools opened to those who wanted to attend in person – but those who still wanted to be sheltered in, could attend virtually. It was still a bit chaotic here – but the private school we selected KNEW that children need in class instruction. We were very impressed upon our “tour.”

Our final obstacle was getting the cast off and the pins removed August 11, 2020. Long story short (I seem to say that a lot), it was decided Colin and I would fly back to Washington DC to take care of this. His mom works in DC so she could easily pick us up, we’d spend the night and then drop us back off the next morning and repeat. It was great for Colin to have some time with his parents. And since I LOVE Washington, DC (I worked there for seven months), I hoped to get in some kind of tour. Our tour is up next!

The cast came off and the pins were removed on August, 11, 2020. Initially, I understood the surgeon to say he will still have to avoid all such fun activities for another four weeks. YIKES! That will be impossible as the heavy cast does remind him he has to be careful. We are really struggling to keep him from literally running wild (no running lest he fall) and not accidentally hurting anyone with the cast.

The doctor said one of the best forms of rehab would be swimming. BUT low waves at the beach. And not to lift himself in or out of the pool. Use stairs. Fortunately, we found a work around to get our grandsons back into our pool, since they now technically lived with us. We have a big “steps” area to get in and out of the pool. And the YMCA signed them up to start their lessons on September 12 – to do swim lessons, they have to lift themselves out of the pool. BONUS – he’d no longer have constraints!!!

Colin has been a champion! His little brother very caring and helpful. Perhaps he remembered all the kindness shown him from his injury last summer. Things have tended to work out for now – which is actually one of God’s important promises:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28