Life's Curveballs

Wow, just when you think you have life figured out something happens that changes everything. I had this experience on Sunday. I've been feeling like this baby is going to come anytime and so we've been doing our best to be prepared for her. One thing was I wanted to keep Addie home from nursery on Sunday, keep her on her own schedule and make sure she doesn't catch any germs from the kids. So Shawn was getting ready to leave to go to church and I was getting ready to put Addie down for a nap. I picked her up and we started walking to her room when I tripped over one of her toys. I crumpled to the ground. As I fell I pulled Addie close to protect her but she still smacked her head on the wall. And as I was falling I felt a pop in my foot. Now dazed I grabbed my screaming toddler close to comfort her. I think it really scared her more than anything. Shawn rushed over to take Addie from me and as he did, I looked up at him and said, "I think I broke my foot." Addie wanted nothing to do with Shawn. She just wanted me to hold her. I comforted her and then she kept asking to go to bed. Looking back we probably shouldn't have put her down so soon but she was so tired already and that's where we were going when I fell. We put her in bed and then I came and sat on the couch. I looked at my foot and there was a big bulge on the side. It was already swelling. At this point, I started bawling. The combination of my foot hurting, smacking my toddler into the wall and just scaring myself with what had happened was a little overwhelming and I was very emotional.  I sat down for a minute and then decided that we needed to go to the emergency room. I was feeling Raemee move but I still was nervous since I kind of fell on my stomach.

My wonderful brother came over to keep an eye on Addie while we headed in.  It took me forever to get to the car and then to get from the car to the ER. Walking while 38 weeks pregnant is difficult enough but you add to that limping on a sore foot and it looks utterly ridiculous. I got checked in and got some X-rays taken. Then we headed up to Labor and Delivery to check on the baby while we waited for radiology to check the X-ray. Before we made it up to L&D, the ER doc said that my X-ray looked good and that when I was done at L&D to come back down and get some instructions on how to deal with torn ligaments. We got into the triage room at L&D and I got hooked up to the monitors and we started the NST (non stress test). After being monitored for 20 minutes the nurse came in and said everything looked good but that the ER had called and said I was not to walk on my foot at all and something about a cast. Shawn and I looked at each other with looks of dread. I just had gotten used to the idea that I didn't brake a bone and now I'm learning differently.

We head back down to the ER and get put in a room. One of the ER nurses comes by and tells us that I won't be having a cast but I'll be getting a walking boot. She said that they wanted to cast me but that she advocated for me. She said there was no way that I could do a cast with crutches for 8 weeks while this pregnant and then with a newborn baby. Did I mention she was about 25 weeks pregnant?!? I am so so glad I had a pregnant nurse that understands how it is and made sure that I didn't get a cast. I got the walking boot and then was told to follow up with a foot doctor ASAP. Man you should have seen the pitiful looks I got as I walked out of the ER in a boot at 38 weeks pregnant. I felt so dumb. 

That night was really rough. I couldn't sleep, couldn't take any pain meds and just felt off. It was not fun at all. I did get an amazing blessing and knew that things would be ok and felt better. I got up the next day and was a little overwhelmed because I was on my own taking care of Addie and I can barely get around. Addie did so great. I couldn't carry her at all but she was very cooperative and just was amazing. The day went fairly smooth. I was able to make an appointment with the foot doctor for the afternoon so Shawn came home early and we packed up to go see the doctor and get more instructions and a better idea of what was going on.

We met with Dr Phillips and he was so great. He looked at my X-rays and said the I definitely didn't need to get a cast. He said it should heal just fine with the boot. I have to go back in within the next week to get more X-rays and make sure the bone hasn't separated. As long as it hasn't I'm good. I have to wear the boot for the next 6 weeks which is going to be very interesting. He also said that I can't drive or do too much housework I really need to stay off my feet as much as possible. 

But we are really lucky. I feel very blessed that Raemee and Addie are perfectly fine and that my foot isn't broken too bad and that I won't have to have surgery or even wear a true cast. This morning was my low point. I woke up in so much pain. The normal aches and pain that you feel during the last few weeks of pregnancy are magnified with the boot and limping. The limping makes my hips hurt so incredibly bad. I also realized that there is so much that I just can't do. I feel so useless. I can't do what I usually do with Addie which is frustrating as a mom. I know this is super temporary but it still is hard. And soon I will have a new born and I'm afraid that I won't be able to take care of my baby. I went through this with Addie and it was difficult. I never thought I would be going through it again on a smaller scale and for a much different reason. But I feel like history is repeating itself.  I'm hoping that once the baby is born the broken foot will be easier to deal with because I won't be pregnant. But I know it will have its own set of challenges to be hobbling around with a newborn. I know I can do it and I know my family will survive. I just need to look at this trial and find the good that will come of it. A few that I've been able to think of is I'll have plenty of time to snuggle my newborn without the distractions of cleaning etc. I can't clean so I might as well not stress about it. It will bring my family closer together. I can't leave the house much which means lots and lots of family time. And I'll get really close to family and friends as I'll need more help than usual. I'll be able to see how many are so willing to take time out of their busy lives to help us out. I've already had so many offers and feel so blessed because of the generosity of those around us. We are so lucky. So I guess when life throws you curveballs, swing for the fence and love every minute of it!