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Bad Luck

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Well, this is a major bummer.  It turns out Grandpa broke his leg.

Saturday was the big day to get him moved into a little cottage near us, and when he was getting out of the moving truck, he stepped down kind of hard on his right leg, due to it being a big step down.  And he fractured his leg!  He didn't even fall down.  I tell you old people's bones are like egg shells.

Immediately, he said he was unable to walk.   After much debate standing out in the front of our house–should we call the paramedics?  Was it just a strain?  Had he torn a ligament?  I ran in and got one of my dining room chairs, which Grandpa sat down in, right there in the front yard, claiming he would just sit out there all night because he couldn't walk.  Somehow my husband and I got him into our house (with the help of my sewing chair, which has wheels!).  He said his leg hurt, but didn't seem in real pain, so we put an ice pack on his leg and gave him ibuprofen.  He just would not try to walk.  My husband and I got him into bed for the night but none of us got much sleep.  Sunday was Easter and even though we tried to talk him into going to Urgent Care, he didn't want to due to it being a holiday.  The swelling was down and the pain was better, but he still said he couldn't walk. 

So, first thing Monday morning, we put him in the car (don't ask how that went), and drove him to his doctor.  After xrays, the doctor announced that Grandpa had fractured his femur.  What a shock that was!  I have heard of that happening to other people.  One family I knew had a kid fall at the playground, and went for a couple of days at home with a broken bone that no one diagnosed.  I always thought that would be impossible to not know!  But there you are, it happened to us.

So, he is having surgery on the leg today, which involes putting a pin or a plate or something in, and then will be in a skilled nursing center for six to eight weeks.

He never even got to set foot into his new house!  I told him this was a desperate attempt to get out of doing all the unpacking.

68 responses to “Bad Luck”

  1. I will be thinking about you all. It is so hard to know the right thing to do when it comes to an injury. I think older people are used to ‘bucking it up’ and not complaining so it is hard to tell when they are seriously hurt or not. And even with younger people… a friend of my son’s played half a basketball game in high school with a stress fracture in his foot. Good luck with surgery and recovery.

  2. I will be thinking about you all. It is so hard to know the right thing to do when it comes to an injury. I think older people are used to ‘bucking it up’ and not complaining so it is hard to tell when they are seriously hurt or not. And even with younger people… a friend of my son’s played half a basketball game in high school with a stress fracture in his foot. Good luck with surgery and recovery.

  3. Oh, I’m so sorry to hear it’s a broken femur. Grandpa was right – he couldn’t walk. Wishing him well in surgery and recovery. Bummer to the max!
    A childhood friend’s father was a surgeon and when her little sister fell and complained her leg hurt, he told her she was fine. It was 3 days before her mother took the little girl to her pediatrician because it still hurt. Yep, it was broken and her Daddy had a lot of explaining to do!
    The danger in being tough and carrying on despite a broken bone is that the bone can get out of alignment and then there is a lot of bother and pain getting it back in alignment before it starts to heal. BTW, normally, a broken bone doesn’t start to heal for 10 days and that information is from an orthopedic surgeon.
    You have time to unpack for Grandpa and even plant some flower or veggie seeds so he’ll have flowers or veggies to enjoy when he finally comes home.
    Wishing each of you well!
    Hugs!

  4. Oh, I’m so sorry to hear it’s a broken femur. Grandpa was right – he couldn’t walk. Wishing him well in surgery and recovery. Bummer to the max!
    A childhood friend’s father was a surgeon and when her little sister fell and complained her leg hurt, he told her she was fine. It was 3 days before her mother took the little girl to her pediatrician because it still hurt. Yep, it was broken and her Daddy had a lot of explaining to do!
    The danger in being tough and carrying on despite a broken bone is that the bone can get out of alignment and then there is a lot of bother and pain getting it back in alignment before it starts to heal. BTW, normally, a broken bone doesn’t start to heal for 10 days and that information is from an orthopedic surgeon.
    You have time to unpack for Grandpa and even plant some flower or veggie seeds so he’ll have flowers or veggies to enjoy when he finally comes home.
    Wishing each of you well!
    Hugs!

  9. Oh No! Please wish grandpa a speedy recovery. Actually a broken bone will heal better than if he’s done something horrible to his ligaments – if he’s in a skilled nursing centre he’ll get great care and all the physio he needs, so I’m sure he’s in good hands!

  10. Oh No! Please wish grandpa a speedy recovery. Actually a broken bone will heal better than if he’s done something horrible to his ligaments – if he’s in a skilled nursing centre he’ll get great care and all the physio he needs, so I’m sure he’s in good hands!

  13. I am sorry to hear what happened to Grandpa and your family. So tough when things don’t go smoothly for our loved ones. Hang in there!

  14. I am sorry to hear what happened to Grandpa and your family. So tough when things don’t go smoothly for our loved ones. Hang in there!

  15. wishing grampa well with the surgery and hope his recovery goes easy on the poor fellow (and you too!)

  16. wishing grampa well with the surgery and hope his recovery goes easy on the poor fellow (and you too!)

  19. What a shock that diagnosis turned out to be! I’m sorry to hear your father-in-law isn’t going to be in his new home for awhile longer. Skilled nursing living will be good for getting him back up and in shape with physical therapy, though. It’s always something, isn’t it?

  20. What a shock that diagnosis turned out to be! I’m sorry to hear your father-in-law isn’t going to be in his new home for awhile longer. Skilled nursing living will be good for getting him back up and in shape with physical therapy, though. It’s always something, isn’t it?

  21. Best wishes to all of you. Caring for elderly parents is unpredictable, but it is a blessing to be able to do it.

  22. Best wishes to all of you. Caring for elderly parents is unpredictable, but it is a blessing to be able to do it.

  25. Oh dear! That kind of a break is nothing to sneeze at…. my son as a toddler broke his femur and had to have a pin put in and then in traction, and then a spika cast for 8 weeks. Yikes! Hope Grandpa does well and like someone else said, he’ll get the specialized care that he needs in the skilled nursing facility. Hugs to you!

  26. Oh dear! That kind of a break is nothing to sneeze at…. my son as a toddler broke his femur and had to have a pin put in and then in traction, and then a spika cast for 8 weeks. Yikes! Hope Grandpa does well and like someone else said, he’ll get the specialized care that he needs in the skilled nursing facility. Hugs to you!

  27. So sorry for Grampa. I’m hoping his surgery goes well and he is able to get into his new home soon. Guess this means you’ll be doing more unpacking.

  28. So sorry for Grampa. I’m hoping his surgery goes well and he is able to get into his new home soon. Guess this means you’ll be doing more unpacking.

  29. So sorry to hear about Grandpa. That’s a real set-back for you all — another of life’s curve balls. I hope the surgery goes well, and that he heals well. And through it all, may you all keep a sense of humour!

  30. So sorry to hear about Grandpa. That’s a real set-back for you all — another of life’s curve balls. I hope the surgery goes well, and that he heals well. And through it all, may you all keep a sense of humour!

  31. I am so sorry to hear this news, just goes to show no matter how careful one can be, crap happens. Here’s to a speedy recovery! Maybe going home to that porch on the golf course will be a big motivator for him!

  32. I am so sorry to hear this news, just goes to show no matter how careful one can be, crap happens. Here’s to a speedy recovery! Maybe going home to that porch on the golf course will be a big motivator for him!

  33. I was one of those kids whose mom told me to quit whining after my older brother tackled me during a football game. Days later she took me in and my arm was broken in 2 places.
    I hope Grandpa has an easy recovery. Poor guy!

  34. I was one of those kids whose mom told me to quit whining after my older brother tackled me during a football game. Days later she took me in and my arm was broken in 2 places.
    I hope Grandpa has an easy recovery. Poor guy!

  43. Sad news! Grandpa sound like he is made of pretty “tuff stuff” to have been able to go so long undiagnosed. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

  44. Sad news! Grandpa sound like he is made of pretty “tuff stuff” to have been able to go so long undiagnosed. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

  45. Hope all goes well with Grandpa and he is in his new home very soon. I really admire you for doing all of this for him. He seems like a pretty cool dude!!

  46. Hope all goes well with Grandpa and he is in his new home very soon. I really admire you for doing all of this for him. He seems like a pretty cool dude!!

  47. Oh Crikey! Surgery??!! That just sucks! Poor guy. I’m glad he is going into a rehab place. You can ruin your own back and neck trying to move other people.
    Take some pics of his cottage and bring them to his rehab place. Keep reminding him that he has a lovely home waiting for him so he better get well!
    Wish we could all help you somehow. Hang in there. Post and let us know how surgery went. Your readers will worry…really, we care that much. ;p
    xo, me

  48. Oh Crikey! Surgery??!! That just sucks! Poor guy. I’m glad he is going into a rehab place. You can ruin your own back and neck trying to move other people.
    Take some pics of his cottage and bring them to his rehab place. Keep reminding him that he has a lovely home waiting for him so he better get well!
    Wish we could all help you somehow. Hang in there. Post and let us know how surgery went. Your readers will worry…really, we care that much. ;p
    xo, me

  49. Poor Grandpa 🙁 I bet he feels really bummy and you’ll have to do some serious cheering up. With all he’s been through he probably doesn’t feel too great. I like the idea someone had of planting little seeds at his place or plants, plus I think you need a new outfit to cheer yourself up too :0

  50. Poor Grandpa 🙁 I bet he feels really bummy and you’ll have to do some serious cheering up. With all he’s been through he probably doesn’t feel too great. I like the idea someone had of planting little seeds at his place or plants, plus I think you need a new outfit to cheer yourself up too :0

  53. Oh bless his heart – poor guy – and you are soooo sweet to take such great loving care of him… I feel so badly for both of you! I hope that his recovery goes very quickly and he is able to go to his new place and enjoy it soon! I know we haven’t met – but if I lived closer – I would come help! :O) Hang in there – hope you are getting some rest finally!

  54. Oh bless his heart – poor guy – and you are soooo sweet to take such great loving care of him… I feel so badly for both of you! I hope that his recovery goes very quickly and he is able to go to his new place and enjoy it soon! I know we haven’t met – but if I lived closer – I would come help! :O) Hang in there – hope you are getting some rest finally!

  55. Sorry to hear about this setback with Grandpa,just when you thought things were moving forward. I hope all goes well with his surgery and recuperation!

  56. Sorry to hear about this setback with Grandpa,just when you thought things were moving forward. I hope all goes well with his surgery and recuperation!

  57. I hope he recovers soon!
    Not to scare you…but something like this kinda happened with my Grandpa a year ago. He was walking around, stepped in a hole, and twisted/broke his leg. Being the tough guy he is, he stood up and kept walking on it, for days. Eventually he let my mom take him to the Dr., bc it kept hurting, and they decided to do surgery to put a plate in, to help it heal. They then put him in assisted living for recovery, since he’s been diabetic since he was a teenager. Well…even with around the clock nurses and such, the skin never healed over the plate. They had to take his leg. He was so so sad. He had to learn to use a prosthetic, which took some time. He’s 82 and the whole ordeal has just made him very sad 🙁

  58. I hope he recovers soon!
    Not to scare you…but something like this kinda happened with my Grandpa a year ago. He was walking around, stepped in a hole, and twisted/broke his leg. Being the tough guy he is, he stood up and kept walking on it, for days. Eventually he let my mom take him to the Dr., bc it kept hurting, and they decided to do surgery to put a plate in, to help it heal. They then put him in assisted living for recovery, since he’s been diabetic since he was a teenager. Well…even with around the clock nurses and such, the skin never healed over the plate. They had to take his leg. He was so so sad. He had to learn to use a prosthetic, which took some time. He’s 82 and the whole ordeal has just made him very sad 🙁

  59. Hi Nicole,
    So sorry about Grandpa. Prayers and hugs to you, your husband and most of all Grandpa. If appropriate, I would love to send him a get well card.
    Sincerely,
    Pam

  60. Hi Nicole,
    So sorry about Grandpa. Prayers and hugs to you, your husband and most of all Grandpa. If appropriate, I would love to send him a get well card.
    Sincerely,
    Pam

  61. Oh, how sad. I wish him well with the surgery and recovery and before you know it, he’ll be unpacking in his new home.

  62. Oh, how sad. I wish him well with the surgery and recovery and before you know it, he’ll be unpacking in his new home.

  63. So sorry about your Grandpa and hope he will mend completely. It seems it takes longer the older we get to get over things like this. Your blocks on the previous post are so pretty.

  64. So sorry about your Grandpa and hope he will mend completely. It seems it takes longer the older we get to get over things like this. Your blocks on the previous post are so pretty.

  67. Oh how awful for Grandpa! Hopefully he will heal really fast and be up and dancing before you know it.
    My mom broke her femur in a fall and then while rehabbing that broken bone, she broke the other femur while walking on the treadmill. And she didn’t know about the second break for a while. She was a tough cookie!

  68. Oh how awful for Grandpa! Hopefully he will heal really fast and be up and dancing before you know it.
    My mom broke her femur in a fall and then while rehabbing that broken bone, she broke the other femur while walking on the treadmill. And she didn’t know about the second break for a while. She was a tough cookie!