Update on DS, re: car accident

[swellmomma]

For those interested, here is an update on ds.

 

He has been doing much better as far as pain management goes. He even figured out a couple days ago that if he scoots on his bottom he can get around the house and not need to wait for me to carry him (which is good because he was 70lbs before the cast and that is heavy to carry around). THough this has led to heel pain, I am fairly sure he has developed blisters on his heel from friction in his cast because so much swelling has gone down.

 

He goes on the 21 st for a cast change so hopefully that will help.

 

With his new mobility, has come new confidence so I think this weekend I will be buying him some crutches. We will still use the wheelchair while out of the house, so reduce fatique/pain. But for around the house I think he is ready for them.

 

He still has nightly nightmares about the accident and has only slept in his own bed once since the accident. He is scared of all semi's now, and of highway driving (which is tough because all of our driving is highway driving, as we live in a tiny town and all services we need are at least the next town over if not further).

 

Yesterday the police called me to confirm his birthday and the officer was kind enough to fill me in on the collision report. (When I went to the station to get info last Tuesday I was told I was not allowed to and needed a lawyer to request it). The guy that hit them only got a ticket for careless driving. There was no way to prove he was speeding, so that is all they could get him on. His tox screen came back clean, which was a huge relief to me. I am able to cope better with the thought that the guy is simply an idiot and this happened, than if he had been under the influence of something kwim.

 

I also heard back from the camp director regarding insurance. The insurance company itself should be contacting me this week. Thus far they told her to tell me they would cover all expenses, mileage, physio etc. Now I need to get them to replace my lost wages (I babysit in the summer usually and am out about $800 for the summer because I had to tell my families I could not watch their kids, well technically I could but not adequately while tending to ds, dr appts etc), I also plan to request(demand) payment for his pain and suffering. I do not know the long term effects of all of this, I do not know how long he will need therapy(which starts as soon as the therapist gets back from holidays) etc, and want to make sure we have a cushion to pay for anything that may come up as a result of this in 6 months, 12 months, 5 years kwim.

 

Over all, he is still doing better than me. My big kids are still gone this week, ds12 is camping for a week with my sister. They have gone to the dinosaur museum, which he has been begging for years as he wants to be a paleontologist. DD is with grandma and attending VBS for the week. My mom called me up in a panic on Monday am because she had to sign a permission form for dd to go in the camp van to go to Chuck E Cheese on Thursday. I told her to sign it. But really I am worried sick of something happening to one of them driving around with other people. I obviously have not let that stop me from sending them. I know the likelyhood of one of them being in a car accident this week are slim, but the chances were slim when I sent ds with the camp counsellor and other kids too. Between ds's nightmares, my own nightmares, and just plan worry I have not been sleeping well this week at all. I have however lost 5 lbs. I am happy to lose it, it is a start but I know it is simply because of all of this, not diet and exercise changes so not a healthy way to lose it.

 

He and my youngest have been begging to do school/projects this week, so we have been. I think he is enjoying having so much focus on him. Along the way dealing the special needs of the older 2, he got lost in the shuffle and had been turning into a very rude, angry little boy. I am ashamed of the fact it took me almost losing him to see really what was going on with him in that regard. The bigs will be gone for the rest of this week, and then both are off to bible camp next week (the same one ds was hurt at), so he will continue to have all of this attention poured into him. I am praying for help in making sure once they are home that I don't a) lose them in the shuffle of tending to him, and b) don't revert back to old patterns and lose him in the shuffle again. Other than the issues caused by the accident, I have my sweet, happy, loving boy back. If anything good is to come of this accident it was that. That my eyes were opened to the fact I was losing his heart and now I can change that.

[Tammyla]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Jen in PA]

:grouphug:

[kalliemorgan]

Wow. You are dealing with a lot, girl! Hang in there.:grouphug:

[elegantlion]

Glad to hear he is dealing fairly well. :grouphug:

[newlifemom]

:grouphug: to you and ds.

[JudyJudyJudy]

That sounds so stressful. I'm glad he's doing a little better, and I hope he continues to improve.

[dirty ethel rackham]

So sorry you are having to deal with all of this. You and your son are in our prayers. I would call and ask about that heel pain. If he is developing a pressure sore, I would want that taken care of.