The Princess and His Knee

It's been a week but I want to tell you the story of Nicholas' accident.

Last Tuesday while at soccer camp Nicholas got hurt.  BAD.  I had the privilege of calling Mom when it happened.  The director of the camp and I were calling her simultaneously.  She was a bit shocked but snapped into action.  She got the keys and said she would head to Finley Stadium to pick him up.  UH...NO...Mom, you won't be able to do that.  The Camp Director:  "Mrs. Moran, we won't be able to move him, you certainly can't and I don't even know how to do it.  I'm calling an ambulance, you meet us at the hospital."


Here's what happened:
During one of our drills Ethan accidentally kicked Nic in the knee.  Nic's kneecap moved to a place I didn't know kneecaps could go.  He fell on his back and cried out in pain.  We play all the time, and we play rough, but this was different.  My gut knew he was hurt bad.  Ethan dropped to the ground and held Nic's leg and kept it from moving.  Ethan was shaking horribly but he kept talking to Nic and encouraging him and apologizing, AND insisting that Nicholas not look at his knee.  The ambulance arrived and Nic was given a shot of Morphine.  We helped load Nic onto the stretcher.  I felt sad. As Nic is being loaded in the ambulance, Ethan and I are informed that we are not aloud to go with him.  NOT GOOD.  We weren't letting him ride off by himself.  We called Mom (time 37) and demanded she get us on that ambulance.  NO.CAN.DO.
Having to stay at camp was torture.  Because I was so distracted and worried I couldn't do anything right.  When lunch came I called my mom, and dad, and our neighbor.  I wanted information.  Nic was put to sleep and had his knee cap put back where it belonged.  I couldn't wait to get home and see him.  Mrs. Wallace showed up at camp to pick us up.  She drove us home but there was no Nic.  We waited.
When he finally came home I was so happy to see him.  I had to leave almost immediately because I was going to help out with Bible School.  Mom brought him in wearing a huge black immobilizer and he looked exhausted.  It was almost 7pm.  
For the past week he has had to rest.  Ethan and I have taken over his chores and mom kisses and hugs on him more than us.  Two family members have sent cards with money and he has ordered pizzas and rented a movie with some of that money.  He takes pain pills and sleeps.  He is bored.  He has been to church and is very happy when we are there.  He moves around on his crutches like he has always had them, even tackling our enormous staircase.  Ethan calls him Tiny Tim. 
Tomorrow he returns to the Orthopaedic doctors.  We know from x-rays that there are no broken bones but the ligaments remain a mystery.  An MRI will answer a lot of questions.    If you want to do something for Nic...pray for him.  We are not out of the woods yet.  Surgery has not been ruled out depending on the damage to the ligaments.  You can also call him or send him a card.  He is super bored since he can do practically nothing...no basketball, no biking, no swimming, no running, and NO SOCCER.  We hope one day he will be able to return to the soccer field.

"I destroyed my knee cap and they gave me this FREE t-shirt!  Cool!"

Don't cringe.  This is beautiful.  This is after the surgery!

"Mom, my knee is hurting will you bring me some hydrocodone and my favorite Princess blanket?"