I experienced an event with one of my children I hope I never have to repeat in any shape or form. Connor had a late season outdoor soccer tournament. We had our first game of the day at 7am so it was a really early start to a Saturday. This is Rodney's weekend to work so I was playing my "soccer mom" role. I got Connor there dressed for the windy, 37 degree weather. My mother-in-law meet us there-her and I sat in our chairs with blankets, coats and gloves trying to watch this game-it was very miserable. Connor was playing really well, but like all the other boys was obviously very cold! I was concerned someone was going to pull a muscle since it was so frigid and there was really no way for these kiddos to stay warmed up. Connor played mid-fielder the first half-he had a few headers and was playing aggressively. The second half started and he was in the goal playing Goalie which is a position he has been playing on a regular basis this season. I was actually thankful since he was able to put on his hoodie sweatshirt-so he would be a little warmer. He was doing awesome and wasn't letting any balls through. Towards the end of the game we had a penalty called on one of our players so the opposing team had a penalty kick-which meant my son the goalie was ready to stop the ball being directly kicked towards him in the attempt for the other team to score. I remember thinking "Come on Connor save the ball but don't get pelted by it".
It was then things happened really fast and become a blur...Next thing I knew Connor was diving horizontally to stop the ball and actually did touch the ball, but a goal was scored. Connor was on the ground face down with his rump in the air-I thought he was being a "drama king" because he missed saving the ball, since he is very competitive. He isn't moving off the cold ground-I am not jumping up yet just thinking get up buddy it is too cold on the ground. I am not sure how long passed-(I learned a long time ago it isn't cool for mommy to go running onto the field saying my poor baby is hurt) a few minutes passed I guess-more people are around him. Then my mother-in-law , Gloria says "Tracy I think you better go see what is going on." So I went over and as I got closer I started to run-by the time I got to the goal area volunteer medical personnel (nurses) were accessing him and put him in a vice grip hold. They were covering him up with whatever blankets were available. He is shivering and tears are running down his face. I ask what happened-when he dove for the ball he slammed the left side of his head into the metal bar of the goal. He said he felt his neck snap back, he saw dots (stars) and he was nauseous. He said he couldn't feel his hands (that turned out to be because of the cold). I am saying as calmly as I can call 911-I want him boarded and checked out. Obviously they are all in agreement-those amazing ladies kept him calm and immobilized for over 15 minutes until the ambulance arrived and took over. I had called Gloria over and Connor's coach Eli was with us-we prayed over Connor which gave me the ability to feel peace that all was going to be ok. I rode in the front of the ambulance and when we got to the hospital he was well taken care of. I had called Rodney at work (he freaked a little), he called Taylor who was at home still in bed, I called Carley who was at her Dad's, Gloria called my father-in-law and I think I called my mom. We had a big support team at the hospital-this kid can never think he isn't loved!
Thankfully after x-rays and assessment by a ER doc it was concluded he had hit his head and most likely had a mild concussion and some pulled ligaments/muscles in his neck -kind of like whiplash injury. Scary stuff but no major injury-we are so thankful! Connor is a little bummed he can't participate in any physical activity for a week such as PE class and soccer (obviously!). He has been taken Advil and using cold packs/tomorrow it is heat packs. He seemed ok today-it was a challenge keeping him from being to rambunctious-he and a friend played video games after he took a short nap.
We are just keeping a close eye on him-he has pretty good goose egg on his head. It has been one of those days that lasts f o r e v er-but also one that brings prospective to how quickly life can change-I was pretty sure we had been through enough of those worrisome times with Rodney but life is always exciting isn't it?-even in ways we would rather it not be.
I am so blessed and thankful my son is safe and sleeping well tonight in his own bed. God is Good! A special thanks to all the kind people at the soccer fields (I have 2 blankets that belong to someone?), the nurses, the park ranger, Connor's coach Eli, the ambulance crew, the hospital staff, nurses and docs as well as my wonderful in-laws who went and picked up my car and my mom who bought Connor and I home.
oh..One more thing I never will say my son plays soccer because football is more dangerous!
Connor-mom loves you so much and I am so proud of how brave you were today!
Trying to Keep Imagining!
Tracy
It was then things happened really fast and become a blur...Next thing I knew Connor was diving horizontally to stop the ball and actually did touch the ball, but a goal was scored. Connor was on the ground face down with his rump in the air-I thought he was being a "drama king" because he missed saving the ball, since he is very competitive. He isn't moving off the cold ground-I am not jumping up yet just thinking get up buddy it is too cold on the ground. I am not sure how long passed-(I learned a long time ago it isn't cool for mommy to go running onto the field saying my poor baby is hurt) a few minutes passed I guess-more people are around him. Then my mother-in-law , Gloria says "Tracy I think you better go see what is going on." So I went over and as I got closer I started to run-by the time I got to the goal area volunteer medical personnel (nurses) were accessing him and put him in a vice grip hold. They were covering him up with whatever blankets were available. He is shivering and tears are running down his face. I ask what happened-when he dove for the ball he slammed the left side of his head into the metal bar of the goal. He said he felt his neck snap back, he saw dots (stars) and he was nauseous. He said he couldn't feel his hands (that turned out to be because of the cold). I am saying as calmly as I can call 911-I want him boarded and checked out. Obviously they are all in agreement-those amazing ladies kept him calm and immobilized for over 15 minutes until the ambulance arrived and took over. I had called Gloria over and Connor's coach Eli was with us-we prayed over Connor which gave me the ability to feel peace that all was going to be ok. I rode in the front of the ambulance and when we got to the hospital he was well taken care of. I had called Rodney at work (he freaked a little), he called Taylor who was at home still in bed, I called Carley who was at her Dad's, Gloria called my father-in-law and I think I called my mom. We had a big support team at the hospital-this kid can never think he isn't loved!
Thankfully after x-rays and assessment by a ER doc it was concluded he had hit his head and most likely had a mild concussion and some pulled ligaments/muscles in his neck -kind of like whiplash injury. Scary stuff but no major injury-we are so thankful! Connor is a little bummed he can't participate in any physical activity for a week such as PE class and soccer (obviously!). He has been taken Advil and using cold packs/tomorrow it is heat packs. He seemed ok today-it was a challenge keeping him from being to rambunctious-he and a friend played video games after he took a short nap.
We are just keeping a close eye on him-he has pretty good goose egg on his head. It has been one of those days that lasts f o r e v er-but also one that brings prospective to how quickly life can change-I was pretty sure we had been through enough of those worrisome times with Rodney but life is always exciting isn't it?-even in ways we would rather it not be.
I am so blessed and thankful my son is safe and sleeping well tonight in his own bed. God is Good! A special thanks to all the kind people at the soccer fields (I have 2 blankets that belong to someone?), the nurses, the park ranger, Connor's coach Eli, the ambulance crew, the hospital staff, nurses and docs as well as my wonderful in-laws who went and picked up my car and my mom who bought Connor and I home.
oh..One more thing I never will say my son plays soccer because football is more dangerous!
Connor-mom loves you so much and I am so proud of how brave you were today!
Trying to Keep Imagining!
Tracy
3 comments:
Tracy I am so glad it didn't turn out to be any more serious then a mild concussion and some pulled muscles. Hope he is feeling better soon.
WOW terrifying... I am so glad he is not injured any worse than he was. God is good!
HUGS Laura
My stomach flipped when I read the subject line. In all actuality it was probably a good thing it was cold as that slowed his body down and prevented further injury. I thank God he is going to be OK. Have to share a story here about your comment about not running out to an injured son right away. As a newlywed my then husband played on our church softball league and I saw him go down in the field. I knew he had taken a ball but didn't know where but figured it was his chest and I was worried about his heart stopping. I was also a newly graduated LPN. I went tearing out into center field and he was writhing on the ground and I said, "Should we call 911?" only to be told by his coach, "Uh, no. The poor guy's in enough pain than to have to tell the EMTs he took a ball to his manhood area. The worst that will happen is that you might not be able to act like true newlyweds tonight..." I was SO embarrassed and learned my lesson about running over to a downed family member on the field...at least for a few minutes. Take care of Connor and take a deep breath, Mom.
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