So, exactly where do I start here?
Perhaps at the beginning, just to set the scene.
I think things seem to come in waves for my group of friends – and when the bad kicks in – it really goes full throttle.
And this month it’s our turn.
Three weeks ago, we received some devastating news about my beloved mother in law which has rocked the family for all the wrong reasons.
The news was completely unexpected and out of the blue – and we’re all finding it hard to comes to terms with the fact that she’s unfortunately been given a prognosis of only days/weeks after finding out she has termnal cancer, having been admitted to hospital initially with suspected pneumonia.
It upset us all so much, that I had to take a couple of days off for hospital visits and to try our hardest to come to terms with the sudden and awful news.
Then, last Thursday, I’d literally been back in the office for only a couple of hours, when I received a phone call.
I recognised the number immediately – it was the nursery our girls attend.
‘Sods law’, I remember thinking. ‘I bet someone’s thrown up and I have to go fetch them – this will go down really well with work having only just returned’!!
But I was wrong. Very wrong.
The voice on the other end of the line told me there’d been an accident. And although I didn’t think too much of this at first, – maybe they’d fallen off the slide and bumped their head, or run into the table and bruised their knee – but no, the voice on the other end of the line was trying to keep me calm, at the same time as suggesting they phone urgently for an ambulance.
So, I burst out crying on my manager’s shoulder for the second time that morning, made my apologies and left in a hurried whirlwind for the nursery across the town.
By the time I’d arrived, the ambulance was already there, and the nursery staff tried their best to calm me down and explain what had happened so that the paramedics were left to do what they do best.
It was heartbreaking. My poor little Ella was crying out for me and screaming in pain – and I couldn’t go to her for a cuddle, to soothe her and to wipe way her tears.
They suspected that she’d broken her leg.
So, once they’d strapped her up and administered enough pain relief to make her comfortable, we set about our journey to the hospital to the next town along, with the lights flashing and sirens whirring.
Well, as the saying goes, things come in threes, so as it happens, my husband was at home already as he’s only just had a knee operation himself, so is on crutches and pretty much temporarily housebound.
With this, my mum rushed over to pick him up to meet us at A&E.
It was horrible just watching on, and trying our hardest to console our beloved little two year old as she sobbed from scared eyes at all the mayhem going on around her.
All we could do was stand over her as best we could and hold her hand so as not to hurt her any more but to show her we wer close by.
She looked so tiny and helpless in the hospital bed, with leggings hanging off where they’d had to cut her leg free earlier on.
For some reason, I was completely naive about the whole situation. I just thought that if she had broken her leg, they’d no doubt just plaster it up, perhaps spend a night in hospital on some painkillers ready to be shipped back home the next day.
But oh how wrong could I have been.
The initial X-ray showed that she’d broken her femur – supposely the hardest bone to break in your body – and in a rather rare place to boot, because of how high up the fracture was. It was just below the pelvic bone.
And with this kind of break – unfortunately the only way to mend it was in traction.
But when they told us she’d now be bed-bound for three to four weeks, in traction, suspended by her feet from an over-the-bed frame, I don’t think I quite believed them.
But that was that.
My husband and I have both been taking 24 hourly shifts at her bedside for the past week and a half.
This whole month so far has been heartbreaking, shocking, extremely difficult, emotionally and physically draining and a complete and utter logistical nightmare, where we’ve had to be reliant on others for lifts to and from the hospital.
Poor Ella was scared at first, which is progressing slowly into frustration as the days go by, and our little Holly is having to spend days and nights away from us at others houses, so that Mikey and I can swap shifts at the hospital, and so that he can spend time with our other family member who is now in a hospice.
We all feel rather numb at the moment to be honest. Life is a bit of a blur and doesn’t feel real. It seems odd that I’m sat typing this on a pull-out camp bed, in a curtain enclosed cubicle.
But, even though there’s so much sadness in our household at the moment, we are also trying to think of the positives in some of the situations. For Ella it could have been a whole lot worse, but it wasn’t. So we are trying our hardest to be thankful for small mercies in amongst the heartache and gloom.
She had another X-ray this morning, and we are hoping for at least some good news on one part – as with a bit of luck it will be a positive result for Ella and will show her bone mending well. And from this the doctors an consultants have said they’ll be able to give us a pretty good idea as to how much longer she’ll need to stay in hospital.
So, there you have it – a quick update as to why perhaps I’ve been a little on the quiet side lately.
More updates to follow and fingers crossed for some better news.
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Oh, dear lovely. My heart still breaks for poor Ella reading this. I am so glad that she is home now and here is hoping for better times ahead. Thanks for linking up with #SundaysStars. Hugs Mrs H xxxx
Oh Steph I am so sorry to hear this. Your poor little girl. Wishing Ella a speedy recovery xx
Author
Thank you Rachel xxxx
Gorgeous Steph. It’s the worst of times. We really are thinking of you and can’t wait for little Ella to be back home. We’ll plan some good trips out for this month so Ella gets a good dose of much needed Vitamin D after being stuck in a hospital bed. Big hug xxx
Oh the call from nursery we all dread. Poor Ella, I hope she makes a speedy recovery and times get less tough soon x
Author
I know!! Thank you so much xxxx
I can’t look at those pictures of little Ella without my heart breaking. It is a parent’s worst nightmare to see their child scared and in pain but you are helpess to do anything about it. I feel for you so much honey. You are going through a really hard time at the moment. Hopefully, you are owed some good fortune soon. I am thinking of you. Please give Ella a big “get well soon” hug from me and Little Miss H. Hugs Lucy xxxx
Oh bless you all this must be awful. I felt quite choked looking at the pictures of your little girl. This will pass and one day you will look back and smile. Just utter rubbish at the moment. I hope she heals and you all get back to normal soon xxx
Author
Sarah, thank you so much for those words. You are right, one day it will be a photo to show at her wedding I am sure . Steph xxxx
Steph I’m thinking of you and your lovely family, especially your baby girl!
Sending all my love and support xxxxx
sounds a v tough time for you all right now, stay strong – sending virtual hugs and a virtual G&T too x
Author
Oooh – defo taking the virtual G&T!! Gobs I could do with one of those!! Thank you xxxxx
Oh I really feel for you, it doesn’t seem fair for all of this to be happening and your poor little girl, I don’t know how you’re doing it. It must be so difficult for you to see her like that and it is so limited to what you can do. I really hope you get good news from the X-ray and will be keeping everything crossed for Ella to be out of traction ASAP, my heart goes out to her! Thinking of you all xx
Author
Aw thank you Hayley – yes pretty poo at the moment but I have to look for the positives which are easy to see when your in a children’s ward surrounded by even sicker gorgeous kiddies. It’s heartbreaking but we are actually very lucky indeed. Steph xxxx
Steph reading your post made me feel sick for you all, you family is going through so much. I am thinking of you all all of the time. I hope you get some good news from the scan and are in my thoughts with your other family member xxx
Oh gosh, you’ve had such a time of it lately. 🙁
Ella is such a brave girl and I really hope her bone mends soon and you can have a bit of normality back in your lives.
Thinking of you all, Steph.
Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
Oh Steph my heart goes out to you, it must be so difficult for you you must be exhausted! Bless little Ella, I just can’t imagine entertaining a toddler lying down like that for so long. Poor soul. Lots of love xxxx
Oh no how awful. That picture of your little girl with her legs in traction made me so sad. My twins are the same age and I can imagine how helpless you feel. I hope she meds quickly!
Take care!
Jemma x
Author
Thank you so much Jemma. Yes, it’s been tricky I must say, both physically and emotionally, but hopefully out this week so we’re nearly there. Thank you so much for your thoughts. Steph xxx
I just felt a wave of utter sadness and panic when I read this. I burst into tears just imagining you arriving at the nursery. Such strength from such a small girl. Take care of yourself too. xx
What a horrid week – and your poor baby! I really hope she improves quickly. XXXX
you poor thing what a horrible time for you all I cannot even begin to think how you felt seeing you baby in so much pain it breaks my heart just thinking about it lots of love to you all and hope Ella is recovering well! xx
I hope things get better for you soon. Well, not better, but you know what I mean. Blogging is surely the least of your worries at the moment. x
Oh my that is just heartbreaking, bless her. You really have been through it haven’t you? Sending lots of love and cuddles your way xx
Aww! Bless her!! Sending massive hugs to her and you! It must be awful!
I hope your girls makes a speedy recovery x
Buongiorno, se ho capito bene il datore non può trasferire in una nuova sede il lavoratore se questo usufruisce dei permessi della legge 104; questo è vero? vale solo se sono io ad avere la disabilità oppure è valido anche usufruisco dei permessi per assistere mia mamma affetta da gravi paoegogit?lrazie
That does it,I’m buying a wrecking yard.Sell everything all the FB’s bring to the Chinese.I will meet lots of them,buying there cans ,and bottles for crv.Then I will consult for them on how to bust out of the DOLLAR TRAP.
Have just cried my eyes out at her little face in that picture at the beginning 🙁 Oh – how awful. I have no idea how hard this must be for you all right now. Especially with the other family member so ill too. Lots of love and hugs and hoping Ella recovers very, very soon. Jess xxx