ben's broken nose

I mentioned a couple weeks ago about Ben's nose getting broken, but never posted about the whole ordeal. It was such a nightmare, even though when most people saw him they'd say, "It doesn't look that bad!" Well, it was. The reason it didn't look bad is because his bones are still so small that it was hard to tell. But if you looked at him closely, you would notice that it was pretty crooked. The doctors at Primary Children's (where we were sent) said it was a good thing we brought him in, otherwise he would not be able to breathe out of the right nostril and he would need a full rhinoplasty down the road. Nice! So we are thankful that we followed our guts and got him taken care of...even though it has meant a nearly $4,000 bill. My boy's face is worth it!

Another unfortunate thing is that Ben and Clayton had to miss our family vacation so Ben could go back for the follow up procedure six days later. So I drove myself and the girls to Colorado for a week with my family. Ben was so disappointed. Clayton was such a good dad though, and tried to make Ben's week fun despite all the let downs. They went to see Iron Man 2, played lots of video games late at night, and went to Boondocks. We brought him some treats from our trip too.

Okay, so this was a few days after his nose was broken. After the swelling had gone down a bit, Clayton had to take him back up to Primary Children's to meet with the plastic surgeon for a consultation. Ben was extra bummed that day because he had to miss a fun school field trip he'd been looking forward to, and go to the doctor instead.

But at least they had video games!

This is Dr. Grimmer, the professional itty-bitty nose fixer guy.

I wasn't there, but Clayton said Ben was so scared and nervous, he had to try really hard to get a smile out of him here.

This is the following day, when the procedure was actually done. Ben was put under anesthesia (bubble gum flavored gas), and Dr. Grimmer said it would be about a ten minute procedure. Luckily, no cutting was involved. The doctor was able to do the whole thing through his nostrils. Unfortunately, Ben's nose kept caving in on the right side, which meant that the "ten minute procedure" became more like a two hour procedure because it turned out that his nose was broken in two places on that side. So now he had to have a stint placed up his nasal cavity to support the bone from caving in, which had to stay in for 6 days. Ben is drugged up on morphine for the pain in this picture, just coming out of the surgery. Poor, poor little guy! He had to keep that nose brace on too, and was mortified for anyone to see him. So we let him miss school. He felt crappy anyway.

My boy! Saddest picture ever.

Being wheeled to recovery.

He thought the Spongebob on the ceiling was pretty funny.

This is the day he went back up to the hospital to have the stint removed. The nose brace had fallen off a few days before. Here you can see the stint up his right nostril...it was a three inch hard plastic tube that he had to have in there for six days. "Mom, I feel like I have a rock up my nose!" he kept saying. He was on Lortab for a few days for the pain, and antibiotics to prevent infection. Then the poor kid got a nasty cold on top of it all and couldn't breathe. Arrgh!

Dr. Grimmer removing the stint.

The souvenir from the crappiest week of his life. Can you believe that this stint was up his little nose? Sorry, I know it's gross with all the dried blood in it. It will be the end of the summer before the bones are completely solidified. I'm such a nervous mom now about him doing things...going to school, karate class, riding his bike, having a summer! So please pray for Ben to be safe, and also please feel free to send any charitable donations my way for the Ben's Broken Nose Fund. Haha! (I have to laugh or I will cry.)

p.s. A big thank you to Grandma Becky for coming out the night of the break to bring treats and a get well balloon, and to Uncle Trevor and Aunt Tatum for the big box of get well popsicles! You guys are so thoughtful!