Spiraling Out of Control

Well, we certainly have had an unexpected week that has been spriraling a bit out of control.

First of all, Covid-19 has turned South Korea upside down. Last Tuesday there were 31 cases. That almost doubled to 50-some on Wednesday, then doubled again to 100-some on Thursday. That is why we were debating if we should go skiing or not on Friday. Most of the cases were in a city call Daegu, about 90 miles northeast of Sacheon. It ended up being a gorgeous almost spring-like day and aside for the whole Daisy's leg hurt thing I was glad we went, thinking there might be a time in the near future we might be stuck inside for a few weeks. 

Second of all, Daisy's leg continued to hurt for the next few days. She has been using her rolling desk chair to get around the apartment. One night she slipped and put some weight on it and it was really bothering her. Her ankle was a little swollen and there was a small amount of bruising. But first of all, she was wearing a ski boot during the accident, so how could it be broken? We figured it was badly bruised, but there was the mystery of no visible bruises. Second of all, there's the whole corona virus thing going around and a hospital is not a place where I want my family to be right now.

Speaking Covid-19, Abe is working from home this week in an abundance of caution due to the mass explosion of cases this week.  The kids are doing online learning for the next 2 weeks in an abundance of caution as well. It looks a little like this:

The bigs actually have class times that all the kids are talking with the teacher and amongst themselves. Lijee has worksheets and websites and assignments to do. The Pops has some computer/paperwork to get done. The Momma has to run around answering a lot of questions.

When I went to school to pick up the kids' supplies for these next 2 weeks yesterday, I ran into a friend who told me that the clinic right beside our apartments has an x-ray machine. Even though I did not want to go to the clinic and risk getting exposed to the virus, we thought it was time to see if there was more going on with Daisy's leg than we originally surmised.

We were third in line at the clinic. I was just hoping those people were in there because they had problems like hurt legs, and not problems consisting of flu-like symptoms which were really the dreaded virus. There was an older gentleman who was not looking good. He did not have a mask on (the country is advising people wear masks when in public). Daisy, Abe and I were discussing that he looked like the type of old guy that was spreading corona.

When Daisy was in the back getting her x-ray, an ambulance with its lights on pulled up outside. I freaked out when a guy in a HAZMAT SUIT got out. No kidding--white jumper, goggles, gloves, mask, the whole 9 yards. I suddenly felt like a caged animal. I needed out, but Sick Guy was right by the door and Hazmat was coming towards it. My mind was racing and I without thinking I walked straight to the desk and pumped out some sanitizer. I think I had the deer in headlights look, because as I pumped the gel, the girl behind the desk (who does not speak English) looked at me and said, "No corona! No corona!" I cannot tell you how comforting that was to hear those words. Y'all, my pulse was racing.

I'm sure it was a bit comical to see my eyes get as big as dinner plates as I ran for the hand sani, and I laugh at the thought. I praise God that I am able to laugh at the story and I am not on quarantine for 14 days because I was exposed to a positive case. It was a grave reminder that there are 1500+ people to date (up from 31 just nine days ago) who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Back to Daisy. My pulse had not even had time to subside when we were called back to see the results of Daisy's x-ray. The doctor said there was a spiral fracture at the very end of her tibia (near the ankle). I could see the fracture on the actual x-ray but I cannot see it on this picture. There is a little arrow pointing to it.

It was near the growth plate so he said we should go see a pediatric doctor who is at...the hospital. 😱Exactly the place that we have been wanting to avoid.😷😷😷

We left the clinic with Daddy carrying Daisy and her wearing this cute little Croc-type boot.

Gyeongnam National University Hospital in Jinju is doing all they know how to prevent positive cases of Covid-19 walking through the doors. They have you fill out a questionnaire before you can enter, and then upon entering there is a thermal machine that can see if you are too hot. Everyone is wearing masks, and our family was even over-kill with plastic gloves.

The clinic doctor was spot on with his diagnosis. The pediatric specialist also called it a spiral fracture, meaning the foot was planted and the leg rotated. I read online last night that often surgery is required with a spiral fracture. I also read that sometimes child abuse is suspected with injuries like these.

After they asked how it was hurt and when it was was hurt, they wanted to know why we waited 5 days to come in. I wonder if they were thinking child abuse?? Our answer that we didn't think a bone could break in a ski boot and we were scared of corona virus at the hospital seemed to shake their suspicions. Whew!

We are fortunate in that they think we can avoid surgery. We are not fortunate in that there is a tendon connecting the bottom of the leg to above the knee that needs protecting, so Daisy needs a cast for 4 weeks that goes up from her foot to above her knee. After that she will wear a boot for 8 weeks. That’s a total of 3 months—1/4 a year.  Dang, they are serious about this thing healing properly.

I have never broken a bone, so I have never seen a cast being put on. It was interesting and surprisingly quick. First, the under layer.

 Next the white gauze stuff.

Finally the outer hard stuff. Sadly, she did not have a choice of colors. Green isn't bad, though.

 Her leg is very sensitive and had a bit of pressure after it was bandaged up.

When we were checking out we asked if we could buy crutches. The hospital distributes medicine like pharmacies but they didn't happen to have crutches. They said I could go buy some somewhere close. I asked where, and they were kind enough to send a guy to lead us to a tiny little pharmacy just off the hospital grounds. Here we are, following this dude to who knows where. 

Unfortunately, the pharmacy, which was the size of a closet, had 2 sets of crutches, small and large, but we need medium. We will have to order some off Gmarket, which the the Korean Amazon. The Daiser looks a little pathetic here, but she has been a pretty good sport about it. She isn't even mad that we waited 5 days to take her to the doctor.

When you look at the big picture, this is a great time for her leg to be hurt. Since we are at home for 2 weeks this gives her time to get used to that big, awkward cast. She also has time to learn to use crutches, which is a big deal since her classes are upstairs.  There is no ADA in South Korea, and there is not an elevator as school, so using her crutches well is going to be a must.

This is one story I don't think we will ever forget. #makingmemories

[February 27]