Cam's snowboarding accident

 Warning:  this post is graphic and shouldn't be viewed by those with a weak stomach.  Yesterday at about 1:45, the phone rang and the caller ID said Beaver Mountain.  That's never a good thing when you know your kids are skiing/snowboarding for the day.  Especially when the kid is Cam and you know his history for accidents and injuries.  Sure enough, the ski patrol girl told me that she had Cam there and that he had a gash on his forehead from hitting a tree branch. He had been going down spring trail (backside) and was going to go around a tree and didn't even see the branch that came out of nowhere. She said it went from his eyebrow to his hairline (not quite) and that it was the worst she's ever seen, and that if he had been going any faster, he would have been killed.  That got my heart pumping.  She said they'd called for an ambulance because of it being a head wound and she thought he could possibly go into shock.  So, after trying to stay calm for 40 minutes, me, Mike, Jake, Jessica and Brad headed down to the emergency room (Jess and Brad happened to stop by just as we were leaving and wanted to join us).  Here he is being wheeled in from the ambulance.  They'd taken every precaution!

 I really wasn't prepared for what I saw when the gauze was removed.  I had never seen anything as deep or wide as his cut- clear to the bone, and so wide.  It is more upsetting to me to look at it now that it was then for some reason.  I guess I knew I couldn't be falling apart in front of Cam.  He was so brave through it all.  He's a tough guy- perhaps from past experience.  I couldn't believe it when he told me he hadn't even cried! At this point, Mike had to look away (weak stomach) and didn't even see how it looks in the next picture until he saw the picture later.

 He was seen very quickly by the ER doctor and we decided to call in a plastic surgeon for the most minimal scarring. We only had to wait about 30 minutes for Dr. Isom to arrive, then he spent the next hour and 15 minutes with Cam.  I liked him so much and thought he was a great doctor.  The thing that hurt Cam the most, besides the initial crash was getting the shots.  Fortunately he only felt the first 4 (of about 20).  I was so proud of how good he was. I wanted so badly to get up on the table and take his place.

 He spent a lot of time sterilizing the area and cleaning the wound out.  I mean a lot of time and very thorough. I was fascinated by it all and wanted to watch everything.  I kinda wanted to be his assistant!

 

The doctor took such great, gentle care with everything.  I had never witnessed anything like it.  But then I've never seen anyone getting stitches before.  When Cam had his stitches on his chin when he was 5 or 6, I was at girls camp and Mike had to be the one to take care of it. I don't think he's ever recovered (Mike that is. . .).  Yesterday, I convinced Mike to leave while we were waiting for Dr. Isom to come since he wouldn't be a lot of help since he couldn't bear to come near Cam when the wound was exposed.

 I warned of the graphic nature of this post, remember?

The doctor spent 45 minutes just on the stitches.  He ended up with a total of 33- 7 underneath, and 26 on top.

 Cam felt pretty good when we left the hospital (2 hours and 15 minutes after arriving), and requested  Wendy's for dinner.  But of course! I would have taken him to Hamilton's steak and seafood if he'd asked.  The next 2 1/2 hours was spent with almost constant visitors and phone calls. My friend Janae came with her son Parker who is one of Cam's best friends.  Parker brought a balloon bouquet and some candy.  Four other friends came to see him, and about that many of Jake's friends.  Freda came with a milkshake and subway gift card.  The Larsens and Camdyn next door came by.  Michelle, the ski patrol girl who had called me, called to see how he was and said she wanted to stop by with something for Cam.  They had cut down the branch that he'd hit, and she wanted to give it to him as a memento. She and her husband came by on their way home to Ogden.  I think seeing this branch brought home to me just how serious this whole thing was.  That is one sturdy piece of wood, and I can see how easily he could have been injured much worse.  The fact that his helmet and goggles weren't damaged at all is remarkable to me. It's also incredible that that much damage was done given that there's really no gap between his helmet and goggles.  It's a miracle and a blessing that his eye wasn't damaged.  I woke up this morning after 5 hours of sleep quite traumatized by it all- thinking about how much worse it could have been.  I'm so grateful that he is going to be OK, even though he'll have a scar the rest of his life. I'm so grateful for the unknown woman who got to him right after it happened and gave him her vest to stop the blood, then went for help.  I'm so thankful for all the people who took such good care of him, and for the many concerned family and friends.  Thanks so much for your love and support!