Tree Trauma

The morning after Easter, just after the sun was rising and the rain was subsiding, John and I were jolted awake one more time.  This time, it was the sound of something falling that woke us.  We searched but could not find the source of the sound.  It had seemed that we had managed to escape the storm damage free.  That is, until later that afternoon when the neighbor pointed out that there was a branch in one of our trees, about 50 ft up, that had broken and that branch was now a hazard to his property. The sound we had heard upon awakening was the branch breaking.

We began gathering estimates to have the damaged tree taken down when the weight of the branch could no longer be supported and it fell from its original place on the trunk to land on the fence that divided our yard from the neighbor's.  Now that the damaged tree branch was actually reachable, the neighbor convinced John that the two of them could make short order of clearing the debris out of the way.  Now, at the close of the day, the plan of action suddenly changed. 

I had just returned from grocery shopping and began to put away the supplies when John set out to tackle the branch with the neighbor's help.  The older boys had just returned from work, and was almost ready to put dinner in the oven when Connor ran into the house calling for me to come see dad because he was hurt.  Not a good sign.

I walked out of the house to see John being supported by the neighbor with his leg bent at the knee.  John had fallen off of the ladder--the branch swept him off in an odd tension related accident--and he broke his ankle.  He knew it right away. 

As soon as we could, we left for the ER.  Thankfully the boys were home and able to complete dinner and care for the kids and dog.  We spent the next three hours at the ER--John inside receiving treatment and me sitting in the car in the parking lot because the Covid scare had changed hospital policy. 

John texted me with occasional updates and finally texted that he was ready to be picked up.  John's ankle was broken in two places which effectively left his joint unstable and his foot separated from his leg.  He said it felt odd and gross to pick up his leg and to feel his foot flop along after it. 

It was a good thing that John was accustomed to wearing and using certain equipment when working in the yard because it seems that his boots were what kept the clean break from becoming a compound break.  For that we were truly thankful. 

With no immediate surgery necessary, the on call doctor put John's leg in a splint and a follow up appointment was made.  We went home tired but hopeful. 

Elevation and ice quickly became the standard for John