Alex Takes a Break (Literally)

Alex is an extremely active kid and her athletic interests run the gamut. Hiking, climbing, karate (she's a brown belt), swimming, gymnastics -- she does them all with gusto. At home, she plays for hours outside with Sage. She is and always has been a kid that needs to move-move-move.

Unfortunately, all that move-move-moving has come to a temporary halt. On January 26 she performed a specific jump in her gymnastics class and landed the wrong way, fracturing her tibia. Unfortunately, the fracture extends into a growth plate.

Treatment is blessedly simple and relatively short. We had the option of going with a wrap-around external brace or a full-length leg cast. I chose the cast, since there is no way on earth this kid can keep her joints from twisting without forced immobilization. The day after her injury she was chasing after Sage...I need duct tape to keep Alex still for more than five minutes.

The cast will stay on for three weeks, then she will wear a walking brace. I was told that she should make a full recovery by summer at the latest. The fine doctors at Boston's Children's Hospital know of Alex's hiking accomplishments and they were very reassuring about her future. She will need to have yearly x-rays throughout her childhood so that the doctors can continually assess her growth plate situation, but all should eventually be well.

Alex is in good spirits for now, but I do fear the novelty of the cast will wear off after a few days. I'll do my best to keep her spirits high. She's an optimistic and fun-loving kid with a great sense of humor, so I'm going to try to make the next few weeks as silly as possible.



Here's a close-up of her multi-colored, psychedelic Gore Tex cast...



...and a close-up of her new multi-colored, psychedelic hair...



I'll keep this blog updated with reports of her healing progress. By summer we should be out on the trails again, and next winter we should finish up the winter 4Ks, assuming Alex's leg is completely healed and the doctors give her the green light.

Stay healthy, everyone.

Trish