Saturday, October 18, 2008

"BREAKING" the news....









As most of you know, Austin tried out for and made the High School Ice Hockey team. YEAH!!! Well, he has been conditioning twice a week with the team even before try-outs with the team and now that the ice has been laid down at the Desoto Civic Center, they have now been able to actually practice on the ice.
Austin has been on skates, roller and ice, since he was 4 or 5 years old. He has loved it. And when he was old enough to start talking, he started asking not only for skates but also to start going to hockey games. Neither Chad nor I were brought up in hockey families nor were either one of us huge hockey fans so for him to just start asking these requests was something that was odd but something that we wanted to try to grant seeing at the time, he was our only child. If we only knew then to what degree that granting that small request then would lead us today.....
Well, somehow at that young age, Austin already had it ingrained in his that skating and hockey would somehow be part of his life and 10 years later...it still is. And with a few minor injuries along the way, we have been very lucky in a very agressive and accident prone sport that he has done so well. We have seen many of his very good friends get hurt very badly and have broken many a bone and made many a trip to the hospital for casts, stitches etc.... but not our Austin. And regardless of the trouble that we have had out of his left knee during many games, it had never been broken, torn or anything more than bruised or strained.
THAT IS UNTIL OCTOBER 5TH!!!!!!
Austin was at practice and collided (or I think that they call it being checked) by a senior when he felt a pain in his knee. Yes, that same knee but it wasn't really as bad as other times when he thought that it really was broken or torn. But by the time that he got off the ice it was really swollen and hurting. The parent that he rode with (because we carpool because of the lentgth of the trip) didn't even let him change out of his clothing other than skates and protective padding. They got him in the car, elevated it and got him home. Chad called me at work and was concerned about letting it wait until the morning and then proceded to take him to the ER. Well to make a really LONG story short (because it was a really LONG night too) Austin has a fractured growth plate in his left femur and possible a torn ACL (they can't tell because he has way too much swelling right now to be able to complete an MRI to be able to tell for sure). He is in a full leg cast that will be on for about 6 weeks and he is on crutches that he has NOT QUITE mastered yet but he is doing pretty well. The senior that checked him feels TERRIBLE and helps him at school everyday (like getting his tray at lunch, helping him around the hall, etc....) and it is really nice. I know it is an accident and these things happen and it is nice to see him helping him out. Nice guy! Anyhow, Austin is out for the season and believe it or not, he is dealing with that real well too. Think about him guys. He hates to not be on the ice guys but he will still be on the bench rooting his team on!!!!
Love to you all and til next time-

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