An ER Trip We Won't Soon Forget

When you receive a call from your kid at 9:30 PM saying very calmly that he thinks he broke his finger, you think he's kidding around.  When he sends you a picture, you immediately know he is not, especially when there is clearly bone sticking out from the skin.  

We met Brody at the ER in Hendersonville shortly before 10.  Thankfully he has a great friend, Noah, who drove him there and hung out with him to distract him from his injury.  The doctor reduced it the best he could and wrapped it up but told us we would need to go to a different hospital the had a hand specialist on call.  He was going to need surgery and soon.  We waited at Hendersonville hospital until arrangements could be made at Vanderbilt. By around 2 AM, we drove to the Vanderbilt ER thinking we would go right back.  We definitely did not go right back! Sitting in the Vanderbilt ER was a whole new experience for us.  

Finally sometime around 4 AM, they called us to a "room," which was actually just a bed in a hallway.  There were many patients in the hall, because apparently there were no rooms available.  So, we spent the night in that hall attempting to sleep without much success. By 11 AM or so, an inpatient room finally became available. By the time we got up there, though, they were ready to take him to pre-op.  

He had surgery around 1:30, and thankfully all went as planned.  A small pin in the bone, repaired the tendon, and got creative with some skin grafts to allow them to close his pinky finger.  He will have another procedure in a few weeks to remove the pin and have another skin graft to help with all the skin he lost on his fingers.  

All of this was due to a go kart accident.  He and Noah picked up a free go kart on Saturday afternoon, got it running, and were trying it out.  As Brody was driving it up and down the street, it flipped over on one of the turns. Somehow his hand got caught between the roll cage and the road, and we see how that turned out.  We are so thankful that a broken pinky and some road rash spots are all he suffered.  It could have been much worse.  

Also, the go kart was sold before we ever left the hospital and a solid profit made.  Profit for him I should say...we lost a lot of money in this ordeal! 

 

High School Awards Day

Colby wrapped up his sophomore year on Monday with Awards Day.  He earned his Six Sigma Yellow Belt in his CTE classes, which is great, but we are more proud of how he was able to continue to excel in all his classes, despite his unexpected health challenges and surgeries this year.  When he sets his mind to something, watch out!!  On to Junior year!

Graduation Party!

Congrats to Brody and Dominick!  It was a great graduation party celebrating two great kids! I loved seeing so many people come who have impacted Brody through the years...former neighbors, church friends, school friends of all ages, teachers, principals, coaches, athletic trainer, and of course family.  I hope you know how loved you are, Brody!!  We are so proud of you!

I'm also feeling thankful that Brody and Dominick's friendship brought our families together all those years ago.  We've made so many amazing memories with the Harpoles, and it was great adding another one!  Jen is a master party planner, and I was thankful to be her co-planner.  Now let's do it again in 2027!  

 

Graduation

Congratulations Brody!  We are so proud of you for all that you've accomplished during these last 13 years of school, and we can't wait to see what you'll do next at Trevecca!  I love this MHMS Class of 2025, and I know they will all go on to do great things!  Onward and Upward!

Also, we are so happy that Brody was able to walk without crutches at graduation.  He is improving every day...slow and steady!  

End of another soccer season

The soccer season ended earlier than we would have liked when the boys lost a tough one to Independence in the Region Semi-Finals.  While it's disappointing to not advance to State Tournament, I can't help but be so proud of Brody and Colby.  Both boys faced an incredibly challenging season of soccer.  Colby fought his way back to the field after 2 heart surgeries, and Brody's season came to an unexpected close after suffering his lisfranc fracture.  Despite the setbacks and challenges, neither one of them ever gave up or stopped caring about their team.  I hate that Brody's soccer career ended the way it did, which made seeing that rainbow during the final game of the season even more special.  It reminds me that there is always beauty after the storm (difficult times) and hope for new beginnings.  God is always with us and showing us how much He truly loves us!  We are thankful for another fun Merrol Hyde season with lots of great memories made.