[Len S]

On Sat while we were waiting for my dtr's soccer game to start my 10 yo son and I were goofing around with a football. We were playing two hand touch one with the ball the other trying to stop them from scoring. Two hand touch!!! Well I two hand touched him a little to hard I guess because he fell and I heard a loud snap, sort of like a dry stick being broke in half. This sound was followed by the most pain filled scream I have heard in a long time. Well he was laying there on his back screaming and I could see him guarding his left arm. I am a paramedic so deep down I knew what happened, BUTTTTTTTTTT Denial is not just a river in Egypt. There was a stick half under him and I had a glimmer of hope, he could move his fingers and even lift his arm. I eased his shirt off and then I saw it. Broken collar bone. His left clavicle to be anatomically correct. So, he misses the playoffs in football, the last three games of soccer, yes he plays both and he is upset about that he is going to miss the games. No piano, he is happy about that, no violin, unhappy about that. Now for me the worst, this was to be his first hunting season where he could actually hunt instead of just walking. He passed his hunter safety course and I bought him a 20 ga, youth model mossberg. 4 weeks till he is out of the sling but the ortho pod does not want a 20 ga. kicking him in that shoulder for 8-10 weeks:banghead: Now I do a group family text saying we are in the hospital. My mother, brother, and sister all texted the same thing. "LIKE FATHER LIKE SON". When I was in 2nd grade I was practicing judo with my father. He helped me a little on one throw and it threw me off balance and he landed on my right arm, breaking both bones in my right arm. I am right handed, my hand writing still suffers from the lack of practice in those formative years, well thats my story and I am sticking to it anyway. So I have one very unhappy youngster and I feel so bleepin guilty. Thanks for letting me vent. :(



Len S

[Ske1etor]

Hey, it happens... don't beat yourself up over it. He will have a story to tell his kid when he breaks his arm. Kinda like a family tradition. My family passes down collectibles... yours passes down pain and X-rays...

[Code3GT]

whatever, bad handwriting comes natural to medics, quit making excuses, Nancy :) Let him put a 14ga in your hand, he'll feel better and not even worry about missing out on the season LMAO

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Look at it another way: You are active in your kids lives.....you take them hunting and are involved with their extracurricular activities. Some "dads" could care less! I agree that it sucks, but their is always next year....maybe you could take that mossberg and go to a pheasant preserve as as special dad/son day.....Kind of a "I'm really, really sorry for breaking both the bones in your arm" day.:neener:

[Decker]

sounds like you need to buy him a 22 and take him small game hunting at least :) i can always find a need for another gun......

[35 Whelen]

Geez....don't beat yourself up! From this, your son will learn that life is full of ups and downs. He'll benefit more from missing the silly games than he would have from going. Take him hunting with you. Let him watch you shoot something. He'll learn to be happy for others and when he does get to kill his first deer, he'll appreciate it even more!
35W

[Harvster]

There are many young people in this country today that would gladly trade a broken bone to have a Dad that cares about anything in their lives.

[armoredman]

Ditto. Love your family hard, there are no guarentees in life.

[2FNSLO]

Sounds to me like you are really involved in your sons life. In the long run, that will mean tons more to him than a few games and a hunting season. Just keep doing what your doing, maybe just don't "touch" so hard the next game. It will all work out.

[deanadell]

Where are you located? Deer season down here in SC lasts until the first of the year. I think ALabama and Georgia even go into late January

[JImbothefiveth]

I'm unfamiliar with this type of injury, but could you get him a .22 handgun to hunt small game with? He wouldn't need to use his injured arm that way. :)

[Mrs. Armoredman]

OUCH... I hope he heals soon so y'all can go on another trip.

[koja48]

Life happens and as stated previously, your Son has a Dad who is an active and loving part of his life. This, too, will pass. Find other things to do with him . . . I gave-up hunting for 12 years while my Son was going thru leg-lengthening & several hip surgeries. He became quite adept at shooting a .22 one-handed using his other crutch for a rest & had a ball doing so. 8-10 weeks is a lot shorter time span than 12 years. Be the great Dad you are and find a plan B . . .

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Ahhh, that stinks. Maybe he could hunt with a rifle from the other shoulder, or at least tag along and watch dad hunt. Good luck in healing and don't be so rough on the boy! :p

[Dirty Dawg]

You broke his collar bone? What a mean Dad! lol Just bustin' your chops, so you don't do it yourself. If you are active with your children, you're going to hurt them once in a while, and they in turn will hurt you from time to time as well. Case in point, I once hit my son right in the eye while playing catch. That little event left him with a heck of a shiner and bit of a fear of baseballs. Then there was the time my then 2 year-old daughter broke my nose... but that's a different story.

Take good care of your boy. As a guy who's broken both of his clavicles I can tell you that it ain't no box of chocolates. Sleeping was the worst aside from having to wear that dang brace.

[K3]

Get him to try with the other hand. A buddy of mine only has 5 to 10% use of his right arm from a drilling rig accident. He quickly mastered shooting left handed and is almost as good a shot as he was with his right. He uses a lever action .30-06 for deer and elk now, b/c he can't work his old bolt guns properly, and he didn't want to buy a bunch of left

Like others said - good on you for taking an active role in your boy's life. Don't sweat it too much.

[cmidkiff]

I can relate... My daughter's wrist snapped while we were playing around. I had no idea I was putting enough pressure on it to hurt her... she was laughing and playing right up until we both heard the snap. She was 14 at the time, I felt like a real heel.

She got over it, I'm sure your boy will as well.

Broken clavicle? Ouchy!

[mr.scott]

Just be glad some liberal parent at the park didn't call the cops on you.

I've had people get in my face because my autisitic daughter was a having a crying fit. (she cries like she's being murdered)

[lgbloader]

Dude, seriously...

I'm 6'1" and 255. I can still pump 325 Lbs off my chest and I have studied martial arts for last 25 years. I have to really watch my zealous over-competitive nature so I don't end up sending my kid to the emergency as well when me and him are playing. But if something should happen, my wife's a doctor.

As for you...

Sounds to me like your family is going to be just fine with you around. Hopefully, you will never have use your emergency skills but at least you have training. File this under "sh*t Happens" and move on.
Remember, Kids aren't perfect, and neither are Moms and Dads.



LGB

[loneviking]

Hmmm, story sounds a bit like my house. I was always rough-housing with my kids and they often chastised their father for being too rough! But, I have a 20 and 18 yr. old daughters, both of whom know very well how to handle themselves in any sort of roughhouse match. I've never broke them, but I have bruised them some. Now, they are too old for that and I have to wait for grandkids! :evil:

You're a good dad, and kids need to learn to handle themselves in a rough and tumble match.

[distra]

All I can say is "Aw sh*t!". Your son will recover long before you will. Don't be too hard on yourself, these things happen. Doesn't make you feel any better I know, but everything will work out fine. Spring season...

[Funderb]

easiest bone to break. broke mine, ignored it till it got better. good experience for the kid.

[Len S]

Thanks for all of the support. I live in Il he will not start deer hunting till next year and that will be with a bow. The orthopod said 6 weeks which is 11-22. To be safe I scheduled a pheasant hunt at Kankakee river state park. On the positive side my son he had two girls fighting for the privilege of carrying his book bag. He will be in the duck blind with me when he can, he does not need that collar bone to call. On a better note for me none of the upright or is that uptight citizens called DCFS, dept of children and family services. Not when it happened or as my son complained in school that "now I will have to wait to hunt with the new shotgun my dad bought me". Once again thanks for your support. My son would like me to mention to all of you that while he has not hunted yet he did catch a 12 lb steelhead and a six lb brown trout off the rocks in lake Michigan at Montrose harbor while his father caught nada, zippo,zilch and not even a bite.


Len

[Floppy_D]

Dang. :( You can still spend the season watching tracks and signs, and "hunt" with a camera. I've had buddies who weren't sold on hunting go "hunting" with me by trying for the best nature shots... he still might have a blast.

[koja48]

Getting "bested" by your children is one of the finest proud moments a Dad can have . . . means you did your job & they learned. Congrats to both of you!

[lgbloader]

Very cool last post, Len.

I read it while my 4 year old Son, Kai, was on my lap and it put a lump in my throat.

GOD Bless your Son and you and your family & Friends, Mate.

Cheers

LGB

[unreal45]

At least your son has a dad that will spend time playing with him. Kudos to you for that.

[moooose102]

dont worry about it. stuff happens, and HE learned a valuable lesson. people can get hurt by goofing around! when i read the title, i was afraid of the worst. from the title, i thought you might have broke his spirit. the bone will heal, a broken spirit may never heal. and yes, it does happen. it did to me. took me years and years and years to recover.

[ishredinmysleep]

dont sweat it bro. my favorite saying dont crucify yourself for ur mistakes ... someones already done that for you (jesus)

[SwearNoAllegiance]

I broke my kid

Give him a beer. He'll get over it. :)

[Highland Ranger]

Now he'll have a story to tell for the rest of his life.

Families are great, especially close ones.

Remember to make mention of it tomorrow . . .

[K3]

Give him a beer. He'll get over it.

He's a just a kid.

Better go with light beer.

[Grassman]

Butt the gun up to a tree, let him shoot anyway. Likely to miss, but at least he is out there with you.

[Len S]

Update we got the all clear last Wed. we are going pheasant hunting on 06- Dec. I will report back with details.


Len

[gotgcoalman]

Sorry to hear the news and hope he makes a full recovery.

Be nice to your kids now (they choose the retirement home in the future)

[ilbob]

A volunteer firefighter/EMT I once worked with told me a story about a guy who was playing with one of his kids in their yard when he ran into a tree and knocked himself out, falling on top of his kid, who suffered a broken leg. Guy was still unconscious when the fire department got there.

[BigBuckMaster]

can he shoot left handed?

[Dksimon]

Dont be so hard on yourself. Kids break easier but they heal faster. My future BIL broke his arm 2 weeks before deer season opened he was bummed becuase he was sure that he wouldnt be able to draw his bow with a cast on his dominant hand but 2 weeks into deer seasong he was healed up enough that he had the strength to draw a 40lb.