Mason's Eye Incident

My heart stopped and I cringed yesterday when I looked at a tennis ball. Such an odd statement but so true. What started out as a fun Family outing planned with food, friends, quad riding, shooting and games; quickly turned into a nightmare. We invited our friends to the dessert on Saturday March 29th, as we were leaving I suggested taking the Potato cannon (aka tennis ball launcher) to play with and distract any children not taking a turn shooting or on the quad. We were up by Sycamore creek area and had only been out there for a about 20 mins before my life turned upside down. I don't mean to sound so dramatic but going through this has been one of the hardest things in my life so to me it is a big deal.

This picture on the blanket was taken just a few mins before the incident.

I had the boys situated on this blanket and was the only one firing the cannon. When the older boys expressed interest in learning how to fire I was hesitant but thought it would be fine because I was right there. Mason was having a blast loading the tennis balls in and watching them pop out! He kept putting his eye up to the barrel and I quickly lectured him on NEVER doing that. One of the parents was setting up a shade thing for us close to the blanket and he needed help opening the shade. I told the boys just load don't fire it and I turned my back for a few seconds to open the shade canopy. Next thing I hear Mason yell "Owwww!" That was it. No tears. No screaming. I looked and he had his hands over his left eye. I didn't know what had happened so I pulled his hands away and what I saw made my stomach jump up to my throat. I can't really describe it. Mason's face did not look like Mason. He had a small cut on his nose, and it was as if his whole eye socket and supporting bones were FLAT. I think his eye may have been bulging a little. I panicked and rushed him to the ice chest to get some ice on it. Ron was there and quickly evaluated Masons eye which was rapidly swelling. The swelling was so immediate his eye swelled shut with in 3-5 mins. Crazy! 

I felt like life was in slow motion. We decided to take him to get medical help. I frantically grabbed Callie put her in her car seat (she was crying about leaving), Noah quietly and obediently filed in the jeep. I felt like a crazy woman throwing camping chairs in the back of the jeep and running for the canon and blanket throwing it in the back as well. I'm sure everyone around me was in shock too but I just felt like they were starring as I panicked and as the guilt took over me. I was in tears getting into the jeep as we drove off. I remember Ron very reassuringly rubbed my arm to comfort me.

Watching Mason in the car was awful. His eye was almost swelled shut and he kept reaching up to pry his eye open, not really understanding what was going on. Still no tears just quietly trying to ice it and get comfortable. I smile when I think about mine and Ron's naive behavior. For the next 15-20 mins or so we discussed whether to go to an emergency room/ hospital or try urgent care. We have never been in this situation before and didn't really know the seriousness of the situation. Lesson learned. We also debated just one of us taking Mason and the other staying home with the other kids. Decision was made to take the whole family to the hospital.

We arrived at the Banner Gateway Hospital around 4pm. My sister Maryann happened to call while we were in the waiting area and helped spread the word to my family about our situation. I was still in such shock it didn't occur to me to call and let anyone know, let alone figure out what to do with Callie and Noah. We were just all hanging out. I think Heavenly Father prompted her to call me then. I was still feeling horribly guilty over this happening on my watch and I'm not sure I would have answered the phone if it had been anyone else calling. By the time they got us back and evaluated they determined that Cardon's children hospital could better treat him, this was around 8pm. Luckily they let us drive and we didn't have to go by way of ambulance


. At the Cardon's hospital they did another eye ultrasound (no one was able to physically open his eye at this point), a CT scan, and gave him an IV with some pain meds that allowed him to sleep, and phoned a Pediatric Eye Specialist. The eye specialist came in and used some sort of tool with a spring that retracted Mason's eyelids open. Going against the eye doctors advice I looked at Mason's horrible eye pried open. (I figured I see gross stuff at work all the time and I have the stomach for it). As I peered into what should look like an eye ball I remember thinking "Where's the white part of the eye?!?! What color is Mason's eye? I can't remember what color Mason's eye should look like right now! What color is Mason's eye?!?!?!" I don't know how to describe what I saw. His eye wasn't very round, it looked very wrinkled and the iris part was just a big black hole (filled with blood), his cornea didn't looked rounded over the iris either. In fact the cornea looked pretty flat. The eye specialist did this exam 2 different times at the hospital and both times Mason was very cooperative and calm. Mason did periodically ask Ron and I a few different times if the Doctors would be able fix his eye. And occasionally asked for food, no other complaints. Such an amazing kid!

   When we got home finally around midnight per Mason's request we picked dinner up at Wendy's. We sat him down to eat. All afternoon and into the evening Mason refused to open even his good eye. He needed lots of guiding and direction. Apparently your eyes are programmed together, so when one eye opens they both contract the pupil even if one eye is still shut. This in turn would cause pain for Mason, so he just quietly kept his eye shut. We positioned the bean bag so that Mason could sleep vertically to help the swelling go down. For 2 weeks that bean bag was Mason's bed. 

Sunday morning Mason woke up (still wouldn't open his right eye, the good one) after inquiring where his siblings were (at Grandma and Grandpa Faler's) he asked "Can I go sit on the swing outside?" Crazy kid. And I LOVE him for it!

Noah and Callie tried their best to comfort and be there for Mason. Noah didn't want to sleep with out Mason so he fashioned a bed on the floor next to Mason. Callie would often lend her ear even though typically she hates it when he does that. (Mason and his ear fetish! This kid loves ears! Always has!)