IRELAND NUGENT - 2 yo - Palm Beach, FL

http://palmharbor.wtsp.com/news/news/447482-doctor-ireland-recovering-well-will-likely-need-more

They recently removed some bone spurs.  She's out and doing ok.  She also just had her third birthday not too long ago.

Look for "Ireland-Nugent-Family-Support-Page" on facebook.

William

We went to Ireland's well check today and overall she is a "healthy" girl. He checked out the incision that opened up, but was not quite sure how Dr. Chan will handle it. Even though Dr. Pai said we were going to throw out the measurement because he would like to start measuring her with her prosthesis on I was surprised to learn on her long leg she only lost a 1/2 an inch from the accident! She gained over 2 lbs. He said something about possibly covering the open incision with a skin graph, but I am not even going to try to think about it until Friday. I love our general practice Dr. The Dr.'s and staff are truly like my family. I would NEVER go anyplace else. Thank you Clearwater Pediatric Care, you are angels in our eyes!

From her facebook page.  She's a remarkable little angel.  William

Ireland and I spent most of the afternoon sleeping after church. She is still sleeping. I think she is physically exhausted, and I am mentally drained. Every once in a while she yells out "Mommy I need you" and I go in and she needs a snuggle and goes back to sleep. I swear she is the world's best snuggler! I think tomorrow I am going to try putting her liners on. She won't stop picking! That seemed to heal the wounds up last time, why not try it again? I have exhausted all other measures. Last night we went to a friends fiftieth b-day party. We were only gone maybe two hours. The sitter called and said Ireland's leg was bleeding. I always try to act cool, but for that 10 minute car ride my heart was in my throat. It turned out to be fine, and she was just picking AGAIN! But, all I can do right now is worry. I know that is helping nothing, and driving me crazy. But, I can't help it when it comes to her. She has my heart and I think most of America's too.

From her facebook page.  Little Ireland seems to be picking at her injuries.  Something I can understand.  For a little three year old it's impossible to stop.  I just hope she does not get an infection.  William

William, thanks so much for keeping us up to date on this precious little darling.

Great News today! Went and visited Dr. Chan. (he is the best! I hope one of you never have to meet him in a surgical sense because he is a trauma surgeon, but if you want to meet a great human being and surgeon, that he is!) He said yes, that bone is starting to grow again, however he feels like if we put off any surgery her skin might recognize that the bone is growing and start hurrying up and growing. What's basically happening right now is that the bone is outgrowing the skin. So for today we avoid the surgery!!!

From her facebook page.  She recovered from her last surgery and got new legs last week.  She's back walking again for now.  She could not walk for some time due to pain and open wound.  So far she's doing great for a girl her age. William

"Just wanted to update everyone after Irelands Shriners visit yesterday. They feel the best course of action will be to not only shave down the bone in her legs, but to deal with the thick scaring on her legs that is possibly preventing her skin from allowing the proper growth and the padding to stay in place for her prosthesis to stay in place. They want us to go to Cincinnati Shriners. There they have the teams to handle both procedures. I still have one more appointment for her on the 28th at All Children's to make sure we are making the right decision for her. Please keep our family in your prayers as we try to get the best possible route for Ireland to take! Xo"


From her facebook page.  She's has bone growing again causing pain and is not walking.  Hopefully they can take care of this soon.  William

Ireland Nugent Family Support Page

Looks like we will be heading to Cincinnati soon! After meeting with the other doctor we really feel like it is in Ireland's best interest to go to Shriner's to have her work done. I feel very confident in our decision and I am looking forward to this opportunity for Ireland's recovery. The plan in Cincinnati is to address her scars. All her scars have keloids on them. This is to be expected in her areas of trauma. However, even her donor sites where her skin graphs came from have even "keloided" Ireland's body wants to super heal. You can also see this when you remember that Ireland's body rejected the dis solvable stitches within a couple days of the last procedure. There is not much we can do about her body's response, but repair the areas of concern. They also are going to shave down the bone as well. The doctor we saw today did mention a fusing of the two bones in her leg. He said the rubbing of the bones can cause pain. In little people it is hard to distinguish if it is the bones rubbing together causing pain or pain of the overgrowth. I am going to discuss this with Shriners. It was the first time it was brought up and I am certainly interested in anything that could help Ireland to be more comfortable! I am looking forward to completing whatever it is we need to complete to get this baby back in her legs! We have to get her mobile again and practicing in her legs. Ireland will be 4 in August and I think it is super important for her to enter the 3 hour a day P!re-k program as a step towards Kindergarten! I will update you more when we have plans and a date!

I hope she can get back to walking soon. My heart cries for her and her pain. William

Well, friends, the week is upon us. To say I'm dreading this for her is an under statement! Last Thursday we picked up her garment to help the scars. It's not going too well getting her to wear it. We are doing our best and she is at least wearing it through the night. She will be heading in to Shriners in Tampa on USF campus 830 Thursday. They are doing a revision of both amputations. We are hoping this will only be an over night stay for her. Please keep her in your thoughts this week! Two weeks we should be able to get back up in legs! !!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ireland-Nugent-Family-Support-Page/139161096277398?ref=profile

From what I read they are going to try and do a small amputation and remove some of at least one of her legs.  :(
She keeps having problems of bone growth, spurs and pain.  Poor little angel could use some prayers.
This below as I was typing.  

Ireland is out of surgery and in recovery. All went well. She awoke for a minute to take a drink and is resting well. She'll be overnight to manage pain and should be home tomorrow.   Now a message from dad to daughter ( Nicole Del Corpo-Nugent,) honey get some rest and relax. Remember you still got 2 others that your body is taking care of. Keep your feet up as much as possible, I love you guys so much!

From her grandfather on facebook.  Ireland could still use some prayers.
William

Oh, how tragic.      This is the first time I am reading this thread.  Little girls can be very resilient, though, and many times adapt easier than adults.  I pray that she heals and grows with all the grace God has to offer.   My heart goes out to the father and mother who tried their very best and still had a traumatic experience.   Tractors do choke out when the seat raises even a little and any change into reverse should stop the blades.   This was not a normal tractor.    It had been altered or was extremely defective.   I cannot imagine being a parent in this situation and pray for their peace.    The church may have wanted to ensure they were doing things legally, but if it is true that the pastor expressed in frustration or anger that they could have the money and spend it anyway they wish, it is extremely disturbing. He could have kept the lines of communication open without it reflecting poorly on his actions.   To have this happen at a time when the parent's are barely able to function with guilt is unconscionable.   To know that the mother works for his church must be beyond painful to the parents.   I wonder if the mother still works for the church and if the family is still attending and able to get the moral support they need.    No one can begin to imagine this happening to any real extent unless they have been through it themselves.   I pray that they have fully forgiven themselves because God already has...   One week we went to church to hear that a toddler had fallen forward off of a bush hog (or off a tractor followed by a bush hog?) and was instantaneously killed.  How anyone can survive mentally after that is beyond me and only possible with God's forgiveness.   This situation with Ireland was so very much more understandable in context.   I thank the grandpa for taking the time to fully explain what happened and to share how highly he thinks of his son-in-law.    That truly speaks to how careful Ireland's father was in protecting her.    I see this fully as an accident and would put the blame on the defective tractor before I would cast one pebble in the direction of these parents.   I am glad that the church board acted to ensure that the family got the money that was intended to care for this precious Ireland.

I originally posted blaming the father but later found out the mower had been tampered with.  That changed everything.

I'm friends with the grandpa on facebook so get updates all the time.  If I remember the mother does not work for the church and the family now goes to another church all together.  It's been tough of all the family.  Especially the father.  But to the mother and grandfather as well.  This kind of thing touches all.  Little Ireland has a great spirit and that is one thing that greatly caught my attention.  She was walking before any of the Boston bombing victims were despite that being earlier.  She's had a lot of things to overcome but still fights through it all.  Hopefully for Ireland this will be the last operation.  She's been through enough.  My heart breaks every time when I hear she has to have another operation.  I rejoice when I see her smiling, happy and walking or running on her feet.

willcarney wrote:I originally posted blaming the father but later found out the mower had been tampered with.  That changed everything.

I'm friends with the grandpa on facebook so get updates all the time.  If I remember the mother does not work for the church and the family now goes to another church all together.  It's been tough of all the family.  Especially the father.  But to the mother and grandfather as well.  This kind of thing touches all.  Little Ireland has a great spirit and that is one thing that greatly caught my attention.  She was walking before any of the Boston bombing victims were despite that being earlier.  She's had a lot of things to overcome but still fights through it all.  Hopefully for Ireland this will be the last operation.  She's been through enough.  My heart breaks every time when I hear she has to have another operation.  I rejoice when I see her smiling, happy and walking or running on her feet.

We heard about the death that I mentioned before we ever had kids. My grandpa and my dad used tractors and I don't ever remember riding them unless they were parked with the key out. My dh and I never, ever rode with the kids on the tractor when we cut our own land. Actually, one tractor caught on fire while I was driving it when grass accumulated up under it. And, I mean fire. I tripped trying to get off of it. I about died when I had to call my dh at work and tell him his thousands of dollars tractor was toast. This is why I married the man: He only cared that I was OK. It was replaced, but when they came to pick up the burned up tractor, suffice it to say, they had never seen one that burned up.    Nothing but scorched metal remained. Nothing. Nada. Nilch. I met our local fire department that day and was shaken up for a good two years. It took me forever to even dare to get close to another one and I don't even touch the one we have now after having back-surgery. I sure hope little Ireland's treatment levels off. It seems like it will be a long journey for her, but she sounds like a strong little girl who will overcome.  I pray that her grandparents and parents find acceptance and love from the new church and that they find peace in the journey they are unfortunately on. Please keep us updated on her progress.

The mower in Ireland's case was purchased used and had been tampered with by the previous owner.  We are all fighting to put in laws making it illegal to tamper with safety devices in mowers.  It's one thing to be defective.  It's another thing all together when tampered with.  You were lucky with your fire.  Mowers are one of the most dangerous machines individuals can own and run.

There are several threads in this folder that I will continue to update. Ireland's story along with Kaitlyn and Regan O'Brien really touched me deeply.  I will continue to follow their stories.  Little Ireland can use some prayers.  Hopefully she'll recover and she won't need any more operations.

William