Her leg has healed but his conscience hasn’t: Misdiagnosed broken foot

Here’s a father’s story:

Fatherhood also comes with tears and feelings of emptiness or stupidity. I almost rushed Lucille to the hospital for her uncontrollable cry … a cry that ended when my wife came home and gave her food instead of the bottle of water I had been supplying.



Nothing comes close to the time when Caroline’s broken foot was misdiagnosed as a sprained ankle. The doctor advised me to help her try walking with the leg.

 A week or so later, the leg was swollen and had excruciating pain. I sought for a second opinion. The leg had been broken. Caroline cried, and I cried.

 Her leg has healed sufficiently, for which I am eternally grateful.

I wish I could say the same thing for the hurt I have suffered for helping her walk on a broken leg.


Advice: Only hindsight is 20-20. If you make a mistake, remember that you can only prevent what you can predict. Forgive yourself.

Read a father patient advocate story, or read the Argus Observer’s
source story.