Fractured Tibia and Fibula (Broken Lower Leg Bones) with Fixation Surgery (raw, fracture)

[Bhosler877]

Hi everyone out there. So glad everyone is progressing. I am in a turmoil and hope everyone out there can offer me some support and insight just what I should do. My fracture was due to fall at my place of employment whose property was owned by a hospital. Because of this I was immediately taken to this hospital for care because of them owning the property so that they could assume the responsibility of bills. My boss a dr sometime after I was taken to ER and admitted 18 wks ago went in talked to CEO of hospital and risk management man in charge of my case who is not a dr and they put a hold on my workers comp and to date apparently all bills have been paid. After my 2nd surgery 4/30/09 to remove hardware I had the staples removed 512/09 and Ortho surgeon whose practice is owned by this hospital totally released me with no follow up visits and totally took me off therapy. For the past week I have been trying to self therapy myself however this decision to totally take me off of therapy and putting me on my own without no one following me I feel this decision by ortho dr was wrong but because of the situation surround my injry I also feel that just maybe this risk management person may have told this dr to cut all ties that her hardware is out now she has racked up enough medical bills let her go. Now me being in medical profession MA/medical biller I have a hard time believing this is possible but cannot get this idea out of my mind. I do not feel I am ok on my own with self therapy because when I did have therapy sessions there was alot I was never taught or able to do because of misery of ankle and hardware. So what would everyone do in my shoes. How would anyone out there handle this. For past couple of days my ankle has been miserable, I donot know if I over did the self therapy. I do however lack patience and am I just over thinking this because only time and walking (which I have an awful limp at times) will help for next 12-18 months. Would appreciate any input on my problem? Bev

[cristina1]

Oh my gosh, Bev, I'm not even sure what to say to your situation! I thought it was odd that your OS cut you loose so soon after hardware removal. I would consider getting another opinion from a doctor not associated with your employer and go from there. I've heard of a lot of worker's comp cases where they shove the patient out there door too early just to close the case. Good luck, hun - and let us know what you decide to do.

[Bhosler877]

Originally Posted by cristina1

Oh my gosh, Bev, I'm not even sure what to say to your situation! I thought it was odd that your OS cut you loose so soon after hardware removal. I would consider getting another opinion from a doctor not associated with your employer and go from there. I've heard of a lot of worker's comp cases where they shove the patient out there door too early just to close the case. Good luck, hun - and let us know what you decide to do.

Problem is never made it as workers compensation case because of private circumstances my boss went in talked to head CEO of this hospital felt they should step up to plate since they are responsible for safety of parking lot for patients and employees and papers I filled out never got sent because of hold put on it when was decided hospital would pay all expenses. Tell me cristina would you let the dr know how you feel if you were in my shoes. Bev

[Nannyof2]

Originally Posted by Bhosler877

Hi everyone out there. So glad everyone is progressing. I am in a turmoil and hope everyone out there can offer me some support and insight just what I should do. My fracture was due to fall at my place of employment whose property was owned by a hospital. Because of this I was immediately taken to this hospital for care because of them owning the property so that they could assume the responsibility of bills. My boss a dr sometime after I was taken to ER and admitted 18 wks ago went in talked to CEO of hospital and risk management man in charge of my case who is not a dr and they put a hold on my workers comp and to date apparently all bills have been paid. After my 2nd surgery 4/30/09 to remove hardware I had the staples removed 512/09 and Ortho surgeon whose practice is owned by this hospital totally released me with no follow up visits and totally took me off therapy. For the past week I have been trying to self therapy myself however this decision to totally take me off of therapy and putting me on my own without no one following me I feel this decision by ortho dr was wrong but because of the situation surround my injry I also feel that just maybe this risk management person may have told this dr to cut all ties that her hardware is out now she has racked up enough medical bills let her go. Now me being in medical profession MA/medical biller I have a hard time believing this is possible but cannot get this idea out of my mind. I do not feel I am ok on my own with self therapy because when I did have therapy sessions there was alot I was never taught or able to do because of misery of ankle and hardware. So what would everyone do in my shoes. How would anyone out there handle this. For past couple of days my ankle has been miserable, I donot know if I over did the self therapy. I do however lack patience and am I just over thinking this because only time and walking (which I have an awful limp at times) will help for next 12-18 months. Would appreciate any input on my problem? Bev

Bev,
So sorry about your difficult situation. Do you know why they put a hold on your workers comp? As far as what you should do, I feel you need to put your recovery at the top of your priorities (which you probably already are). I think if it were me, I would start by contacting the OS that has been treating you and tell them how much difficulty you are having trying to do the self therapy and that you feel you may have been released a little too soon. Anyway, I think that is where I would start. Goodluck and let us know how things are going for you.
Take Care,
Nanny

[greenyes42]

Bev,

You are in a difficult situation, and I am not sure it was legal for your employer to do that. First you need to call your Dr and talk to him and tell him that you are still having problems and feel you were released too soon and feel you need more therapy. Next you need to talk to employer and ask them why no worker comp claim was filed, what should happen in the future when you are having problems from your injury. These types of injuries are not somthing that just heal and then go away it has been 7 years since my first broken tib,fib and still have problems with it. I moved to another city since then and I cannot even get another dr to treat that leg. You need to be assured that all future cost and issues will be covered. Other problems could arrise too if you were leave your employer and get a new job with different health ins they will not likely covered anything having to your leg as it pre-existing condition without the worker comp claim you would having no way of covering the cost of treatment.

Good Luck
Margie

[codeman]

It's been awhile since I have posted an update on my progress. It has been 16 weeks since my operation for a bimaller fracture of the right ankle. I am fortunate to have healed very nicely. Except for some limited range of motion, the ankle is very close to "normal". Strength and endurance is about 90% and pain is almost non-existent. I continue to work every day towards a full recovery.


I am grateful for all the support I have received over the past 4 months from fellow members of this discussion group. It is my hope that I have given back something of value to others here. The following is a short chronology of my injury and road to recovery. Newer members may find this helpful to understanding this type of injury.

• Jan 24 2009 broke my right ankle and left clavicle racing motocross.
• 5 days later had fixation surgery to repair the right ankle. The clavicle was treated without surgery (this surprised me given how nasty the shoulder break was).
• I opted for a spinal epidural instead of general anesthesia.
• The first 36 hours post-op was very painful. Had to take two Percoset 5/325 for pain. Those were the first and last pain killers that I used throughout this ordeal. In retrospect I would have used more pain killers during the first two days, I really suffered with pain.
• The severe pain went away after 36 hours. Has a slight fever for two days. Percosets made me sick.
• Returned to OS 5 days post-op for examination. Everything was OK. I was placed in a soft cast.
• Back to work the next day, 6 days post-op. It worked out, but this may not have been the smartest move.
• Returned to OS 2 weeks post-op for examination. Again everything was OK. I was placed in a fiberglass cast. This was very painful as I was required to place my foot flat on the ground before the OS would fit the cast. This really hurt.
• For the next two weeks I experienced all sorts of strange pains and odd sensations in my lower leg.
• 4 weeks post-op back to OS for examination. Everything was OK. The fiberglass cast was removed and I was placed in a removable cast. Pain was basically gone for the next two weeks.
• 6 weeks post-op went back to OS for exam. Things looked good. I was told to put on my shoe and start walking. I was FWB.
• Walk? No way! Hurt like hell. Needed a walker for 2 days. Took it slow and easy. Started PT 2 days later. Started using a cane after the third day.
• Worked really hard during PT and used every opportunity available to work my ankle on my free time. Lots of swelling and pain. Iced my ankle at least 4 times a day during the next 6 weeks. I started swimming laps on weekends.
• 8 weeks post-op back to OS for exam. Ankle looked good in the x-ray. I was set free, no more OS visits. But still 4 more weeks of PT. No more cane. Hired a Yoga instructor to come to my house twice a week for the next month to get me moving again. This was great.
• 9 weeks post-op back to gym lifting weights. Nice and easy. I took it slow but never missed a day.
• By 10 weeks post-op I could walk with slight limp. Still a fair amount of pain though, especially in the morning before a hot shower. Having real trouble with my range of motion. But I work on it every day.
• Over the next several weeks I started putting more and more strain on the ankle. Working it hard then resting a day. By 14 weeks post-op I could walk 2.5 miles at a good pace. Working on ROM all the time.
• Stopped limping by 14 weeks, unless I was tired.
• Today I feel pretty good. No limping, good strength and good endurance. ROM is coming back slowly.

I look forward to the coming months and am hopeful for a full recovery.

[Bhosler877]

Originally Posted by codeman

It's been awhile since I have posted an update on my progress. It has been 16 weeks since my operation for a bimaller fracture of the right ankle. I am fortunate to have healed very nicely. Except for some limited range of motion, the ankle is very close to "normal". Strength and endurance is about 90% and pain is almost non-existent. I continue to work every day towards a full recovery.



I am grateful for all the support I have received over the past 4 months from fellow members of this discussion group. It is my hope that I have given back something of value to others here. The following is a short chronology of my injury and road to recovery. Newer members may find this helpful to understanding this type of injury.

• Jan 24 2009 broke my right ankle and left clavicle racing motocross.
• 5 days later had fixation surgery to repair the right ankle. The clavicle was treated without surgery (this surprised me given how nasty the shoulder break was).
• I opted for a spinal epidural instead of general anesthesia.
• The first 36 hours post-op was very painful. Had to take two Percoset 5/325 for pain. Those were the first and last pain killers that I used throughout this ordeal. In retrospect I would have used more pain killers during the first two days, I really suffered with pain.
• The severe pain went away after 36 hours. Has a slight fever for two days. Percosets made me sick.
• Returned to OS 5 days post-op for examination. Everything was OK. I was placed in a soft cast.
• Back to work the next day, 6 days post-op. It worked out, but this may not have been the smartest move.
• Returned to OS 2 weeks post-op for examination. Again everything was OK. I was placed in a fiberglass cast. This was very painful as I was required to place my foot flat on the ground before the OS would fit the cast. This really hurt.
• For the next two weeks I experienced all sorts of strange pains and odd sensations in my lower leg.
• 4 weeks post-op back to OS for examination. Everything was OK. The fiberglass cast was removed and I was placed in a removable cast. Pain was basically gone for the next two weeks.
• 6 weeks post-op went back to OS for exam. Things looked good. I was told to put on my shoe and start walking. I was FWB.
• Walk? No way! Hurt like hell. Needed a walker for 2 days. Took it slow and easy. Started PT 2 days later. Started using a cane after the third day.
• Worked really hard during PT and used every opportunity available to work my ankle on my free time. Lots of swelling and pain. Iced my ankle at least 4 times a day during the next 6 weeks. I started swimming laps on weekends.
• 8 weeks post-op back to OS for exam. Ankle looked good in the x-ray. I was set free, no more OS visits. But still 4 more weeks of PT. No more cane. Hired a Yoga instructor to come to my house twice a week for the next month to get me moving again. This was great.
• 9 weeks post-op back to gym lifting weights. Nice and easy. I took it slow but never missed a day.
• By 10 weeks post-op I could walk with slight limp. Still a fair amount of pain though, especially in the morning before a hot shower. Having real trouble with my range of motion. But I work on it every day.
• Over the next several weeks I started putting more and more strain on the ankle. Working it hard then resting a day. By 14 weeks post-op I could walk 2.5 miles at a good pace. Working on ROM all the time.
• Stopped limping by 14 weeks, unless I was tired.
• Today I feel pretty good. No limping, good strength and good endurance. ROM is coming back slowly.

I look forward to the coming months and am hopeful for a full recovery.

Good going. I am so happy for your progress. You have been thru alot and its good to hear you are progressing wonderfully

[m2y]

Originally Posted by Nannyof2

So sorry about your injuries, but glad you found this site. You will find ALOT of support here and alot of good information. It helps so much to know that you are not alone and there are others that know how you feel and what you are going through.

For your dry and cracked skin, try Vit. E, you can break open the capsules and it really helps. You can also use a really good moisturizer, but I found the Vit. E works best. When I first got my cast off, I would use it all over my leg and foot, now I just use it on my scars.

As far as your rotated foot I would try to get a second or third opinion as soon as possible. To get other opinions might help you make the best decision. I am not in the medical profession, but I would think it would be best for your foot/leg to be properly aligned so that you won't have problems with it in the future.

I know that this type of injury is very tough to get through, keep reading the stories on this site , it is great therapy. Goodluck and let us know how you are doing.

Take care,

Nanny

Thanks Nannyof2 for your kind words. Greatly appreciate it. I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow for some more info regarding corrective sx (time to recovery, risks etc). I am fortunate to have a connection to a hopefully good orthopod at a major trauma hospital next Monday. Then I will take it from there. It's interesting how hesitant I was on seeking a second opinion..worried about damaging relationship with my current MD. Took awhile to convince myself to think of only my well-being & not the egos of others.

Anyway, I think this is an excellent tool for people to find solace & strength & info from those with similar experiences. I have read some of your posts Nanny & your kindness permeates thru all of them. Thanks.

[Nannyof2]

Originally Posted by m2y

Thanks Nannyof2 for your kind words. Greatly appreciate it. I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow for some more info regarding corrective sx (time to recovery, risks etc). I am fortunate to have a connection to a hopefully good orthopod at a major trauma hospital next Monday. Then I will take it from there. It's interesting how hesitant I was on seeking a second opinion..worried about damaging relationship with my current MD. Took awhile to convince myself to think of only my well-being & not the egos of others.

Anyway, I think this is an excellent tool for people to find solace & strength & info from those with similar experiences. I have read some of your posts Nanny & your kindness permeates thru all of them. Thanks.

My2,
You are very welcome, my heart just goes out to anyone going through this type of injury. It has been very difficult for me but I know there are others who have it even worse. This is a life changing injury and you really do need to put your healing first and not worry about the egos of others like you said, I am glad you came to realize that.

I think as moms, we tend to think of others first and put others needs before our own. But this is a serious situation where you need to get the info you need so that you can make the best decision for your future, you just have to put yourself first for a change. Goodluck with your upcoming appts.


Take care,

Nanny

p.s. thank you for your kind words also, it really does help to be in touch with others who know what you are going through.

[joyklou]

Hey all,
Saw the doc today,5 months after my injury he told me i am healed andgood to go. Then i told him i have pain above my break. He thinks i have stress fracture. So now i am restricted for 3 more weeks. can not wait to be done with all of this.

Joy