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So you glad you are doing well dely. Its a wonderful milestone when you go from crutch to no crutches. Remember not to overdue it that may be why ankle is swelling. Remember to ice the ankle also. I believe the ankle will bend in time. They keep telling me patience and time heals the tendons and nerves down there. Glad to hear you are progressing. Keep up the good job. Bev
Hi Dely - I just came back from my OS appt 9 weeks - I am on one crutch - she said I shouldn't ditch the crutch until I can walk with the one as smoothly as I would walk without, otherwise I may put too much pressure on my knee and cause other problems. She said it is OK to try without crutches in the house, but not overdo it.
The ankle stiffness should go away with physio/exercise and she said that is one of the things that causes the knee to take more weight... great feeling to be able to carry things around though isn't it? Just don't overdo it - the OS also said to elevate as much as possible still and to wear a moderate compression sock or the ankle will swell up like a balloon at the end of the day.
I have just stumbled across this thread and read a number of posts and am really relieved that people know what im going through!
i broke my lower distal fibula and tibia in my right leg.I did this on the 25th of january 2009,by falling simply down 3 stairs at my cousins house in the night! (maybe should have put a light on....!!) i was given huge amounts of morphine and had an operation the following day.i had a rod put down my larger bone and pins at the top and at the ankle to hold it all in place. i spent a week in hospital in horrendous pain. Now im not in much pain at all.it aches a little at where the break is,and i am still in a cast.i was initially in a full cast for 6 weeks then they have now put me in an FRC which is a removeable cast,so i can partial weight bear. Its driving me round the bend as i have been told off my doctor i will not be fully mobile until january 2010.
i try to be positive but have a lot of off days,where i cry and get flustrated. it seems like i will never walk again as it doesnt seem to be healing. i am at my next hospital visit in 2 weeks...and am very frightened as last time it wasnt healing.i am at my wits end because i keep thinking im going to have to have a lizarov frame (not sure if thats spelt right!!?) and theres no way i could cope with one of them! i suppose i just need some advice and some words of wisdom as im seriously down in the dumps......sorry to be miserable i just cant see the light at the end of the tunnel yet.....
So sorry for your injury. Everyone here has been through the dark days and not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel but you do not want to think ahead. Only think about the day you are in not ahead it helped me. Keep busy the computer helped me alot when I first had my injury mine was fx tibula tibula shattered ankle had hardware in hardware didnot like my body so just had removed 1 week ago. Got to stay positive. Are you a diabetic is that why you are not healing and they are saying you won't be fully mobile until 1/2010. If not then what are they telling you that your bones are healing slowly. I ate alot of Fish,Yogurt,icecream,took Vitamin D took B-12 to help my bones heal. Hopefully you will get more response as the day goes by. Please hang in there..Crying and flustration is good depression is not so need to think one day at a time.....Do baby steps. Tell yourself I can do this today that I could not do yesterday. This has been what helps me and reading from page one of this site to end also helps give you some comfort to know you are not only one out there and it helps to get insight from others who have been there done that and are progressing to recover. When they told me I would not be completely mobile til 12-18 months I told that that was unacceptable I will show you and I too have come along way despite set backs and you will too. Keep the upper chin hang in there things will get better. Bev
Hi Broken Kelly
Sorry to hear about your injury - I too have those kinds of days, but as the time passes it does get easier. Look at each day as a day closer to getting better.
My OS told me that I would have swelling for at least a year, and that I may have a limp for a while, but at 9 weeks I am WBAT and next will be able to return to work 4 hours a day to see how it goes. Yes, it is a long haul - you may need an ex-fixator - but if so, don't look at it as a bad thing - it is just one more thing that will help you along the way. Some people have it only for a short time - many people also get bone stimulators if they have slow bone growth.
Good nutrition is very important - do things to keep your mind occupied - I took a couple of correspondence courses, have been in touch with work via email, and am involved in a few of these boards where I can ask questions when I am unsure, and where I can vent to people who truly understand what I am going through. I cried today, no real reason except that I miss my dog who died (too young) in October... but it lasted much longer than it should have - the emotions get hidden quite often when we are trying to be brave and happy around family and friends.
Come on in and vent all you need, ask questions, find ways to keep yourself busy - art, crafts, books, crosswords, or daytime television... Discovery channel has some good shows - I like to watch home improvement shows and dream of what I may do when I can get up and around.
nanny thanks for thinking about me my ankle still won't move more than a flinch they just fit me for a spe ial splint to bring my foot back to 90 i have a loy of scar tissue that is so hard and it hurts i just want to walk but i cant after four months i can put little weight on my tip toe i just don't understand even with intense physio why i can't get my foot down ... but that is were im at same.. how are y ou oh and i ment on tip toe with my crutches
Hey all,
Welcome all newbees!! Just a quick update on my progress. I have been working for a month now,all of 5 hours a day,so far so good. Still alot of pain and swelling but i am so glad to be back to life,so to speak.I still get really bumbed about my injury but then i read the threads about the where i was 3 months ago. It is all good!!!
Hang in there all!!!
hey yea i dont know if im over doing it tho because i have no pain i feel like my ankle can hold up all the weight.. sometimes i stand on just my ankle for a sec or two and no pain problem is its still swollen and cant bend down..i wish i could run rite now cuz i would run rite to the gym and exercise my ankle. i still to this day have not had physical therapy.
So sorry for your injury. Everyone here has been through the dark days and not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel but you do not want to think ahead. Only think about the day you are in not ahead it helped me. Keep busy the computer helped me alot when I first had my injury mine was fx tibula tibula shattered ankle had hardware in hardware didnot like my body so just had removed 1 week ago. Got to stay positive. Are you a diabetic is that why you are not healing and they are saying you won't be fully mobile until 1/2010. If not then what are they telling you that your bones are healing slowly. I ate alot of Fish,Yogurt,icecream,took Vitamin D took B-12 to help my bones heal. Hopefully you will get more response as the day goes by. Please hang in there..Crying and flustration is good depression is not so need to think one day at a time.....Do baby steps. Tell yourself I can do this today that I could not do yesterday. This has been what helps me and reading from page one of this site to end also helps give you some comfort to know you are not only one out there and it helps to get insight from others who have been there done that and are progressing to recover. When they told me I would not be completely mobile til 12-18 months I told that that was unacceptable I will show you and I too have come along way despite set backs and you will too. Keep the upper chin hang in there things will get better. Bev
Thanks for you reply bev,much appriciated! and im sorry for your injury too.
im not diabetic...as far as i know! i actually went to the hospital last week as it was slightly painful.id lost my footing and had put too much pressure on my bad leg,therefore i thought id done some damage or dis-lodged my pins. i was told it was fine and it looked as though there was new bone growth!!! woo hoo!! but that was only a visit to A&E,and wasnt advised off my own surgeon. so im back at the hospital for my xray in 2 weeks. i am soooo scared!
im back at work full time,which is good because it does keep me occupied monday-friday and i have a good bunch around me!
aw thank you bev,ur support is greatly appriciated.
Hi Broken Kelly
Sorry to hear about your injury - I too have those kinds of days, but as the time passes it does get easier. Look at each day as a day closer to getting better.
My OS told me that I would have swelling for at least a year, and that I may have a limp for a while, but at 9 weeks I am WBAT and next will be able to return to work 4 hours a day to see how it goes. Yes, it is a long haul - you may need an ex-fixator - but if so, don't look at it as a bad thing - it is just one more thing that will help you along the way. Some people have it only for a short time - many people also get bone stimulators if they have slow bone growth.
Good nutrition is very important - do things to keep your mind occupied - I took a couple of correspondence courses, have been in touch with work via email, and am involved in a few of these boards where I can ask questions when I am unsure, and where I can vent to people who truly understand what I am going through. I cried today, no real reason except that I miss my dog who died (too young) in October... but it lasted much longer than it should have - the emotions get hidden quite often when we are trying to be brave and happy around family and friends.
Come on in and vent all you need, ask questions, find ways to keep yourself busy - art, crafts, books, crosswords, or daytime television... Discovery channel has some good shows - I like to watch home improvement shows and dream of what I may do when I can get up and around.
Good luck!
Karen
hey there karen,
thank you for your reply.
im currently at work full time,which helps the boredom,my dad has to bring me and take me home which is flustrating for both of us as he has to run his own buisness aswell as run around after me.which makes us argue a little sometimes. i also lost my mum a year n half ago so everything seems so rubbish at the minute,and i miss her like crazy and wish she was here to talk to. so i know where your coming from about your loss.sorry to hear that hun.
i do feel quite lucky as i dont actually have that much pain or swelling,but i suppose that all has to come when i start walking on it. my next hospital visit is in 2 weeks,and im actually scared stiff.im dreading it as i really dont think i could cope with one of them frames,i know id just sink into serious depression and wouldnt want to go out for fear of people staring at me.its bad enough now with my crutches and cast on! (well my cast is bright pink!!he he !! )
i just feel so frightened and nobody around me actually knows how flustrating and annoying it is to be disabled.
i wish u every sucess in your recovery honey. love kell.
x x x x x
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problem is its still swollen and cant bend down..i wish i could run rite now cuz i would run rite to the gym and exercise my ankle. i still to this day have not had physical therapy.