Update-Broken Ankle-1 Year later
So its been about a 1 year (and a month) since I completely broke my ankle (broke every bone and dislocated it) and I’m proud to say my ankle is basically healed. I have scars on both sides of my ankle and it still swells bigger than my non-broken ankle but overall I can do everything again that I could do before I broke it. In fact I have started running at the Gym and it holds up well. Every so often my ankle will tell me if I’ve done too much by causing some pain or if the weather is changing. I still have all of the metal in my ankle as I figure that I’m going to at least enjoy the summer before deciding if I want to get the metal removed or not. Any of you out there who have broken an ankle before do you still have the metal or not? Is it as simple a procedure as the doctor says to remove it? Do I have to go back on crutches at all?
I sure wish I would known about xerosox when I had my cast. I would have loved to have gone swimming. I am so glad that everyone is doing well. I rode my horse again today and the ankle doesn’t hurt at all. And it was in the stirrup the whole time. I am so glad to be back in the saddle again.
Finally back home safe and sound, my hubby just has to go get our food from my families house! Wow what a hectic few days we have had! I cannot believe how some people just help you out so much! My stepdad and his wife fed and bathed the kids, took them swimming, and played with them for 2 straight days all while pushing me around in a wheelchair! Thank you to everyone for the tips on how to get up at the top of the steps! I really appreciate the advice and I am working on a solution since my wrist is also broken I have to adapt! I used my xerosox for the 8th time today and still have not had a single leak! I dont know if anyone uses facebook but I do, and some goof on facebook told me I was frail as an 80 year old and made fun of me for needing a walker, needless to say he got the delete but it made me really upset. I am trying my best to get around and heal and stupid people make comments like that. Anyways, how is everyone doing today? The weather is supposed to cool off here with the low being59 tonight so I might sit outside tonight and enjoy some fresh air! Have a great Friday night!
Abby,
My solution to the top of the stairs… I scooted up to a step stool and then to a chair. From the chair I would use my walker or crutches. It might be hard with a broken wrist, but if you are able to scoot up each step this should not be a problem.
I cannot believe how hot it is where you are that is crazy. I think it hit 90 here today tomorrow the high is 82 so not as bad! I am thinking you will definitely get a cast Monday! So glad you are making progress! See things are looking up, we are on the mend finally! I cannot wait to hear about your appointment, Tomorrow I will have 17 more days in the casts….I cannot wait to get them off!
Hi Abby
Glad your power is back on and glad you will get to go home tomorrow. I can certainly understand not being in your own home . . . I was in TX @ my Dad’s the first 10 days and it is awful, as best they try, being home is best even IF it is on the sofa. I still can’t sleep in our bed, too high.
WOW, sorry to hear about the storms. I hate when we have storms here, especially tornado warnings and watches. We had a little thunder and rain today, I think it hit about 100 and heat index 107 or so.
Steve took my splint off tonight and we looked at my foot. Yea it is not yellow/green anymore. Swelling way down. Outside ankle a bit tender holding calf/foot in air for unwrapping of cotton padding, mesh wrapping, splint and ace bandage. I feel I will get a cast come Monday. Whether it is walking or not remains to be seen. AND while we had the splint and wrappings off he used baby wipes and that felt so good but tickled alot.
Back to school no tax shopping this weekend so he and the kids will go out shopping starting tomorrow.
THREE MORE days until next appointment!
P.S. Deana I am so glad your tootsies are not little sausages anymore! I know you are getting better each day! Hang in there! Happy Icing and Elevating!
The power has been restored, but we are still at my stepdads house along with the contents of our fridge…It is hard enough to get along at home let alone at someone elses house, but they have a pool so we swam all day thanks to my cast covers and the kids are worn out, back home tomorrow for some R AND R. I am having some swelling in my foot because we had to move around so much today and icing and elevating is hard when you have to leave home. The storm we had was awful. It flipped our wooden swing set over and left 30,000 people without power! Glad to be safe and sound and in a comfy bed! hope everyone has a great night!
Had a horrible storm yesterday we still do not have power the temps are in the 90′s. So we are at my stepdads house until further notice!
Glad to hear your good news Wendi.
WOW hope you are having cooler weather than we are for horseback riding, both your sake and the horses.
Suppose to hit 103 today and heat index 112.
Hi Abby
I get somebody to roll over the Kik-step stool from the kitchen and kneel up to it on my bad foot and then stand on good foot. Not sure how that would work with bad wrist. Also last time had a pillow to put hurt ankle on so toes didn’t press into the floor when standing.
Good news, my toes look the same size on each of my feet now . . . well I can’t see my baby toe with the splint so at least 4 are normal looking now. Before, they were so swollen, looked like they needed popping with a needle. OUCH.
Hi everyone.
Had a wonderful doctors appt. I don’t have to see him again until January. Healing wonderfully and I rode my horse today and it felt so wonderful and the ankle didn’t even hurt in the stirrup
Abby,
Crawl to the nearest couch or chair and drag yourself up after going up the stairs on your seat. Then use crutches or walker. I did this for a long time after my broken ankle.
Anklequest.
Deana,
Glad you stayed busy yesterday. I tried my best to keep busy. It was so rainy and miserable here yesterday. Today looks to be a good day so we are pool bound, I am going to go throw my crippled self off the side of the pool and float and attempt to exercise my right leg. My right leg is wasting away to nothing. I have been doing some exercises to strengthen my muscles around my knee but the leg just keeps getting thinner and thinner ( aka – leg muscle by the minute) Our daughter has a phonics summer thing to prepare for school this morning, then off to the pool. The kids are super excited!
I totally understand the helpless feeling, everyday when I attempt to do something and it fails I get so frustrated. My big thing is when I scoot up the stairs I cannot get up at the top, James has to lift me off the floor and up to my walker. He keeps saying his back is sore and I know it is my fault! I am also a chronic vacuumer, and now I cannot do that at all, there is not even a glimmer of vacuuming in my future. But 19 more days and then no more casts which will free up one hand, and I will be able to help more. If I had only broke my ankle I would be able to do alot more now but a broken wrist is a huge pain! I cannot help wash the kids, do dishes, really anything that involves both hands getting wet, AND NO CRUTCHES!
But anyways, enough of my complaining, It could be worse, I could have broken both wrists then that would create a whole new set of problems.
I get the opposite way before Dr appt, at least Orthopedic ankle appt, I look forward to it, I feel like they are a milestone to getting better. each time I go I know I am one step closer to the end of this madness. Just think you might get a cast this week and then you will be one step closer to healing! And you will have more protection on your ankle, it could be good! Try not to stress to much about it! I am sure it will go well!
Just out of curiosity, how do you get up when you get to the top of the steps, do you have a trick that works, or does your hubby pick you up? Maybe I cannot get up because I only have one good hand, so maybe you dont even have that problem. Oh well, Have a great day, stay busy, and feel free to vent to me anytime, I love reading the posts on here and I love hearing from you!
Talk to you later, Abby
Hi Abby
That was so sweet of your nursing school friend! I’m caving in to a glass of wine tonight. About to sip it.
I’ve kept busy today researching legal opinions and such for TN where we (me and another homeowner/tract owner) are trying to get an equestrian development de-annexed. Kept me busy all afternoon reading with the laptop on my good leg.
Just finished looking at my CD of my xrays from TX. So hard to tell what is what but I think with the little magnifying glass tool in the file, I can tell the two breaks . . . but for the casual observer hard to tell how many mm’s or what.
I started driving myself crazy early this week, yesterday, worrying about next Monday’s appointment. Last appointment, a week ago yesterday, by that Sunday before the appt. every time I thought about it, I felt sick to my stomach. I should just STOP that. The wine helps me in the evening and to nod off so I don’t lay awake thinking even more about it.
I know other people go through much worse, but I just don’t like this helpless feeling. I did wheel into the kitchen this evening to help find a few things for my daughter to make chocolate and some blueberry muffins for a special teacher breakfast the “ambassador” kids have to help serve and provide pastries, fruit and such and serve them. Woo Hoo.
Just managed to wash my hair tonight, hopefully another full shower in the a.m. even though they are a lot of trouble for my husband and scary for me.
Hope you had a nice night with your Chinese takeout and wine!!!! Mine made some sort of coconut/rice/?? and chicken with a good salad tonight.
Nite~!!!
Today has been so boring, but the mail just came and a lady I went to nursing school found out I was injured and sent me a card with 20$ in it so we could get carry out for dinner. What a great surprise! So we are getting Chinese carry out and a bottle of wine! I know I am trying to not drink alcohol and eat only fresh food but some rules were just meant to be broken! The kids are bouncing off the walls and we are waiting on the rain to come again! Wish us luck on early little kid bedtime so James and I can relax and enjoy our dinner! Hope everyone has a great night, Deana I will have a glass of wine for you tonight, unless you are having one, then we will consider it broken ankle happy hour!
Hi Deana,
Glad to hear that your hubby is being helpful. People just don’t understand until they walk in our shoes, no pun intended… or live with us! My surgery was Dec 22nd and my sister in law wanted me to come for Christmas dinner. An hour drive to get there, 6 steps up to the front door, etc. I didn’t even feel guilty about not going!
I don’t blame you for not wanting to go through surgery 34 days into it. And I’m sure you are going to be fine! In my case, surgery was always the answer and I was being stubborn and in denial by waiting 3 weeks before giving in.. But in the end, best decision and I am glad I did it. But having said that, I would not volunteer to have the hardware removed and go through that surgery and recovery all over again! Been there, done that and never want a repeat performance!
Good luck and keep on posting – all of us on this site understand what you are going through!
~Sunlight
Deana,
my advice would be list codeine as an allergy since you have a bad reaction, there are non codeine pain killers that work just as well. Second, my mom also aspirated when she was in her last few days, that tends to happen when the body systems are shutting down and reflexes are not working properly (aka the gag/ swallow reflex), surgery would be a pain for you since already healing for 34 days. I know at our hospital and I am pretty sure most hospitals you will meet you anesthesiologist (dr who puts you to sleep) before hand at a preop visit, this is when you can discuss all of your fears, they will also give you versed before surgery to calm your nerves!
as far as the passing out it sounds like your force from vomitting is the cause, have you researched increased intracranial pressure from vomitting, or the valsalva maneuver, both of these things can cause you to pass out. you might want to google these and see if you find an similarities. That really should not affect being put to sleep for surgery. but I can understand your fears.
the xerosox are a godsend, I used them in the pool yesterday and in the shower this morning, the one for my foot has a tread on the bottom so it is no slip and there were no leaks what so ever. My days of garbage bags and electrical tape are over.
Dont worry, I am still scooting up and down the stairs though and the kids are still picking on me left and right.
I am sending you healing vibes from my king sized bed while I sit and play online scrabble because it is raining here today! Have a great day and take it easy! As if we have a choice!
Hi Abby,
That is very sweet to offer to send the xerosox . . . we’ll see how it goes and I’d be happy to pay for it and/or postage.
Since you are a nurse, the thing about the surgery that I really don’t like, is the past 10 years or more, I have this thing when I get sick to my stomach with a virus or 24 hour bug, that when I go to get sick, I immediately pass out and wake up laying on the floor of the bathroom, sometimes all clammy, cold, sweaty, and at least twice with my tongue very sore (once for DAYS). My doctor referred me to a neurologist after one episode and he did a CT scan (or MRI, not sure which) and a brain scan where they hook all these probes to your head and then do the test like strobe lights and such going off. They didn’t find anything. Closest thing I can find from talking to others on one of my message boards and reading on the Internet was a “syncope” type thing. Of course no one is ever around when it happens so I don’t know how long I’m passed out but I don’t think it is very long. Also, my Mother, one of her last weeks of life, when they were trying to put the “port” in, she aspired sp? or whatever while under the anesthesia and pretty much never recovered and went from ICU for a few days to the Hospice or whatever they call it at the hospital where you pretty much don’t survive. So the thought of anesthesia and I’m super sensitive to any codeine type drugs, they make me sick, although I’ve only taken them when I had say my wisdom teeth out or root canal so of course not eating much with them, but they make me sick. That and starting all over would be depressing.
And yes, this sure does make for an extra appreciation of helping husbands who help us into and out of the shower and everything. It would be tough to be single and living alone for sure trying to prepare food and everything else too.
Hi Sunlight,
Well, then I guess it wasn’t a reduction or setting and just flexing my ankle to put the splint on which still wasn’t a picnic because it was still huge AND I have a pair of some crazy feet . . . I have super high arches, wide feet, hammer toes AND Marie-Charcot-Tooth which affects the nerves of the extremities. Doctor said it was a wonder I could even walk, I think it was joking, but maybe not.
The thing about surgery, after 34 days, I’d hate to start over from square one.
So far my husband has been very good, once in awhile I go a little long between meals or getting a cup of coffee in the a.m. or something but I try not to be too demanding so I just lay here, not like I can hobble out to the kitchen on crutches and then carry a cup of hot coffee or plate of food. I hate having to ask for stuff.
I’ve helped him through a few back episodes and one surgery but I don’t think he was quite as helpless this long as he could still walk.
Glad to hear you are doing better!!!
Deana, sorry the broken wrist hit submit…lol…anyways of you need anything ask, I will be happy to help answer your questions. I have seen tons of ortho surgeries!
I am sure you are healing just fine,and that you are making the best decisions for you, trust yourself, and you will be fine!
have a good night!
Deana,
Dont feel bad about the wine, I cheated and had a glass tonight. If you get casted near the time mine comes off I will send the xero sox to you and you can use it! The pool was wonderful. I think my main ankle problem other than the tibia fracture was the fact that I blew out all of the ligaments and there was nothing to hold all the bones together. They drug me as much as possible for the closed reduction and I screamed my head off, it was worse than child birth without an epidural, which I have also done (9lb 2oz. baby ) I am guessing your dr. was just manipulating your ankle to position it. I honestly think that if you are offered surgery, do it. But I am an OR nurse so I am all for surgery, it is usually a good fix especially when it comes to badly broken bones, I was lucky to get a popliteal block before surgery so from the knee down after surgery I was numb for about 12 hours, it helped with the pain and dilaudid took care of the rest of the pain, within 4-5 days I was pain free. I know the thought of needles and stitches and screws are scary but I can tell you that people go through much worse and people make it through surgery everyday!
I am lucky that I know the ortho doctors in our town and I was able to make a really educated decision, and I was very very clear about who would fix my ankle and I was not going to change my mind. I went to Dr. Dante Marra and he was amazing. I also was able to chose my nurses and anesthesia dr because I work there. So I was at ease about the whole process. But if you have any questions about surgery or what happens let me know, I have seen so many surgeries and I have had one myself. I
Deanna, I doubt it was a clossed reduction that they did because they did, in fact, do it on me, in emerg, with no anasthetic and the pain was excrutiating and I passed out. I think it was a big breach of protocol and nobody I have talked to since, including head of emerg at a different hospital, has ever heard of doing that. Now, having said that, I was terrified of surgery and scared of needles and would probably not have agreed to any anasthetic but the fact is, it was never offered. They had me sitting in an empty fracture clinic, on the end of a gurney, with my husband bracing my thigh, while the technician (who I thought was a ortho surgeon) twisted my ankle back and casted it, while I screamed at the top of lungs for him to stop. I woke up lying on the gurney with the cast on. I am cringing just thinking about it… Anyway, the thinking was that the closed reduction would set my ankle and if they kept the cast on tight enough, it might heal properly. I went weekly for xray and new cast and by week 3 it was obvious that it wasn’t working. This was all my choice. I saw 2 surgeons who both said I needed surgery and I believe they were right but I was too scared and in major denial about how bad it was. As much as I dreaded it, I finally agreed, 3 weeks later and went under the knife. Plate, 6 screws and a pin on the outside of my left ankle (just looking at the xray on my bulletin board over my computer, lest me or anyone else in my house ever forget, LOL!) Best decision I ever made and I actually think that I would have healed much better had I not dragged it out. It was Dec 22/07. Anyway, it really does get better but slowly. I was fortunate to have a very supportive husband who pushed me in a wheelchair, prepared meals, helped me with every little thing, etc. I don’t know how I would have coped without him… But I guess it was payback as I ‘nursed’ him back after his catastrophic motorcycle accident in 2005! Now, we are even and hopefully neither of us will ever need that kind of support again! Keep on blogging, it sure helped me in the wee hours of the night when I couldn’t get comfortable, couldn’t sleep and was feeling very sorry for myself…. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!! ~Sunlight
Hi Abby
So does that mean your ankle was way whacked out & displaced? Maybe that means mine was very, very slightly dis-placed, I had to climb up in an Expedition while on “vacation” getting to/from the urgent care place and then getting back to our home and being that high, there is no easy way getting in with no weight on one foot. I could slide out but getting in was tough until I finally thought of kneeling bad ankle/leg on the running board and then stepping up with good leg and pulling up rest of way with the handle. Now that we’re home, we can go to doctor appointments in husbands car and I just have to back up on my crutches and sit down.
I can’t imagine him letting the bone begin healing this long, creating the fiber network, whatever it is called, only to shift it or move it later either closed or open. I don’t know much about medical stuff because knock knock we are always pretty darn healthy.
I’ve been good about no diet cokes, only 3 or 4 in last 33 days. But oooooooooooooops on the alcohol. I have been sipping on 2 glasses of wine most of the evenings before bed. One, I’m bored out of my mind, and two, it helps me sleep, sometimes through the night and sometimes not. Guess I better give up the wine for now.
I have upped my intake of protein including an extra 20+ grams with a smoothie and plant based protein powder that contains all 23 of the amino acids. Also lots of fresh fruit and usually frozen Green Giant vegetables. I love the Healthy Weight, Healthy Vision etc. etc. line of Green Giant and usually eat the whole bag for lunch, like 180 calories and 10g protein and 10g fiber. Husband has been good at adding fresh salads to go with my dinners. I told him he was a pretty good cook and he said he has tried very hard to hide it all these years.
WOW THREE HOURS in the pool, how nice. I think it was up to 97 here today and heat index of 106. Very HOT. Bet the kids enjoyed that. I think IF I had a cast on my leg and my arm, I’d be afraid of drowning, I’d stay in the shallow end for sure.
Deana,
They did a closed reduction on my ankle before the surgery, they could not get it into a splint without doing it. They gave me dilaudid and ativan for the pain and I was still screaming. The next day they did the surgery, they also did a closed reduction on my wrist but that was when I was in surgery. I have never in my nursing career heard of a closed reduction without some sort of pain killer or anesthesia, maybe they were just flexing your foot to get the right ankle to splint it. I know in my experience I have had a closed reduction on my my wrist and I am casted for 6 weeks.
My tips for healing are no POP/SODA the carbonation slows the bodies absorption of calcium
No alcohol because alcohol prevents the production of osteoblasts which are the cells that form new bone
Lots of vitamin C and lots of fresh non processed foods!
I swam in the pool today for about 3 hours with my xerosox and expected to have massive swelling afterwards and have not had a single bit of swelling! I was so excited to swim, my cast covers (xerosox) came today adn they worked so well, not a single drop of water got in! I will be using them as often as possible, I was able to swim and move my leg and knee! I jumped off the side to get in because it was the easiest thing to do!
Deana I hope all is healing well, I hope you are only in a cast for a short while! I have 21 days left and I am counting them down! I cannot wait to see what happens at your appt! good luck this week, I will be thinking about you while I am icing and elevating!
oops typo make that
WITHOUT using anesthesia for the closed reduction
I have a question for all that I keep forgetting to ask.
OK I went to the Baylor Urgent Care place on the weekend, they found one fracture at that time and put me in a splint and told me to make appt. for when we got back to my state & home.
Doctor from Baylor called a few days after initial visit and said radiologist found the second fracture. Said just go see your doctor when you get home.
OK went to our orthopaedic place here at home and they re-took x-rays and said the one fracture had “moved” a little . . . but we’d still try splinting until swelling goes down then casting and to be VERY careful to avoid surgery. They took off the original splint and put on a bigger, more plaster, splint on each side sorta thing and wrapped and when he had me laying on the table on my stomach with my leg stuck in the air, did what I can only guess was the closed reduction, it wasn’t extremely painful or extremely uncomfortable EXCEPT for a major cramp in the back of the thigh and they continue the pressing and reduction while putting on the new splint.
Next visit still some swelling, better but not completely gone. So removed the splint and then just re-installed with a little added padded for the “burning” heel and wrapped it back up.
So, my self diagnosis laying here with another week to go . . . that the one fracture that was described as minor from peeking at his computer screen in the examination room . . . going on almost 6 weeks by next Monday, it should be well on its way to being healed.
The “other” fracture . . . even though it slightly moved during that first two weeks while laid up in TX, that it too should be healing while in the splint and that even though it was a “dis-located” fracture but since he was able to do it with using anesthesia or surgery (so far knock on wood) that hopefully I’ll get a cast next Monday and then maybe two more weeks of non-weight bearing (since I won’t have screws & plate(s)) and then maybe a boot.
So, my question is for those who have had closed reduction vs. open reduction . . . how was it for you and how was your recovery?
I’m so sick of elevating this foot. I’m sure the swelling was made worse by the 6-7 hour drive from Little Rock to TX and then the 12 hour drive home without elevation and perhaps not having it high enough those first days in TX.
I’m driving myself crazy researching ankle fractures on-line. I just hope natural healing, while although more time consuming, will work for me.
Deana,
I also use electrical tape on my garbage bags…lol…our poor husbands, mine bags my arm and leg, then lowers me onto the edge of the shower, because ours is not a walk in. I then swing my legs into the tub and stand up since I have been cleared for partial weight bearing. I quickly shower and then call for help to get out. I guess this puts a marriage to the test, thank god my husband is so understanding and helpful! I still giggle everytime I have to ask him to take of my bra, he shoots me a funny look. I am sitting here waiting for my xerosox to come so we can go to the pool. I will let you know how they work, I now have exactly 3 more weeks in these casts and then off they come. I went to Walmart this morning with the family and rode around on the scooter, we managed to get all of the kids school supplies! The kids loved the scooter, they rode in between my legs! We were screaming yahoo as we went up and down the aisles! I guess we are making the best of the injuries, at this point what else can we do? Hope everyone has a great day!
My next appointment is a week from today. Congratulations on the shower! They do feel good but my are they a chore. We have to use our walk-in shower for the master bedroom although I’m sleeping on the family room sofa 2 rooms away (bed too high & with steps) so my husband must take off the pair of sliding glass doors, they don’t open large enough to sit near the center in the shower chair w/back that we ordered from Amazon, then after taking the door off, he gets the shower curtain from the kids bathroom to sorta hang over the bar from the doors tracks . . . what a pain, but he did buy a cheapie shower curtain at the dollar store to save that step. Then I hop in on my crutches and back up to the chair and sit down. Of course he has to pre-warm up the shower so when he turns it on me, it isn’t COLD water, that would NOT be pleasant. Oh and he double bags my leg and secures with electrical tape although I’ve read duct tape but the electrical type works great and probably easier to cut off.
My first shower, before going to the Baylor Urgent Care place when we were in TX, I took at my Dad’s house, standing on ONE LEG. Dumb. But then we didn’t know it was broken then, just really messed up. I did have the walker my Mother used after her surgery for cancer that had been in the garage so I was able to get in & out with it and had it there for emergency, just had to dry it off . . . but thinking back, it was pretty risky doing all that.
Sleeping on the sofa is getting really old. I want my bed back.
My husband brought me my 3, 5, & 8 pound hand weights, just fetched one of each, so my goal this week is to start using them for a small work out routine for upper body. I figure my left leg is getting a little work being my stand on leg and balance on it dressing etc. Poor right leg, not much I can do for it except for a few leg lifts when I’m sick of it being propped on pillows and no position is comfortable, usually hits late afternoon.
I’m going to check with doctor before ordering the elliptical, we’re wall-to-wall furniture as it is, so I’ll have to make room for it somewhere.
Hope everybody has a GREAT week and lots of healing of bones going on!!!!
22 mores days in casts, how is everyone else doing this week. Does anyone have dr appt. of anything?
Deana,
My mom had brain cancer and lived 3 months after diagnosis, another type that is usually found too late. My son is 3 and he hops in the house and makes fun of me, it must be a kid thing!
Abby, sorry to hear about losing your Mom to cancer. We lost mine 4 years this month to ovarian cancer. From diagnosis to her passing was only 2 months. It was really fast but they almost always find ovarian cancer too late.
I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only stair scooter. I was feeling like such a failure. Of course my 16 yr old daughter laughing out loud at me, she really did that, didn’t help.
Judyt,
, In the last 5 years I have lost my mom to cancer, went through nursing school with 2 kids under the age of 4, and have supported my husband while he gets his Phd in physics…so a broken tibia really is just a minor set back, I have a well paying full time nursing job waiting for me so I am planning to start October 1st! Judy T it does sound like we have similar injuries, and I am sure someday you will be back to almost normal if not completely better!
I have one bad break in the tibia, I have one plate and 11 screws, The doctor told me my leg is more stable now than before the break, he said the only reason he has me as partial weight bearing is because all of the ligaments blew out in my ankle area and full weight bearing would slow the healing of the ligaments. So I am really hopeful that all will heal well and I will be fine, I know that I will not be running through the halls on August 23rd when all the casts come off, but I plan to walk across the threshold out of the doctors office
Hi, all…Marina here, age 58, female, right tri-malleolar fracture with dislocation on 10/7/09. ORIF surgery on 10/22/09.
Seems to be a lot of activity going on here lately with broken ankles. I have to say that this injury was the most life changing event to happen to me. All I did was slip on a pile of dirt! I had a very active job for an airline and ran up and down jetways and steps and concourses all day long. I’m now 15 pounds heavier and no where near a run. I’ve told my husband that it is always good to stop and smell the roses, but I’m really tired of smellling those roses now!
For the person who posted who opted not to have surgery: lucky you. I know sometimes it is a choice and sometimes it isn’t. I’m sure rehab and recovery are quicker without surgery. For me, surgery had to wait 2 weeks due to the massive swelling. Then recovery was complicated with fracture blisters and a pressure ulcer on top of my foot which damaged blood vessels and nerves.
For those who comment on the rush of swelling and purple toe sausages: I can relate. I think it lasted about 2 months for the intense part. However, nine months later, I still have swelling but minimal and usually if I’ve been up walking quite a bit or sitting alot – when flying any distance.
For those who commented on the stretching: Isn’t that weird? I wonder if I always stretched like that but wasn’t aware of it until I broke my ankle. I, too, would try to stop the stretch – scared something was going to stretch too much!
For the person who balances in the shower: OMG…please don’t do that. We got a tub bench from a neighbor that let me scoot my wheelchair right to the edge of the tub in the guest bath, then I transferred to the bench and scooted over the edge and sat with the shower running down over me and my leg propped up on edge. Later when I could step over the 6 inch ledge into my big shower, we bought a small shower bench. We had a grab bar installed inside the shower. I did better, backing up into the shower and stepping back. It was wonderful to sit and let the water run over my back! We would wrap my cast in a plastic bag and I would hold it up as much as possible. Please don’t balance!
I was non-weight bearing for 10 weeks. After the 10th week, the dr. removed the boot and said, “Okay, you can walk” Yeah, right. He’s a surgeon and as far as he was concerned, his job was done! I used a walker just in therapy for another month but still used the wheelchair most of the time, (could never do the crutches.) Then went to a walker, then a 4-prong cane, then regular cane. I still use a cane on rare occasions of crowds in airports.
I am now walking about 2.0 mph on the treadmill for about 10 minutes. I can walk longer, but slower and my back begins to kill me. Of course, when you’re down other parts of the body go down as well. My knees were affected, but much better. My lower back and opposite hip have me in pain most of the time. We thought it was from the limping, but an MRI is ordered to rule out anything else. I am in a work-hardening program now to build endurance. Therapist said my entire body was a mess as everything was out of alignment. I said, “No fair. If you break your ankle, then only the ankle should hurt.”
Dr. said he could take out my hardware – it does bother me some. However, everything I’ve read – especially with my age – contradicts that.
I can’t say life is normal, but I finally feel that my life doesn’t always revolve around my ankle. I know I should think how fortunate I am that I can now walk again, but in reality when this is such a life changing event, it’s really all about ‘woe is me’ to myself.
However, I can now sit at the computer without having to keep my leg propped up (very uncomfortable) and do genealogy and church business so all is much better. Everyone comments on my progress at church. My husband tells me all the time how much better I’m doing. So there is progress, albeit slow.
Hang in there. I hope you get as much help as I did from family, church friends, spouse. My husband didn’t have to do any cooking for about 3 weeks! Plus he waited on me hand and foot (ha!) We were both fast walkers and loved to go for walks and travel. I get discouraged that when we travel, we go on slow short walks. I was looking forward to those elder years of hiking and traveling. I’m ever hopeful that it is still out there. Everyone says the one-year mark is great and the 2-year mark is almost normal.
Good luck all you ankle breakers. What a support system Christi has set up here on the 1year later as well as the 2 years later sites.
Marina
Hi Abby:
I am the one-year-later version of you in certain respects. My accident was also July 12 with surgery the next day to insert a rod into my tibia with two screws at each end. Unfortunately, the doctor missed five other breaks so there was a second surgery about three weeks later. That one resulted in a second rod in the fibula and four additional screws in the fibula and ankle. I can tell you that the least of my worries was the tibia, which healed pretty quickly and I have no pain there. The ankle and fibula are another story. I just had an appointment last week with my OS, and he said I will know by the end of the year if I will have any permanent disability. So far, the bad ankle doesn’t flex as far as the other, which causes me to limp. I also still have a bit of swelling and a good deal of pain. Oh, he also told me absolutely no impact exercise (like walking on a treadmill), as ankle injuries take a very long time to heal completely. So, do be careful and don’t push too far too fast.
Like others, I scooted up and down the stairs on my rear for a long time and then started taking just one stair at a time. You’ll find that much of this process is mental as well as physical. I was so extremely frightened of falling again and it takes time to get past that. The wooshing feeling of blood rushing to the ankle/foot just disappears one day. In the early days, I think that icing and elevating were the best things to do, and I still occasionally ice when I notice swelling.
Good luck to you, and let me know if you have any questions for me!
Sorry Deana I had a typo, I am casted. I also get that weird stretching feeling, usually in the a.m. when I first wake up, it is something I cannot control, I always worry that it will hurt but normally it does not, I just must need to stretch. The blood wooshing feeling happens all the time, I sit with my leg up and the cast gets loose and then every now and then I lower my leg down and a gush of blood fills my calf up and then poof the cast is skin tight again. I guess that comes with the break, it seems like everyone has it. The doctor said there is a surgery to correct my knee, but it is not absolutely necessary, I am planning to use a brace for now and then go from there. On a lighter note I was able to shower today, I did not have to take a bath. Now that I am allowed to use my right foot for partial weight bearing I can use it to balance in the shower! It felt so good!
Deana,
My knee dislocated and I fell on July 12, I had surgery on the 13th, and was in a splint for 2 weeks. My wrist also broke when I fell but did not require surgery. They put 11 screws in my tibia and a plate. I am not casted and have 24 more days in casts, then it all comes off. When everything is taken off all I will have is a supportive knee brace. I am doing well, they said everything is healing faster than they thought, at my 2 week appointment they took out 14 stitches and the swelling was not bad and there was no bruising. So I was pretty surprised. I am a nurse so I know how bad things can be and I was thinking the worst. I am happy with the surgery, I blew out all of the ligaments in my ankle so surgery was my only option. I am also a stair scooter. I have a walker and my husband helps me get out the house. Hang in there and consider the surgery, it was not that bad!
Abby, when was your accident? You have a little more going on with surgery, screws, your wrist and how is your knee also.
I don’t know IF surgery would have been better for me, for all I know it is still a possibility but I sure hope not. I can be patient . . . well maybe not 100% but IF I can do without surgery, I’d sure as heck prefer that.
The weirdest thing, and it happened again this a.m. is . . . when I wake up OR it wakes me up, you know how you do a stretch and really stretch and almost lock your legs and/or arms when doing so, well several mornings as I’m waking up, the injured leg/ankle is doing one of these what seems totally involuntary deep and very strong stretch and I try to stop it and it won’t and I’m afraid I’m going to cause something to shift BUT it just happens. Very weird.
I feel like the swelling is going down more, most gone in the foot and calf but still was there in the ankle but when I feel the splint getting loose, only to sit up and swing my leg down and the blood “swooshing” only tightens everything back up so I don’t know . . . surely by a week from Monday. Which should be a FUN day, kids start school, get them off to school and get to doctor by 9:30 I think. We don’t go out much, I don’t do the steps in & out of our house on crutches, I sit and scoot up and down one step at a time. I’m afraid of falling and making things worse.
Deana,
I feel like you and I are in the same boat, maybe a boat without an oar..lol…I am doing everything as directed and elevating, icing, and resting. But I do tend to get cabin fever so we leave the house often. I cannot stand to sit inside all day. My doctor recommended the xerosox for the pool so I can exercise. I really dont consider my doctor a liar by any means, he has been dead on so far and I am healing faster than expected. Other patients that he has had with the same type of fracture were up and back to work in 2-3 months, I have been told 2 1/2, I know I will not be perfect but eventually I will be back to normal. I talked to a woman the other day who had the same injury as I did and was back to work in 10 weeks, she still has pain when it is cold, but the swelling has stopped and she is able to walk, run, and wear heels! So Deana we will keep our chins up and hope for the best! Stay positive!
Hi Abby, I can’t remember how many plates and screws you have left, when they took off my cast for the second time, I was partial weight bearing — no boot, no nothing. The swelling still happens when I get up in the morning and start walking around (8 months out), unlike another responder, I still have pain every day. She was right about the slow-going though. As you begin to move around the “rushing” will subside a little, but there’s no sprinting in my near future…..maybe after a year? Hang in there and be patient, let yourself heal. And if your doctor says you’ll be just like new; he’s lying. You WILL get better, but not in a month or two!
It will be one year in August since my accident and It does get better. I had the same problem when I was in my splint and my cast. I even had the same problem when I was wearing the boot. I just kept it up most of the time. Don’t be worried about walking. I was worried and when it came time to walk I was so excited and I took it slow and it felt so good to be back on my feet again.
Abby,
The blood rushing upon lowering my leg is still awful and I’m just in a splint still. My first one was just the splint up the back of my calf and the length of my foot, new one is two of those that sorta form a “V” at the back of my calf and on inner and outer ankle, very uncomfortable laying with foot sticking straight up OR laying to the inner edge of foot OR outer edge of foot, I just can’t seem to get comfortable these past few days.
Having my foot elevated for what amounts to about 23 hours a day . . . I feel like when my heel starts to “burn” that the blood has literally drained from my foot and I need to lower it so the blood can rush back through and “spread” so to speak all the proteins and vitamins to the tissue and bones.
I would have thought with the continued swelling in my case, they would have prescribed something but they didn’t.
Some days the blood “rushing” is much worse than others. Don’t know why.
I’m scared about walking too, today marks ONE MONTH I haven’t used my right leg/foot. Guess I’ll cross that bridge when it gets here.
Hi Abby,
I went through exactly the same thing when my foot was not elevated and it lasted a few weeks. I had a hospital bed brought in to our house because our bedroom was on the second the floor and I couldn’t do the stairs, so I stayed in my office on the main floor. I kept my foot elevated except when I got up for the washroom and in the time it took me to wheel in there in my wheelchair, the blood rushed to my foot and my toes turned purple and the cast squeezed very tight. It was awful but rest assured (and elevated, LOL) it does go away.
And yes, the day they took my cast off for good was very weird. I went home in the wheelchair, shoes didn’t fit and I was not weight bearing. I started physio therapy right away and learned how to use crutches properly, although it was winter and lots of ice so my husband still took me to physio in the wheelchair because I was afraid of falling. Still am but I am walking just fine. I still have issues and am not perfect by any means but days do go by with no pain and only a small amount of swelling.
The message here is that it is marathon not a sprint. It will get better than today but baby steps getting there.
Hang in there Abby!
Sunlight
Does the blood rushing to your foot feeling ever go away, I cannot stand it, my cast will feel nice and loose, and then I lower my foot and wooosh, There is the pressure again! Just wondering what everyone else has experienced when it comes to this. My toes get purple, and my cast tightens up, then I am back to elevating above the heart again! There is no pain just squeezing! And I was also wondering if anyone has broken their ankle and had the cast taken off and how the ankle felt after the cast came off. My doctor said he will take the cast off in 4 weeks and then I will be on my own (well with PT for 4 week) but no brace or anything. Does this really happen, because right now the thought of walking without a cast or brace terrifies me!
Deana just saw you post about the elipitcal, we have one and I love it, I have had stress fractures and have had my knee dislocate before and it is really easy for me to use! We have one that folds away it was about 600$ we ordered it 2 x mas’s ago, it is nice to have! I recommend getting one with a fan built in! I love having the cold air blowing on me while I use it! Definitely sounds like a good rehab thing for you! When I go back inside(I am on the patio now) I will check the brand!
Just ordered my xerosox, I am getting in the swimming pool by the end of next week! Yippeeeee! The doctor said it would be great therapy for my leg and knee, Dont worry no double gainers off the diving board, just floating and moving my knee around for strength, the kids are psyched!
Hey Abby, glad to hear your good news from your doctor visit yesterday. Sounds like you will be up & about & healed before I ever even get my first cast.
It is very hot here, both kids at band camp today. Daughter all last week and this week, 9-6 marching outside in the heat. Son, just today & tomorrow, inside from 9-12.
More watching tv here and playing on the laptop until it gets too hot on my good leg.
I was looking online at Costco and they have an elliptical with 200.00 off that I was thinking might be nice for when I can start back exercising vs. the treadmill and my Turbo Jam & Firm DVD’s.
Anyone else try an elliptical after an ankle fracture?
Back to the hospital this morning to have my wrist cast bi valved because it was way too tight and to have a new leg cast put on because it was too loose. Now everything feels just right. I am excited because it is not blazing hot and is slightly breezy here so I can sit outside while the kiddos play, how is everyone else doing?
Abby
I am so glad to hear that your doctors appt. went so great. Keep your chin up it will only get better. Just be careful and take care of yourself. Do not over do it. Swimming is great when the cast comes off. Your dog will get through it with you and he or she understands. You will be walking together soon. My horse hung there so your dog will to.
Abby, that is great news! When the cast comes off in August, you will love going in the pool. It feels amazing and you can get some good stretches and range-of-motion with much less pain compared to PT or land exercises.
You can tell the upbeat attitude you had on your blog. Keep it going! We are all cheering for you!
Nancy D.