A Positive update - 17 Weeks Post Orif Surgery
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hey all, I thought I would provide a very positive update on my road to recovery 17 weeks post surgery.
I suffered a trimalleolar fracture with dislocation of the left ankle on 22nd June 2019. My first ever break on my first visit to another Greek Island as a 50th birthday present from my Husband!!! I missed my footing on a marble step in the apartment on the 2nd day of my celebratory holiday and boom!!! everything went pete tong from that day!!!
Rushed to the hospital to have the dislocation manipulated (without any pain relief!!) and sent back to the hotel to sit the rest of the week out before I could fly home to have surgery in the UK.
I had basically done a real number on the left ankle, two surgeries. The first was an external fixation for a few days to allow the swelling to go down then Orif Surgery to fix my smashed up ankle which involved weeks of my leg being held hostage in a cast and then day release in a boot for a further 7 weeks.
Fast forward 17 weeks post surgery. I have just had my discharge from the Physio after having three sessions. Two whilst in the boot and my final one today. Progress for me as a 50 something menopausal female has been touch wood free of any complications.
Apart from a stubborn achilles which needs more stretching my gait and ROM are doing brilliantly. The swelling is a pain in the arris especially in the evenings after work but otherwise no issues with walking or issues with the hardware which was installed to fix me again.
This has been some journey though!!! and 17 weeks ago I thought I would never walk the same again!!! I would have issues and be constantly in pain. I thank god every day that my healing and positive mindset along with a supportive army of people has got me through this the other side and I am very optimistic for the future and that my healing with just continue to get better and better.
So to anyone at the start of this very testing journey!!! hang in there..... there really is a light at the end of what appears to be a never ending tunnel and stay positive!!!! you got this!!!
Michelle x
1 like, 6 replies
sandra91776 michelle14213
Posted
So sorry to hear your birthday vacation was interrupted by an accident!
You will now have a good reason to return!
I broke my ankle 7/5 so my entire summer was the summer of sitting around in a cast while everyone else enjoyed cookouts and beach time!
Id say my first 4-5 weeks were worst, very depressing and you do wonder if you will ever walk again
But as you say, there is an end game and it does get better
michelle14213 sandra91776
Posted
Yes Sandra a complete disruption and I would love to return and in time I am positive I will as it appeared to be a beautiful island from the small bit I saw!!
At the beginning like you I was a complete pessimist but as the weeks went by my pure stubbornness and my renewed optomism helped immensely. Constantly telling myself this is temporary was key to my mental well being throughout this process and my will to recovery well yet rest when my body tells me to was also a good factor. Doing my exercises out of the moonboot three times a day as well as letting my mind and body heal was good for me and now my healing and progress can only keep getting better and better.
Suzususan michelle14213
Posted
That is great news. So happy to hear your progress has gone so well.
michelle14213 Suzususan
Posted
Thanks Suzususan, thought I would just put my positive outcome there to show people who maybe at the start of this long arduous journey that not everyone has a slow or complex recovery. I know everyone is different though and these boards for me were a good source of information but some of the stories had less than favourable outcomes. Thank the lord at the moment mine is a text book recovery with what appears to be no major issues and I am thankful for that.
Suzususan michelle14213
Posted
I know what you mean. There was a time in the beginning and through the Middle where depression does set in and you begin to feel like you're never going to walk again. I'm walking I just have a limp and I have been to physical therapy I feel like now it's more of just going to take time.I broke it on 7/3 but surgery wasn't until 7/23. My gait is not great but I'm just happy to be on my feet. I have done all the exercises and gone to therapy and it helps some but like I said now I just feel like it's more time than anything else. I guess that puts me in about 14 weeks since the surgery so I think I'm kind of on track I don't know. I'm driving and that made things a lot easier because now I can at least take my self places. Once I got out of that boot I was ready to go. LOL
michelle14213 Suzususan
Posted
Oh I remember the beginning so well!!! I remember being discharged from hospital and my sheer stubborness of wanting to continue to try to be as normal as possible. Attempting to crawl up the stairs for the first time to use the loo was when it really hit home for me!!! I was exhausted only moving up a few steps!! I cried like a baby, I felt utterly helpless and then the reality of how serious an injury it was really hit home. But!! I had to change my mindset and it sure did help me get through the long arduous days. Keeping myself as busy as my body would allow but also resting when my body told me to was also key for me.