Broke both ankles, but doing well except mentally it has been hard.

Posted , 5 users are following.

I thought I will share my story......June 14 stepped off a curb and went down not sure how.  Funny thing is I was on vacation visiting family across the country, and was supposed to fly home that day.  The fall was very scary experience, almost passed out.  Not even sure what happened.

Went to ortho urgent care that evening, they told me 1 ankle hairline fracture, other side can't tell at least a sprain, go home when you feel you can bear weight.  In pain for a bout 3-4 days before able to lightly bear weight enough to fly home.  Could barely get to toilet, those days, both ankles were broke.

Everything since the fall has been an ordeal.  Not so much pain although did have that for about 4 days.  Just going to toilet, having to stay with relatives until I can fly home, every step to get home was such an ordeal.

Found doctor at home and turns out both are broke (non displaced) 1 side needs surgery.  Had surgery last Monday. In very little pain from surgery. My biggest issue is mental, restlessness, boredom and wearing and sleeping in the boots.  Right now I am living off of small milestones that get me closer to complete healing.

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Posted

    Oh so feel for you with Both damaged. Don't know how your coping. I'm week 13 since my fall. Was given the OK a week today that I can start to walk in shoes with crutches and to slowly ween off them. The way it's going I think it's going to be a long time before that happens. Pain I'm getting is Bad sometimes reduces me to tears. Had stopped pain killers a while back, but since last Friday I'm now back on them, which in it self causes issues with constipation. 😢 think you are in for a long haul, and the mental state can get you dwn. It does me big time. Which had lead to me throwing the crutches dwn. Days are long and boring. TV is rubbish. Let's hope you start to see light at gherkin end of the tunnel soon. We just need to take it day by day and things do get better but seems to be taking forever. Wishing you luck in your journey. Sx

    • Posted

      Dear Sandra

      I think it is,important to keep up the pain meds for a couple of reasons.First to give your body to mend and second to encourage you to walk better.

      Good luck Richard

    • Posted

      Think your right Richard. But just seems like going backwards ad I had stopped them. But when thinking without moaning, I know it's nit the end if the world to take them as they do help but also naked me so sleepy. Plus the constipation side of things is dreadful. But as you say, they do help with pain which allows me to walk a little better with the crutches. Think I need to stop feeling sorry for myself. 😢 😢. Sx

    • Posted

      Soz for spelling mistakes... Spell check. Grrr
    • Posted

      Dear Sandra

      I do understand as it is important to feel we are moving forward but sometimes we need to re-evaluate. I've had to do this a couple of times recently!

      Perhaps if we were not pushing ourselves enough we would never have to take a step back <G>

      All the best Richard

  • Posted

    JLady,

    So sorry to hear of your misfortune. Only another foot patient could come near to realizing what you are going through.

    We take our feet for granted. When a previously healthy and mobile person injures their feet it is a traumatic experience. Some people can cope with such a challenge better than others, but it is still a hardship on nearly everyone.

    Our feet are our body's very foundation. They enable us to move effectively through our world to enjoy life, explore our environment, take care of our needs, and for many of us-- to earn a living.

    Take our feet's ability away and we feel crushed, even if the situation is only temporary.

    Have solace in the thought that your odds are extremely good to get back to normal, or nearly normal feet. Rejoice that your bone breaks are not displaced and you are likely to heal much faster than many. I still am scratching my head why your doctor made you go through the ordeal of surgery with non-displaced fractures.

    I know it's hard to do now, but try to put on your best game face and meet the challenge head on, and then get past it to the end. And at the end may you find yourself a little bit stronger and more resilent, mentally and emotionally, than before you were injured.

  • Posted

    Omg both I cannot even imagine the pain doing one was bad enough but two omg. And yes the mental boredom is the hardest. I think I've watched more tv than I've watched in my whole life. I'm 12 weeks now and walking. Saw pysio yesterday to help plan a few more exercises. The pain of that will keep me busy for a while. 

    • Posted

      Great that your walking Jenni. Is it with any aids? I still not able to walk without crutches as it's too painful. 😢. 13 weeks nxt Tuesday. One week without boot. Can't get over how long this is all taking. 😢. Good luck with the physio. I'm back for more nxt Wednesday. Sx

    • Posted

      Hi Sandra. I'm walking without aides. Bit limply and require more therapy than I thought. Tiptoe on both feet she said ,ok done both feet did it then she skin no it on good foot and then injured. Well good foot no hassles but injured foot would not budge at all not a bloody fraction. Nor could I bend knee to wall when an inch away from it. It's like my mind has forgotten how. I'm telling it to move but it won't. Very unreal feeling. Hand injury will also take time to heal. Nerves and tendons. I hope you get more mobile soon. Fear factor still high almost fell today over a crutch  that fell down. I'm always looking down. 

    • Posted

      Wow that's great. I'm week out of boot but don't seem to of got anywhere. 😢. I've has 3 sessions in physio 2 only moving foot from side to side then up n dwn. The side to side one I found difficult as my brain wouldn't link up with foot temp it what to do. Lol last Friday was more intense as she had me balancing on wobble board and using band. Did a few step bends but then panic attack kicked in, so she put an end to session. Fed up with these attacks now as they are coming more and more now. Can't wait to get where you are. My son is filming graduations in Cardiff all next week and I usually drop him off then he gets train home. But ad I can't drive and he had yet to sit his test in September, he needs to get train there too. So it's going to cost him a fortune out of the money they give him for helping out. He hadn't been lucky enough to find a permanent job ad yet he's 18. But he does loads of voluntry work helping uni students with their studies for film media and has turned out to be way ahead of 3rd yr students. And he's all self taught!! But not being able to drive him to places is doing my head in and costing a bomb in train fares as he won't say no because he loves it so much. I think I may try. Not of driving on a store car park just to see how I get on, as I've read on some forums that it's easier to drive than it is to walk. I wouldn't be able to put knee against wall anyway as I have a torn ligament on the knee, one of the reasons why I fell. Waiting for operation on it, but that won't be happening now not after this. It will just get strapped up. I know where your coming from about looking dwn all the time, it had made us all so nervous about falling. Good luck with recovery. Keep in touch. Sx

    • Posted

      Don't fear the driving it's easier than walking. I have an auto tho. And as long as you can break fast you can drive. Ah the freedom. 

    • Posted

      Drove up to the local spar earlier, I was a bit nervous and drove quit slowly. Don't think I'm ready yet tho. 😢 sx

  • Posted

    I had a bit of a breakdown the other night.  It was after a shower, I take my boots off to shower, but my feet feel weak and flimsy.  I am fearful of falling when stepping in and out of shower.  Now I dread bathing, everything has changed for me.
    • Posted

      Feel for you. Yes everything feels weak and you get so frightened. I got myself a bath bench that goes from each side of. The bath. And then just let the shower run over me even if I have to hold shower head. If you haven't got a bath then try putting a plastic chair /stool on the cubicle to sit on. This had been the hardest thing for ever for me. 13 weeks. In and still finding it. Good luck with everything. Sx

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.