Day 15 after ORIF ankle surgery and at a low point!

Hi Sue.

It's shocking isn't it to break your ankle badly. I shattered mine nearly 3 years ago with dislocation. 2 plates with screws and 2 long screws inner ankle bone. I could NOT walk until post op 5 MONTHS without any aid. We are all different. It's a long haul, depending on the damage done. If you're young with a little fracture of course you will be up and about quicker. You may not take that long. This is my story. Hope you recover quickly Sue 💞

Yeah I hear you, mine has been pretty bad also. I am at week 5 but overall am trying to stay positive and let everyone know it gets better.  I feel pretty good and cant wait for my follow-up in 2 weeks to see if I can put some weight on it.  One recommendation I have is I bought some bone vitamins, think it is K and D.  Then I also bought an ice machine specifically for broken bones that circulates ice water on your injury. I think they help and know the ice does.  I know the first week for me was the worst and I got two plates and a lot of screws, don't recall exact number now.  I will update mine in 2 weeks but one other thing I got as the Iwalk crutch which at least allows me to walk around on it and do somewhat normal things.  I also messed up at work, thinking I can do part time in a few weeks but found it is just to hard.  Anyway, I would do the ice for the swelling as helps me a lot.  Vitamins and make sure protein.  A scooter or iwalk or even wheelchair helps to do a few things around the house.  After 2 weeks I was put in the boot so at least can shower daily.  That helped me feel a little better.  When you put broken foot down did it hurt and did they take xrays?  Most of the time I read that it normally does not do to much damage if any.  

I broke my left ankle in 3 places and dislocated it in December 2017. I had surgery and a plate and a bunch of screws were put in my ankle. First I was put in a hard cast (fiber glass). Then I was given a walking boot and allowed to bear weight as tolerated for 6 weeks. Over the course of that 6 weeks I started walking first with 2 crutches, then one and then no crutches. At my recent 12 week post op appointment I was declared healed and told I could start walking in shoes. I'm currently in PT to help with range of motion and relearn to walk correctly. I have no desire to have a limp.

I returned to work 3 weeks post op while still in a hard cast and using a knee scooter. My job is primarily at a desk, so it wasn't too big a deal.

The best advice, is to take it easy, take your pain pills, and do what you're told. If you try to do too much you're more likely to hurt yourself worse and have continued problems down the road. It sucks. You're going to be upset. You're probably going to cry a lot. It will get better.

I am also on 14 day post ORIF surgery. It was very tough the first 5 days as I was in so much pain and felt there were two knives constantly going down  both sides of my ankle all day. Second week in, I am feeling much better - I do feel putting my leg up basically all day for the past week has been so helpful. I have also been taking a lot of vitamins - Calcium, fishoil, curcumin/turmeric and I feel it has really help the swelling and the feeling of soreness and redness whenever I had to stand up to move anywhere. 

You should really take it easy, especially within this crucial stage where your wound healing process is still in its infancy. The last thing you would want is to be moving around too much, and therefore delaying the bones and wound from healing. 

goodluck and rest up!

It will get better. I've been up I've been down I've been emotionally all around. You will go through so many emotions and that's normal. I tried to be fast and thought it would heal me faster but it only set me back . I finally realized to take my time and listen to the doctors. I broke my tib and fib on 11-20-17( orif) surgery 11-21-17. I'm walking a little with the ankle brace. The boot gave me a fit because it kept rubbing my site where the plate is . It caused my incision to reopen. Depressed I was. Stressed I am. But I've come a long way. The main thing for me that's working is listening and asking questions and having faith. This forum has become my guide big time. Some of my friends I had to put on hold because they didn't quite get it because they hadn't experienced this. Good luck

You sound so much like me. I slipped on ice while walking my dog early in the morning while still dark. I also forgot my phone and laid there until someone drove by and called my husband to come get me. I had surgery that day (thank God) 12 days in plaster, then stitches out and boot. Life gets better with the boot when you can start to weight bear, I could partially weight bear at 6 weeks and full weight bearing in boot at 8. I am now full weight bearing without boot at 10 weeks, have been for a little over a week.

?You are in the hardest and most boring/mentally challenging part. The pain is getting more bearable and you're not so sleepy, but the light at the end of the tunnel is far far away,it seems. Try and do whatever you can to beat the boredom and know that you will get to where I am in a couple of months. I'm so sorry youre in plaster for so long, one more day in that damn cast would have made me crazy..

?My biggest suggestion for you is to do exactly what they say and as soon as you can start physical therapy, do so. Wiggle your toes all the time. Pump your foot up and down gently-that will help circulation and keep that joint somewhat mobile. I'm 63 too btw and had never broken anything either. 

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