Had broken ankle surgery on February 20

Thanks for the reply.  Was wondering, can you feel the metal plate along the bone when you run your fingers along the scar?  I can.  I guess that's normal??  Ron

I'm not sure, The whole leg feels very stiff and swollen still so it is hard to tell.

Oh great! Wonder if we're going to need to get rid of our plates later. Not another surgery and recuperation! Sounds so annoying. I'm going to try to check when they change out my next cast in a week or so, to see if I can feel it.

I wish I hadn't had this operation, now knowing what I know.

I was advised to have it!

I don't think I could go through another 6 months of what I have already experienced

I was told if I did not have the surgery. I would never be able to walk again. i guess the ankle was displaced really badly.  I was told that if the plate and screws don't bother me they can be left in. So far so good, but i'm only 14 weeks since surge

Paul, I think you pretty much have to have surgery after a broken ankle.  Otherwise, you'll never walk properly again.  I know it's tough but you'll prevail in the end.

I know you are correct Ron, just a long haul

Yeah, tell me about it!  And I'm just a little past the 5 week mark after surgery.  

It is hard to be patient!! Can't we get this show on the road

I know, can you imagine what we all would do without the internet???  I've looked at DVD's, just finished another book, played chess wtth my Mac (you can't win), and visited about every website ever created (including a few I probably shouldn't....) Now about to do my 'mini workout' on the floor and then haul my butt into the bathtub for my every-other-day shower.  Oh, the thrill of it all...

LOL! So funny!

Thanks Patti.  Seems you broke your ankle the day after mine.  I do do exercises every other day (with an old Macho Power resistance bar) and sit-ups and leg raises with weights.  Just trying to stay somewhat fit as I'm used to going to the gym almost daily.  I find my calf muscle on my injured leg is wasting away!  When are you allowed to go weight-bearing?  6 or 8 weeks out?

My calf muscle is really wasting away too...it is probably one of the hardest things to watch re. this whole thing....someone told me you can lose in 2 weeks time the muscle that takes 6 months to rebuild, but others tell me there is muscle memory and we can bounce back much faster than the average, if we work hard at it, when the time is right. I've been told to stop weight training on the right leg totally because it may mess up my hip alignment...but that side is only slowly decaying in muscle strength. My doctor told me, even though I will be in a cast for 10 weeks total, I may begin at some point putting weight on the cast in 2-4 more weeks, or 6-8 weeks out (maybe some sort of walking cast? I will ask more next appt.). The bones seem to be healing well, even after I was working my way down steps on my knee walker on a vacation in Mexico to get to a bathroom and tweaked the knee walker funny and fell right on my cast...more embarrassing than painful...but I am impatient and like to be independent which gets me in trouble sometimes. Anyone out there who doesn't have a knee walker should get one by the way asap....a life changing decision for me when I purchased one on Amazon. I hear you can rent them too. Get a light weight one that you can throw in the back of your trunk by yourself. If you want a recommendation, I can tell you which one I purchased that I love. And if you can drive (if you broke your left ankle and not the right) be sure to get a temporary handicap placard, if you are in a place that has those...makes getting in and out of places so much easier!

Thanks, Patti, sounds like we're on the same page as far as trying to stay in somewhat shape and keep positive.  It is interesting how quickly the calf muscles seem to go to mush.  I was always in such good shape before.  But can't think of any exercise one could do for that calf that doesn't involve putting strain and pressure on the healing foot.  Can you?  I'm so counting down the days when I can least just put my damned foot on the ground again and sleep in my bed instead of this blased sofa!  (My bedroom is up a spiral staircase.)  3 weeks from today!  Although I know I have to still wear that blasted boot to walk in for quite a while.  I think things will get better after the long screw is out at the 12 week mark, which will give my foot more flexibility.  I forget, did you have the screw for a syndesmosis tear?  Or you didn't injure that along with the break?

I'm so glad you asked me about the screw and the syndesmosis tear. That reminded me I really need to make a phone consultation with the doctor who did my surgery in Hawaii. I was there when I fell hard, and probably in a twisted fashion, on my ankle, from a hammock when it's strap broke off a tree on my first day of vacation there, breaking 3 bones in the ankle on impact, if you can believe it! They decided I should have the surgery there the next day because flying home would make it swell and perhaps delay surgery for weeks. My doctor at home was wondering why I didn't have that screw amongst my other 11, as he said that type of damage is super common with a trimalleolar fracture. Thanks for asking! Btw, everyone asks me if I broke it skiing, as I'm an avid skier like you...wish I had... my story is lame! How did you break yours skiing? Do you think we'll ever be able to ski without fear/pain? I've been thinking a lot about skiing lately. Good thing he season's over for now.

3 weeks doesn't sound too bad! As much as you want too, I'd wait until your doctor gives you the okay for leg exercises, so you don't go backwards. You'll bounce back quicker than you think because you're athletic and motivated ....and I really do believe in muscle memory.

Bummer about sofa but sometimes I think sleeping on the sofa is more comfortable than a bed anyway, because you can throw the leg over or keep it up in the air pretty easily.

Counting the weeks with you and trying not to go crazy!

 I just realized Ron that I wrote that I broke my ankle on Feb. 17th originally, but I actually broke it on afternoon of Feb. 16th and the surgery was Wed. the 17th. I have gotten used to telling my doctors the date of the 17th, the surgery date. So we actulally broke our ankles on exactly the same day. That is weird! You had to go 4 days without surgery when you were flying home. I think it was amazing you actually were able to get surgery, because they told me if I  flew home to get my surgery the flight would cause my leg to swell and I might have to put off surgery for a week or two. Maybe those shots you gave yourself helped enough with the swelling so that was possible.