Soon to graduate to a walking boot

Dear Sandra

I had a hip revision fourteen days ago and due to having been thrown off my seat in the passenger ambulance have been confined to being on my bed since the surgery. Just getting to the loo and back on my crutches is hard work so I can sympathise with you.

Ah yes I understand your wish to drive to the sea and to hear the waves and to see the spray. Where I live the sea is just over a mile away and I enjoy watching the boats using a powerful pair of binoculars.

Still the sun is shinning here and we will both escape before too lo g!

Cheers Richard

omg....as if what you were going though want enough. But to get thrown from your seat to dd to it....I too find it hard getting to the loo which is only about 12ft away from my bedroom, but takes every once i have.sun here too, so yes that adds to the 'fee good' factor.

Dear Sandra

I'm having to drink lots of water to raise my blood pressure so the need for the loo is increased but have resorted to a bottle by the bed!

Cheers Richard

thats one thing you  men have it easy being able to use a bot!! lol   But still not nice. Im drinking more water than Ive ever drank, because for some reason since all this happened my skin has become very very dry, but dont know why? May be something to do with the meds? So drinking more hopefully to hydrate my skin.  we take things for granted dont we, when we can do things on a day to day basis, but when its taken away......God its soooooo hard....sandra

Gee Sandra, you're making me feel better by making me realize my situation isn't as bad as yours. I live in a single story condo but it's on the 2nd story. I use a knee roller to get around which was a great find on Amazon. One time I shimmied down my steps on my rear so my girlfriend could take me to the DMV to get my handicap sticker. If you can do that, maybe you can sleep on the sofa. At least you have a partner who can cook for you and buy food. I had to hire a maid and a dog walker. It really sucks. Let me know how it goes with your walking boot.

Does your health insurance cover transport services to your doctor? My does, and even tho it's scary having them lug me down the steps, I just remind them that if they drop me I will have a beautiful new home to live in. It's a great option because they stay with you during the appointment and then I take a right at home.

My husband has been my transport. Hospital 75kms and surgeon. But now see GP. God I'd be scared stiff coming down stairs. Our home is reasonably wheelchair friendly. We've only ever had disability friendly homes.i worked age and disability when I was young and watched the frustration of clients stuck upstairs on houses on hills. we also have family and friends who are chair bound. 

My son has been my maid. Lol thank God he knows how to look after his mum

?. Don't know what I would of done if he had a job, but hasn't been lucky enough to find one as yet 😔. Keep fingers Xsd for cast coming off next week. For me.... Sandra

Don't have health insurance. We have NHS so all free.... For now any way.. We can book for the ambulance service to pick up but they could end up picking you up at 9am and your appointment may not be till pm. And same when coming home you could end up waiting around for hours, as they wait until there are a few patients to drop home. So really could end up being out all day for a appointment that only lasts an hour. They don't wait with you as they drop off and go onto the nxt pick up. To be honest, it's so frustrating and the discomfort I get with foot and leg swelling if it's not elevated, if I had to hang around waiting, I would scream. I'm just so glad to get back up onto my bed. Sandra

I hate my bed hate trying to sleep. Foot and leg get  so cold but can't even have a sheet on it. Have heater on half the night. I'd hate for a one hour app to last all day. I sleep in spurts and get so very tired. But it is what it is. Have to just pot up with it. Also the nightly toilet runs are not great. We're all in the same boat I'm just grateful for the daily improvements. 

Same with the nightly trips to the loo. I save up till I'm bursting!! Last night/early morning. Bad one for me. Had a massive. Leg twitch where it seemed my foot moved inside cast and could feel the metal work bad. Yuk Yuk horrible feeling. Which then puts my mind into overload thinking the worst. Just hope it's all OK when they take cast off 1week today and nothing has pocked thro or slipped. As far as your cold feet n legs, I got the opposite, mine are boiling and don't like them covered under bedclothes at the best of times. Plus the puffing up of quilt I'm using for elevation so it's all nice n high n soft..... Oh moan over!!! 😢 😢 😢. Sandra

I was the same in cast but now when I'm cold I feel the plate and screws. And nerve endings hurt more. Moan over. 

hi jenni, has your consultant said anything about you being able to feel the hardwear, if this somtimes is the case  or showed any concerns about it? I to find the pain from nerve endings are not very pleasent, couldnt undestand first time i felt them as I knew I hadnt had any surgery  where I was feeling pain, but hospital nurse then explained to me what happens after surgery.dont think we are ever going to be the same again?  and does us good to have a good old moan now n again  lol  sandra

Hell yes to have someone understand why we moan is so important. I think most of us thought we were going insane. I sure did. GP did say a lot can feel hardware and if it's problematic after 18 months it can be removed. Not sure if I ever want to be cut again ever. 

Yes bad days definitely over take good days. Some days I just cry n cry. A hate it when I'm told by me husband... You'll soon be back to normal!!! This never going to happen. I have read on forums that hard wear can get removed if they are troublesome. But can't ever see me going through operation again. But we can never say never if discomfort is really bad. But early days. And yes nit a to bad a day at the moment. So I can see that, cone and ask me again on a bad moment!!! 😢 😢 😢. Lol. Sandra

I never realized how good my Kaiser Health plan was until I broke my ankle. I've only had to wait a couple hours one time, all the rest they stayed with me. The good part is freedom is around the corner.

Let's hope we don't have to wait too long before we turn that corner. Sandra

Actually the only thing that'll be removed are the screws not the plates. That's done ( if you choose) while you're awake with local anesthesia. Either way, just be grateful your ankle wasn't turned to powder from a car accident like one of these patients shared. Every time I start to feel sorry for myself I just put myself in a place of how good I still have it. I'm not a saint, but I'm praying thru therapy I'll be strong once again.

Oh no Mary that poor lady. How will she be able to manage down the line, had she said? As there can't be anything that they can screw or fix back together? So it's just screws they tack out? Don't think it's the screws I feel when mine plays up think it's the plate I feel. But would t be able to tell until the cast comes off. Sometimes have the vision of the scar being g open when it comes off. 😢. But when it was changed 4 weeks ago they were happy with the healing. But then got the stitches taken out, which was hurendus!!! Had to have gas n air!!! Horrible. But they told me it was because they had been in a little longer than they should of. (few days) and the skin had grown over the top of the scar so stitches had to get dug out..... Horrid. My son n daughter said I was screaming the clinic down!!! But it was very very painful. God this is going to be my story of a lifetime for ages. Lol. 😂. We will get there..... Sandra

Staples would have been so much better than stitches. They don't goop up with blood, and when they took my staples out it hardly hurt at all. That was so irresponsible of them to do that!

I had staples. Rubbed on cast had me in tears for a week. But now that there out and seeing some of the messes stitches are I'm glad. Although 2 staples popped and there is where the healing is the slowest. But I'm doing pretty good today (after yesterday I won't get cocky. ). The Facebook site of ankle fractures & recovery is also very informative some pics are a bit yuck but makes me very grateful. Could be a whole lot worse.