Venting

I am extremely sorry for what has transpired in your life. I feel your pain. I went through the exact surgery and it's horrifying. I spent days crying due to depression and pain. The one thing I hated was, asking my family for help. My husband and daughter was very supportive of me. However, I knew he was frustrated because he had to nurse me back to health. My daughter was helping to prepare meals as well.

You are definitely not alone! I had almost the same injury - tri-moeller fracture + dislocation ORIF, 11 screws and a plate. I broke my ankle on the 5th of June, had surgery on the 11th and just started PWB yesterday. There were definitely times when I laid in bed and cried because 1) it hurt and it seemed to be endless and 2) it wasn't fair. I was /supposed/ to spend my summer going on a two-week honeymoon with my wife. Instead I wasn't even able to go to the bathroom on my own. There were some low days. 

Things I found that helped:  a friend lent me a knee scooter and it was life changing. It allowed me to get out of the bed, get around the house and it frees up your hands so I could make myself coffee (a revelation) and when we went out I could actually stay out for longer than the twenty minutes it would have been with just crutches. I also found trying to get out of the house at least once a day really helped -- even if it was just going to the back yard and drinking a glass of tea on my porch. Natural light helps a surprising amount. I can't imagine going through this with kids--especially rambunctious ones that don't listen, so I know that must be impossibly hard for you. I also found that family and friends weren't joking when they asked if I needed any help. They were thrilled when I would reach out to them and most of the time it was just asking for company--I know your GF is back in school, but just having a friend come over for a couple hours a day may help with the feelings of abandonment. 

I'm so sorry you're stuck in a low place right now, it definitely happens with this kind of injury! Hang in there though -- I will say that taking my first step (even in a boot with crutches) yesterday felt like winning a marathon. There is light at the end of the tunnel. This too will pass. You can do it! 

You are definitely not alone. I broke my Tibia and Fibula on June 24. I have a 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 6 month old. Fortunately my sister in law has been living with us for the summer but she's going back to school in 2 weeks. Life will be much harder when when she leaves.

 OMG no you need to vent sounds like you’ve got your hands full. I know I’m seven weeks in for double  double ankle fractures  and you get lonely and nobody understands and well you get depressed. In addition to that you have to take care of little ones. I don’t see how. Maybe some strategy talk with 💗Mom💗 when she gets home from college in the evenings I suppose because asking you to take care of kids  is a lot. There has to be some kind of reward strategy you can implement to get them to behave. I’m a special ed teacher sometimes we give three rubber bands that they can wear on the wrist and I warned them that I’m gonna take a rubber band if they don’t do what I say and then I take a rubber band.  iwhen 💗Mom💗 gets home and each of them at least has one rubber band on the wrist then they get something special either a trip for ice cream or something else nice.  Like a dollar to spend at the dollar store. The same thing can be done with tokens and the tokens can be kept on the wall or with you.  keep all your tokens get something special lose all your tokens you do not get something special. Doesn’t work for everybody but depending on how severe the ADHD is it could work. Very severe ADHD needs a reward system Maybe   hourly every two hours just depends. What I’m saying is it’s hard for ADHD kids to go all day Waiting on a reward . they may need one more frequently every hour or two or three the point is to keep track and don’t give in. These kids also need lots of stimulation, and if they don’t get enough they can make their own (which can be trouble) keep him busy with lots to do!!!!!

Don’t feel bad about complaining you have a right to and we here on the blog understand because we’re going through it too. I hope it works out if anything else DM me hope the strategies work. the point is to keep track and don’t give in. 

Thanks everyone for the support.  I have just been feeling down.  The kids are my GF and the little boy has not come down stairs except when I am in the bathroom.  I cannot get him to talk to me to give the rewards.  

Also on a side not has anyone had to get serial casting after this surgery.   My foot will not go into dorsoflexion ( I know I spelled that all wrong).  So they are now recasting me weekly to get the foot into the right position and it hurts like a b$&@$.

Sorry for what you are going through. The healing process from an ankle injury is frustrating its self without having other factors to deal with. Are you able to get a knee scooter? It wouldn't help with the kids hiding upstairs, but it would make getting around on the first floor and making food much easier.