I broke my leg! :(

AnnPT77

AnneGenevieveS wrote: »

I did it! I made a non-weight bearing exercise routine and executed it! I'm sure I'll get faster and stronger with it eventually, but it surprised me how stiff my broken leg is by the hip and knee where there's no injury. Maybe from not moving it? Maybe tense muscles and ligaments that all connect together to the lower leg? I took it slow, trying to find my balance (I don't need to fall out of a chair and then break something else! 😆 Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake). There were moves I couldn't do well because my hip wouldn't bend enough. I was also testing out how much I can move my leg around without hurting anything. I feel pretty good about it overall. I feel like I'll be able to keep and build some strength, until I can walk and bike again.

Wonderful! Taking control of the things we can is both powerful and empowering, IME. Sounds like you're winning, in that respect. Wishing you great success . . . and I'd bet on you, given this update. :flowerforyou:

chris_in_cal

That's great to hear. We don't to pick the speed our bodies recover. It's smart to really check-in and let yourself heal, while not further injuring something else. Keep at it!

fattyfightnit

So I broke my tibia a couple inches above the ankle and fibula about 3 inches below the knee, May 13 while skateboarding downhill which was stupid for me to do. I skate fine on flat but I'm not a trick guy, I just ride. I was ordered to not touch the floor with it for six weeks after they ran a nail down the tibia and screwed it through it and the bone. Coming out of surgery, I wanted to die. Did not know pain could be so severe. Most of recovery has felt like I'm not making any progress, but when I look back farther than yesterday, I see that I am too some degree. PT is rough and I walk funny with a cane and can't run. I'm set to return to work next week and can't climb a ladder. I'm concerned I may not be able to again, but I'm also stubborn, hence skateboarding downhill at 53. 😂
I feel your pain. It does get better. I don't know if it gets completely better, but it does get better. My complication is that I took permanent guardianship of my two grandkids in January and we now have snacks galore in the home and I'm a total junk junkie, now with very limited means for burning calories. I could always use more friends. The only way I see is easy to add friends is through other friends "liked post" reactions. At least I'm guessing that's what that plus sign off to the right is for.

chris_in_cal

@fattyfightnit

Click on your broken leg buddies picture. The page that comes up should have her "add a friend" button. She would probably really appreciate someone who's gone through a similar recovery

AnneGenevieveS

fattyfightnit wrote: »

I could always use more friends. The only way I see is easy to add friends is through other friends "liked post" reactions. At least I'm guessing that's what that plus sign off to the right is for.

MFP seems to be malfunctioning. The way I normally send friend requests is giving me an error message, but I tried to send you a message via the app.

I think I'm having nerve pain. Tingling, stinging, feeling like my skin is pulled tight, but then when I check it, there's nothing wrong. My toes and foot are aching. I think the bruising and swelling have traveled there, and I'm just able to feel everything now that the nerves are all awake again. Having intermittent feelings of helplesness today too. A lot of things I'm doing on my own now, since the weak dizzy feeling is gone, but sometimes I just can't do the thing I want to do. So when no one is here, I'm stuck. Then when someone comes home, I don't want to overwhelm them with requests.

Overall though, I'm having a good day. We were going to go outside today, but it was thunderstorming. My husband took me to a coffee shop for my favorite morning treat: a vanilla latté. We drove around a little bit, and then he made lunch. He's trying so hard to take care of me. I appreciate him so much.

Did I tell you all that his mom sent us Hello Fresh? She didn't just sent a little, She sent FOUR large boxes that have 4 meals for 4 people in each box! The food is really good, but it requires actual cooking, and it's not fast to make. Everything requires prep, chopping, and cooking. We're talking mayonnaise from scratch here. Obviously I'm not able to stand and cook for an hour, so my husband and son are making the food. Half the time that they cook, the kitchen fills with smoke. hahaha. Then I'm pestering them, asking them to figure out what's burning. A few times it's been food. One time it was an oven mit that got left on a hot burner. He was so embarrassed that he told me it was nothing, but I saw the unmistakable circular marks burnt into the mit. It's become our joke all week, about how Hello Fresh is "So easy! All you need is 3 hours, 2 ovens, 5 pans, and 7 woks!"

Have you seen that comedy skit?
https://youtu.be/NGgpSWcaV1U

AnneGenevieveS

My husband took me on another wheelchair roll around the park between the rainstorms. We saw butterflies, giant dragonflies, rabbits, birds, and a gold finch landed right next to me. 🐦 🦋 The air smelled so good and the sun felt so comfy and warm. We came home, and my husband filled the kitchen with smoke again. The end product was a delicious dinner though. It was a good day. ☀️

AnneGenevieveS

Happy Monday!

My weight is down 2 pounds since I last weighed myself before the mud run, even with the cast on. That was a balancing act to stand on the scale with one leg and no crutch or walker. It took me three tries. 😅 I haven't been overeating, but I haven't been worrying about calories at all. I've definitely had more protein than I usually would eat, because I want to make sure my body heals correctly. They weren't kidding that you use extra energy to heal.

I'm 2 weeks out from surgery officially today. I am looking forward to my ortho followup on Wednesday to see how it's healing and getting my cast redone again, now that the swelling (hopefully) is going down. I already can't wait for this chapter in my life to be history. All I want is to go on a walk with two feet. I've never been more appreciative of having four working limbs than I am now. I have so much love for everyone who has had mobility issues. I had no idea.

AnneGenevieveS

Was teaching a virtual class this afternoon for work, while semi reclined on the couch. Easy, right? My computer froze. Everything was more annoying because I didn't have my giant dual screens and usual workstation set up. I kept my leg in one position too long and forgot to take anything for pain, so my it started throbbing. Yeah, it could be worse, but just shocks me how hard everything is because of one leg. I can't even lazily use a laptop well. 😑 😂 It did feel nice for a moment to do something sort of "normal" though.

chris_in_cal

AnneGenevieveS wrote: »

but just shocks me how hard everything is because of one leg.

I hope you are out of the acute first phase and getting into the healing phase.

AnneGenevieveS

My cast matches my shoes!

chris_in_cal

Orange is the fastest color, and titanium is what rocket ships are made of. You've got the full package!

AnneGenevieveS

I had a rough night. I don't know why last night was different, but I hurt more again. I had been able to sleep for about 6 hours without waking up for the last several nights. But last night, the pain woke me up every 3 hours. Maybe it's different pressure on my leg from the new cast? The new prescription they wrote for tramadol doesn't seem to do anything for breakthrough pain (I did have oxycodone initially). I'm not very affected by pain medicine in general. It never makes me feel drowsy. I don't feel loopy or get constipated, like many people do (is that TMI?). It's just like taking a more effective ibuprofen, except that I think ibuprofen would be more effective than tramadol right now. However, I learned you're not supposed to take ibuprofen, because it affects the bone healing process.
I also had moments of frustration again yesterday. My house is disorganized. My family is trying to so hard to be a good help, but nothing is put away where it belongs. I can't find anything. I can't reach anything when I do find it, then I tip over my walker trying to reach. I keep spilling my water tumbler. I tried to clean up some food mess left in the kitchen, but then I can't reach the trash can to throw away the wipes, and I can't use the walker and hold something at the same time, so I threw the wipes into the kitchen sink, basketball-style. Hobbled over to open the trashcan, then back to the sink to throw the dirty stuff into the trashcan. After having my leg down for a few minutes, I noticed my toes were a dark gray-purple, so I washed my hands and went back to the couch to put my leg up. Somehow I knock over my water AGAIN, and this time it drips onto my work laptop. *sigh* I wish I could just do normal household things.

chris_in_cal

Never TMI with regards to health and wellness, we're all human.

I can see your frustration. Nothing to do but wait and heal, and who wants to do that? Right?

These smart pants doctors know us too well, and that's why they put us in casts. You know I'm going to try and test out my broken leg if I can!!!!!

AnneGenevieveS

I went to look around the gym today. The one we went to had plenty of room for me to take a walker or crutches. There were lots of machines that I could do with my arms and not have to worry about space for my leg. They also had a hand bike. That was the farthest that I've gone on my walker at one time. My foot started cramping. It's all new muscles and positions for my foot that my body isn't used to, basically hopping on one leg. We then went to the park, and I pushed myself with the wheelchair. Again, using weird new muscles, but it was easier than I expected it to be. It felt like I was using a muscle on the front of my shoulder that I didn't know existed. I would definitely need gloves for the friction if I continued to push myself in the wheelchair for a distance or frequently. Overall, I felt like it was a good day.

cyntdooley

Anne
It sounds like you are having muscle spasms in your hip and thigh which is to be expected but could be helped with muscle relaxers. Did they prescribe any muscle relaxers?
Girl I am so proud of you. I am a Retired Rehabilitation RN. I worked with people that had similar traumatic injuries like you experienced. It is so hard to ask for help. I had a debilitating back injury that took me away from my job. Just to see my coworkers in the state I was in brought me to tears. Knowing you can't do a simple task that you could do before is so hard. Having a loving parent so willing to help is wonderful. Celebrate every milestone that you make because it is a victory over this injury and a comeback to your health. I will be routing for you.

AnneGenevieveS

Thank you, Cyntdooley. I do think I am having muscle spasms. They are getting better now, but the doctors seem so reluctant to give medication, and didn't want me to take muscle spasm medicine in addition to pain medication. I don't think they give the best care where I went. I think they are so used to dealing with addicts and the mentally ill, that they think everyone is going to abuse meds, when in reality, you just need some help for a little while after surgery. I will definitely call them and ask for something for muscle spasms if they continue. I won't go back to this particular hospital again in the future if I have a choice. Compassion fatigue is real.

AnnPT77

AnneGenevieveS wrote: »

Thank you, Cyntdooley. I do think I am having muscle spasms. They are getting better now, but the doctors seem so reluctant to give medication, and didn't want me to take muscle spasm medicine in addition to pain medication. I don't think they give the best care where I went. I think they are so used to dealing with addicts and the mentally ill, that they think everyone is going to abuse meds, when in reality, you just need some help for a little while after surgery. I will definitely call them and ask for something for muscle spasms if they continue. I won't go back to this particular hospital again in the future if I have a choice. Compassion fatigue is real.

Perhaps you could try a topical magnesium spray or cream, which will sometimes help cramps/spams? Side effects are rare, for healthy people. Here in the US, at least, it's available in regular drugstores over the counter, usually located with the muscle rubs and liniments.

cyntdooley

Anne I will pray for healing and comfort for you.

AnneGenevieveS

So my foot turns this lovely shade of purple after a few seconds when it's not elevated.
From researching and input from my lovely friends here on MFP who have been through similar injuries- apparently this is a thing that can happen.

(Please excuse the janky toe nails!)


As soon as I elevate it again, it turns back to my regular Anne color, but it's sort of disconcerting. I've started using a little hand warmer on the low setting for my toes when they get cold, and I keep wiggling my toes and trying to flex my calf to make sure my blood is circulating well. I don't like it, but I'm hoping it resolves in a couple weeks. 🙏🏻

cyntdooley

I don't like the color of your toes that is not normal. I would be careful about using heat. Have you told the doc that ur toes turn purple when they are down? Just concerned. I wouldn't wait in bringing it to their attention. The only other concern would be a blood clot in your leg which is serious but treatable. I'm sure the sensation in your leg is difficult being in a cast.
Cindy