Preparing for work

Tomorrow is a big day.

I am officially back to work, I am however working from home - this is a new thing for me, clearly I am going to need to set myself up in such a way that I can concentrate and avoid distractions, including the joys of daytime TV. I am also going to have to get up a lot earlier. Weeks of having nothing to do have given me no reason to get out of bed before lunch time; I know its disgustingly lazy but what can I say!!

I also have to contend with poor quality IT equipment, a laptop without wifi connection - what's the point of that!! I know from trying it out when I first injured myself that the speed is going to be an issue, I work in Marketing and spend a great deal of time sending large image and graphic files between clients and designers. The last image I sent took me over an hour and it was only 1MB. I have a few easy jobs to start on tomorrow so it shouldn't be too much of a culture shock, luckily none of them require me to send any artwork.

Update on the ankle - still walking with a limp, seem to be putting all my weight on the inside of the foot which hurts my heel, keep trying to distribute it properly but it just feels wrong. My leg goes a fetching shade of purple when I stand still for too long - it comes back to normal when I sit down so I don't think it is much to worry about (or is it?) I still need crutches when I leave the house, and even using them my leg starts to hurt after about ten minutes walking.

I really hope Physio will help, I was never the fittest person in the world but I want to get back to normal. Roll on next Monday.

Christmas in a Cast

My festive shopping was interrupted by my lack of mobility. I couldn't hop up or down steps on my crutches (fear of over doing it and not being allowed to put my foot down was a real mental hurdle that I couldn't overcome). I was going up and down the stairs on my bum - limited to one journey each way in a day. I couldn't carry anything and spent most of my time in bed or sat with my leg up.

I really missed the 'feeling' of Christmas, the last minute shopping, buying and decorating the tree, visiting friends and relatives. I wasn't sat at home alone as I am staying at my parents who are retired, have a downstairs loo and kindly offered to look after me.

Now you would think being waited on hand and foot would be a blessing, but in reality its a chore, you feel guilty for asking too often, angry at having to repeat yourself and embarrassed asking for help with things of a personal nature.

The worst thing was not having a bath or a shower, I spent six weeks getting washed sat on the loo seat, and having my hair washed with my head hanging over the arm of the sofa, while mum tried not to drown me or the floor.

I managed to keep in good spirits throughout the festive period, the pain was bearable with the help of Paracetamol and Tramadol and I got used to watching daytime TV: Why is it all retail and antiques by the way??

Pink Cast with 'toe' sock

After three weeks I went back to the hospital where they replaced my cast with a light weight bright pink one, my foot had to be pushed up to 90 degrees in the new cast, which took two people and a lot of grimacing on my part. Another 3 weeks no weight bearing. The first few days in the new cast were really painful as were the last week or so in the previous, I suspect this is because the pot is too tight or too lose on the leg.

Finally after 6 weeks I was freed from the plaster and without so much as a support bandage sent on my way. I wasn't even sent for physio - I have to admit how disappointed I am by the NHS outpatient care at Huddersfield RI, it seems obvious to me after dislocating your ankle, breaking both leg bones, and not putting your leg down for 6 weeks that walking is not going to just happen.

So after another 2 weeks off work, despite progressing to putting some weight on my leg and using crutches for support, I felt like things were just taking too long, and fear of doing something wrong meant I wasn't sure how hard to push myself.

I went to the GP who was very sympathetic and referred me to physio, checked I had enough pain medication and gave me another 2 weeks off work (she said if I wanted any more to ring up and she would send me a new note in the post - that is more like the service I expect from the NHS).

I am half way through that period now and I have made some progress on my own: I have managed to walk a few very slow and unsteady steps without crutches in the house; yesterday I managed to go up the house steps on crutches instead of my bum. Going down is still too scary, brings back horrific memories of the original fall.

I do wonder whether you should be offered some kind of mental therapy after an accident like this, to make you overcome the barriers you build to 'protect' yourself from a repeat incident.

I went into work today for a meeting, had to get a lift 'cause I can't drive. I am now sat with my leg up trying not to complain too much about the sharp stinging pain and dull aching throb that is surrounding my ankle and lower leg - I am annoyed at this set back as I didn't walk that far, I was using crutches all day and I avoided steps.

I am off to bed now with some painkillers, think I will be using the bum method tonight !

Breaking My Ankle - The Story

8 weeks post surgery. I have read quite a few blogs and forums about broken ankles in recent weeks. The only really consistent thing between them seems to be the huge impact being incapacitated has on lives. I figured I might as well share my experience here as well.

On Friday 10 December, I went out with friends in Huddersfield to celebrate my Birthday and Christmas in one go. Leaving work at lunch time two of us shared a pot of mulled wine (I had less than half ) then we all went for a late lunch at a cafe where we met a colleague and her baby and had a natter over a sarnie and a cuppa. After saying goodbye to those who weren't drinking, the remaining revelers went on to a bar, we spent half an hour avoiding a very drunk man, by moving from seat to seat before giving up and leaving after one bottle of lager.

We then went back to our favourite coffee bar and I had a pint, as it was my birthday I followed this with a Long Island Ice Tea. I nipped upstairs for a wee and after reapplying my lipstick headed down the spiral staircase to rejoin my friends. This is where it gets hazy, one minute I was nearly at the bottom of the stairs the next I hear a loud crack and feel myself flying through the air, I land on the floor and instantly know my ankle is broken. My leg is straight in front of me but my ankle is hanging to the side. It could be the alcohol or shock, but its no more painful than a bad sprain, which I have had on plenty of occasions ( I have notoriously weak ankles) thats not saying it isn't agony and there is no way I am standing on it - my foot does not belong at that angle. A man whose face I never saw held me up while we waited for an ambulance, someone got my friends from outside and they called my other half.

What seemed ages but was probably only minutes passed before I found myself in the ambulance where my brand new boots (flat not heeled) and the tights I had on under my jeans (it was freezing and I am soft) were cut off my leg revealing the hideously misshapen ankle in all its glory, my blood pressure was really low so they gave me gas and air to help with pain relief, which was still pretty bad, as I had been drinking the paramedic wouldn't give me morphine. I remember sucking on the gas whilst closing my eyes and trying to block out the pain as the ambulance whizzed through the streets with sirens blaring. The experience was a bit strange, I went into some kind of zone where everything went really quiet, I could hear people but it was like I was in a deep hole or underwater.

At the hospital I was talking a lot and laughing. The ambulance man who was very kind and didn't make me feel at all silly said it was the gas; which by then was my new best friend - I certainly missed it when they took it off me.

My friends arrived having followed in a taxi, they made me laugh, keeping my mind off the pain, which was growing now that the shock, alcohol and gas were wearing off. After examination and X-ray the doctor explained it was dislocated and I had broken two bones - and shook his head saying I couldn't have done a worse job if I tried, my ankle was essentially shattered. I was told I would need an operation to fix it and I would be staying in hospital overnight, they would try and operate the next day if the swelling reduced and a theater space opened up.

A noisy night in hospital (snoring and beeping beds), my first experience of a bed pan and lots of drugs followed. I awoke to find a room where I was the youngest by at least 30 years, despite this the staff and other patients were lovely and made me feel welcome.

My operation took place late that afternoon, I opted for a general anesthetic I didn't fancy someone jabbing a needle in my back. It went well and 3 days later I was released with a half leg cast and an instruction to put no weight on it whatsoever. What a way to spend Christmas!!!

next installment to follow...