Ugh. There are days like this in the life of one broken legged girl that just seriously suck bigtime.
I woke up and as usual barely had the energy to get out of bed but i did. Big Mistake. I felt a little unsteady on my good foot for some reason. Went to the kitchen to make something to eat and lost my balance and fell headfirst into the stove. The only way to save my head from the top of the oven or uncertain death? Put weight and catch myself on one broken leg,. Pain shooting up leg. Fear. Adrenaline. Terror. It hurt, Not as bad as I expected it to but it hurt. I hope I didn't fuck it up. That was hours ago and it doesn't seem much worse than normal tonight.
I forgot to mention the other day that my toilet also overflowed. That is one of those things you don't think of when you agree to stay home alone most of the time with a broken leg. 1/4 inch of water on the floor, a cast, a walker and inability to bend over? Not a good combination. So I threw a bunch of towels around. soaked it all up but then what to do with the towels? not to mention the water that remains on the floor afterwards? Danger. That is seriously when you know life blows. At least there is an end for me. Eventually. It feels like its going to be forever away but there is an end. I found a great shopping bag that some Tampon people gave me at a mall during Christmas one year. I was able to take the towels to my washer and was able to get them washed and dryed.
Tonight? My back and neck just ache. After the whole kitchen debacale this morning i forgot to make coffee and now I am just in AGONY with a caffeine withdrawal headache. Its so painful. I didn't realize I forgot my coffee but I won't forget tomorrow. Why do you have to get a massive brain swelling headache before you remember? I did too much hobbling around today. After I have an event that makes me feel weak, like falling, i have to do things that make me feel stronger. So, I did the stairs twice today. Up and down, up and down. I do them on my butt when I am alone. I stood outside a drew in fresh air for a few minutes once I got to the bottom of the stairs. It was my first time doing the stairs alone and tyring to carry my crutches with me as well. The problem with this "evening out" strategy when i am having a weak moment is that it seems to make me a little weaker and more sore and tired. I have to start wearing a shoe on my good ankle every day now because I think its just getting tired of bearing all my weight all the time. I have mostly of course, just gone barefoot. But it feels weird and tired and I thnk the shoe helps a little in adding some balance.
I have been coloring to ease the stress. Yes coloring. Like babies do. It chills me out. I know it sounds fucked up but it really has a relaxing effect. I printed off all these Hello Kitty Coloring pages off the internet and ordered crayons with my grocery delivery (yes they deliver fucking crayons). It makes me stop thinking about how bad my neck hurts and falling and broken bones and all.
I gotta go. I am beat.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Already Thursday
Time is going by quicker and quicker it seems to me. I know I am going to be back on feet and wondering what the hell I did during the time I was laid up and wishing I had done something more productive. I am just so fatigued and sore most days that it's hard just to get out to the kitchen to make myself coffee or lunch much less write my great american novel. It doesn;t help that when i wake upo in the morning i am usually in enough pain that I keep going back to sleep as opposed to getting up and starting my day. I slept until 1pm today.
I have discovered a few things today that I love. I have been using a heating pad on my aching back. Being laid up really hurts my back a lot and the heating pad feels like heaven and relaxes my tight muscles. I also had my sis pick me up some BenGay. It really helped on my arms and wrists because using this walker KILLS me. I also had some on my shoulders and it relieved a lot of tension.
I am thinking that a good deal of swelling has gone down this week because I am feeling some actual pain from my leg and ankle as mentioned last night. Today I didn't take any ibuprofen but tried to keep up on taking my vicodin. Vicodin doesn't help at all with muscle aches though. I am now relying on the bengay and heating pad for that. The heating pad makes it easier to stretch out my body.
I ordered Kansas City Steaks Beef wellington from QVC today. They are so divine. I am glad things like that exist because I usually go out to eat a lot and have not been experiencing the finer things in life since being stuck in my apartment. I enjoyed the dinner they made soooo much tonight. I ordered some clothes online otday to make me feel a little happier. It worked. hehehehe....
I have discovered a few things today that I love. I have been using a heating pad on my aching back. Being laid up really hurts my back a lot and the heating pad feels like heaven and relaxes my tight muscles. I also had my sis pick me up some BenGay. It really helped on my arms and wrists because using this walker KILLS me. I also had some on my shoulders and it relieved a lot of tension.
I am thinking that a good deal of swelling has gone down this week because I am feeling some actual pain from my leg and ankle as mentioned last night. Today I didn't take any ibuprofen but tried to keep up on taking my vicodin. Vicodin doesn't help at all with muscle aches though. I am now relying on the bengay and heating pad for that. The heating pad makes it easier to stretch out my body.
I ordered Kansas City Steaks Beef wellington from QVC today. They are so divine. I am glad things like that exist because I usually go out to eat a lot and have not been experiencing the finer things in life since being stuck in my apartment. I enjoyed the dinner they made soooo much tonight. I ordered some clothes online otday to make me feel a little happier. It worked. hehehehe....
In Pain Tonight
Every muscle in my body seems to be stressed out tonight and most of the day today. I am sore allover. My neck and back hurt so bad from being in bed all the time. I am getting very odd pains in the broken leg for the first time as well. Shooting pains down the front of my leg. I also got my first in cast muscle cramp. These are impossible to get rid of if you can't put weight on it to stretch it back out and can't move it because it is immobilized in a cast for a reason. I just put my hand as far in my cast as I could to rub it a bit. And stretched stretched stretched from my upper thigh as much as I could. Now I have taken my ambien and my vicodin that i take before I lull off into sleep but the pain and stiffness all over my body is really keeping me up. I think I really need to schedule a home massage for tomorrow. I have to work some of this tension out. I won't survive another few days like this.
The daily visits from family have kind of stopped now. I did see my sister and neice today though and that was really a highlight. My niece is almost 7 months old and is truly the light of my life. My sister has been an endless support and she brought over some groceries today. I have a full refridgerator again. But alas this means less of a reason for people to drop by and visit if I am not in need of food.
I am getting a lot done for my move now. I have been planning to move since 12/1/07 and had signed a lease long before my accident. Let's say this has made it a lot more complicated and stressful. I also wrote hte hotel a letter today trying t orequest some contact from them and compensation for my accident without having to hire a lawyer and all that stuff. I am going to talk a great deal about the hotel if i do not hear back from them in a timely manner. I will be sure to post full details for anyone who comes across this blog or searches the hotel properties name. I will put comments on every hotel website from orbitz to expedia to travelocity to hotels.com about the accident and how it was handled if I do not get the response that I am looking for.
I ordered my hello kitty backpack that i will be needing once I ama little more active on the stairs. I may attempt a drive this weekend to see how it works out. Just in my parking lot for starters and then maybe down the street to my sisters? Occasionally I would like to be able to pick up some drive through from Mcdonalds!!!
I need fresh air. Truth be told it is snowing here right now and I am glad to not have to go out in it and clean off the car and scrape the ice. Snow is much nicer when you just have to look at it and not deal with it.
Ok a tip for today I guess would be.... when you feel like you are not having much pain don't take it for granted. Enjoy it. Sleep as much as you can when you are comfortable. Because the pain will come and sometimes the medicine just doesn't take it away as quickly. TO me it's a reality now that I should not try to go without my pain medication just yet. I have really tried to not take it unless i was in pain as opposed of just taking it because it was time to. Its scary when you know how addictive they could become. But it seems to me that its a lot more scary right now to feel shooting pains down your leg that wake you up out of a dead sleep. Keep up with the meds. Don't "overdo" it, but seriously, don't "underdo" it either.
I have been sitting around for 2 weeks now watching a lot of tv and sleeping. I wish so much that my head was clearer and not on painkillers because i have been writing a book for a number of years and could really make some headway on it now while not working my regular job. I could also be catching up on the vintage dresses that I used to sell on Ebay that I still have a ton of to sell. I dunno. I haven't been very productive and I wish i could say that I have been. I can't pack for my move and I can't move furniture around. I am in pain when my leg is not elevated. I mean serious pain. I swell up within a half an hour of it being un-elevated. The pressure is uncomfortable. ANd it takes all night to get the swelling back down. I dunno. I need to get a ittle more motivated next week. Maybe accomplish something.
The daily visits from family have kind of stopped now. I did see my sister and neice today though and that was really a highlight. My niece is almost 7 months old and is truly the light of my life. My sister has been an endless support and she brought over some groceries today. I have a full refridgerator again. But alas this means less of a reason for people to drop by and visit if I am not in need of food.
I am getting a lot done for my move now. I have been planning to move since 12/1/07 and had signed a lease long before my accident. Let's say this has made it a lot more complicated and stressful. I also wrote hte hotel a letter today trying t orequest some contact from them and compensation for my accident without having to hire a lawyer and all that stuff. I am going to talk a great deal about the hotel if i do not hear back from them in a timely manner. I will be sure to post full details for anyone who comes across this blog or searches the hotel properties name. I will put comments on every hotel website from orbitz to expedia to travelocity to hotels.com about the accident and how it was handled if I do not get the response that I am looking for.
I ordered my hello kitty backpack that i will be needing once I ama little more active on the stairs. I may attempt a drive this weekend to see how it works out. Just in my parking lot for starters and then maybe down the street to my sisters? Occasionally I would like to be able to pick up some drive through from Mcdonalds!!!
I need fresh air. Truth be told it is snowing here right now and I am glad to not have to go out in it and clean off the car and scrape the ice. Snow is much nicer when you just have to look at it and not deal with it.
Ok a tip for today I guess would be.... when you feel like you are not having much pain don't take it for granted. Enjoy it. Sleep as much as you can when you are comfortable. Because the pain will come and sometimes the medicine just doesn't take it away as quickly. TO me it's a reality now that I should not try to go without my pain medication just yet. I have really tried to not take it unless i was in pain as opposed of just taking it because it was time to. Its scary when you know how addictive they could become. But it seems to me that its a lot more scary right now to feel shooting pains down your leg that wake you up out of a dead sleep. Keep up with the meds. Don't "overdo" it, but seriously, don't "underdo" it either.
I have been sitting around for 2 weeks now watching a lot of tv and sleeping. I wish so much that my head was clearer and not on painkillers because i have been writing a book for a number of years and could really make some headway on it now while not working my regular job. I could also be catching up on the vintage dresses that I used to sell on Ebay that I still have a ton of to sell. I dunno. I haven't been very productive and I wish i could say that I have been. I can't pack for my move and I can't move furniture around. I am in pain when my leg is not elevated. I mean serious pain. I swell up within a half an hour of it being un-elevated. The pressure is uncomfortable. ANd it takes all night to get the swelling back down. I dunno. I need to get a ittle more motivated next week. Maybe accomplish something.
Monday, February 18, 2008
First Post Surgery Dr. Appointment.
Well I had my first Dr. appointment on Friday. I know a little more about my leg and ankle break. I was a little shocked to find out that I actually have 7 screws and a plate in my leg as opposed to the two screws I had originally thought I had. My family also thought the Dr. said there were two screws. I have no idea where the communication broke down but it’s obvious in the x-ray, hahaha.... There are definitely more than 2. I was surprised when he put it up there and I saw them all. I got my hard cast and they make them in fun colors. I got a pink one. It’s pretty fab. And very hard, lol. Pink and hard. Fun.
I was also shocked when the dr and his nurse actually laughed at the notion that I would get a walking boot like cast on this visit and be able to put weight on it again. I am non weight bearing for at least 4 more weeks. That is when my next appointment is. It may even be another two weeks past that until I can weight bear. I was devastated to say the least. They removed the staples and yes it hurts but not as much as I had expected it to. It's more uncomfortable when they do it then painful. He told me that at this point in the recovery my fibula has not really repaired much at all and the plate and screws are really the only thing holding my bone together at this point. It takes 6 weeks for the bone to grow back enough to apply any weight to it. As far as I have been told the bone grows back around the screws.
You will read a lot of different things online if you are researching your broken bones. I have. A great website for me has been mybrokenleg.com. I have been lurking on there as opposed to posting but the people on there had tons of helpful hints. However, much of the information is confusing. Your broken bone is completely different from everyone else’s. There is almost no way to compare. Everyone's story is different. Some of the tips may benefit you and some may not. I have had my broken bones for about 20 days now. I am not in that much pain. Truth be told I mostly take the vicodin for amusement purpose. I only take two a day and I can take up to about 8 a day as prescribed. I have no need to do that. I am lucky. I find, of course, that I am in the most pain when I try to do too much but it mostly just makes me exhausted. I have finally figured out the steps and crutches to a degree. It’s impossible for me to do the steps more than once up and once down a day at this point. I am not the most physically fit person. I am a bit on the heavy side and have not worked out like this in a long time. This video helped a lot. Just watching someone use crutches really made me understand how to do things on mine because I wasn't learning on my own. Check out this video:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/proper-use-of-crutches/4155704250
It helped me a lot and was the only one I could find.
Some other helpful hints that I have learned from the other sites out there. Note that I use a walker in my apartment and crutches on the outside to get around. I do not have access to a wheelchair and can't see how one would work in my apartment anyway.
1. I put an office chair in my kitchen on the tile part of the floor. I can zoom around while sitting down and it really alleviates some of the stress of getting my own meals when I don't have someone to come by with them. BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TOO SIT ON THE EDGE OF IT. I also had my first fall from this helpful tip. I sat too close to the edge of the chair and it flew out from under me. Make sure you are sitting as far back in the seat as possible. But it really really helps.
2. Disposable food containers in all shapes and sizes. I put all of my meals in closed plastic containers to transport. I have used them for hot foods as well as cold.
3. Shopping bags from the grocery store to transport those containers from room to room. It works just fine.
4. Make sure you put some plates and glasses on the counter tops so you don't have to try to get them out of your high cabinets.
5. Get a closed thermos as soon as possible to transport hot beverages. I need my coffee everyday and I like to drink it like a civilized person with a mug. I fill my thermos and put a mug in one of my shopping bags and have breakfast like anyone else. Also an "adult sippy cup" is always handy. I have a nice simple large drink container that I usually would use in the summer at the pool. I just fill it up with ice and my fav beverage, close the top over the straw and I have a drink that last all day. To commute it without risk of spills I just put it into a ziplock gallon sized bag before putting it my walker basket.
6. Get a basket for your walker. I made one from a Bath and Body Works gift set basket I had lying around. I rigged it with some ribbon and duct tape and it works just fine.
7. DO NOT GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT A PHONE. Mine is in that above mentioned basket at all times now. After I had that fall I talked about earlier and had no idea how to get up from it and no phone nearby to call anyone, I never leave one room to go to another without it.
8. Pain medicine makes you constipated. Seriously learn to like prunes. They helped me WAY more than stool softener did. I am perfectly regular. Hahahha..
9. Baby wipes help a lot on those days when you just can't do a shower. I use them on my "cast toes" and my privates just to feel refreshed and clean. I also wash my hands with them during the day, They even are gentle on your face just to wipe things down. I keep a container next to the bed.
10. And last tip for today... Find a grocery store that delivers to your home. I have two within a few miles of my house that do. They will bring the groceries into your house and you don't have to do anything but pay fro them and put them away. You can order just about anything you want, especially from Acme if you have those. It’s only an $8 charge which is the price of having access to, um, food?
More soon....
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wow... This sucks.
I am hoping to help others get some sense of what to expect while dealing with a broken leg/ankle. To be honest with you I have no idea what the bone names are that are broken and I have no idea what they call the break/fracture. All I know is that it was broken in three places and I now have a plate and seven screws in it. I have had a ridiculously hard time finding any information to help me analyze this situation online and being that I am laid up I have nothing but time to web surf. I would like to share with you the things I find to help me and maybe they can help you too. Here is my story...
On January 28th I left for a business trip in Cancun Mexico. I was quite excited for this trip and had been looking forward to it for a while as I was planning on extending it and vacationing a few days after the meeting ended. What happened was I promptly fell about 45 minutes after my arrival. I went down to the beach jus to see the water. Rinsed the sand off of my feet in the foot shower and fell on the poorly planned ceramic tile and broke my leg and ankle in three places. After receiving less than appropriate care at the scene of the accident I tried to walk/limp back to my hotel room, almost passed out from the pain but the adrenaline saved me a bit. I saw the hotel doctor in my hotel room and he did not think it was broken but "just in case" had me go to a hospital for x-rays. Mind you I speak no Spanish whatsoever and was more than slightly terrified at this point as I was alone. My work associates knew that I had fallen but did not know that they were taking me to a hospital so I went by myself. It all happened so fast. I thought my ankle was only sprained badly. I had no idea what I was about to find out. The x-rays showed the fractures and the doctors informed me that had to have surgery immediately. I was aware enough to know that I could not have surgery in Mexico and immediately said I needed to get out of there and get back to the states. Long story short, my boss had me flown back to the US for surgery the next day. After a grueling 4 hours flight with my leg hoisted up onto the barrier between first class comfort and the coach hell I was in. Thanks for paying for the first class work. Ha.
From the airport I was rushed to the emergency room and kept overnight on painkillers until the swelling had gone down enough for them to do surgery on it to repair the injury. I stayed in the hospital until the next day and now I am back in my apartment and trying to figure out how to get around with a broken leg and a walker. I am single. I live alone. I am the picture of a highly successful independent 30 something. And now I am trapped in my apartment. I can't put any weight on my leg at this time and am still currently in a soft cast. I have pretty much been in bed for the two weeks. Luckily I have some family that helps out twhen they can. My sister is here every other day with groceries, food and anything else I may need. My uncle and his partner help out as well icking up things for me if I need them. My parents are two hours away and worried sick every day about me being here alone and wish I would just stay up there with them for a while but they have stairs and a very uncomfortable couch and no high speed internet. I have a Wii, Fios internet and cable and a one bedroom apartment that I can easily get around in. To me, there was no arguement strong enough to get me to leave one for the other.
At this point I have no idea what happens next and no amount of research I do online can tell me. I am assuming I will be fitted with a hard cast, hopefully fiberglass and colored pretty (shooting for pink or purple as I am girly girl type) at my next doctor’s appointment on Friday of this week. I can't wait much longer. I hope to be able to weight bear at that time but it’s not likely. I will update tomorrow with some things I have learned about myself since the accident happened as also some helpful hints and maybe the few videos I have found online that show you how to successfully walk and do stairs with crutches.
In the meantime, painkillers, ibuprofen and ambien are my only friends.
On January 28th I left for a business trip in Cancun Mexico. I was quite excited for this trip and had been looking forward to it for a while as I was planning on extending it and vacationing a few days after the meeting ended. What happened was I promptly fell about 45 minutes after my arrival. I went down to the beach jus to see the water. Rinsed the sand off of my feet in the foot shower and fell on the poorly planned ceramic tile and broke my leg and ankle in three places. After receiving less than appropriate care at the scene of the accident I tried to walk/limp back to my hotel room, almost passed out from the pain but the adrenaline saved me a bit. I saw the hotel doctor in my hotel room and he did not think it was broken but "just in case" had me go to a hospital for x-rays. Mind you I speak no Spanish whatsoever and was more than slightly terrified at this point as I was alone. My work associates knew that I had fallen but did not know that they were taking me to a hospital so I went by myself. It all happened so fast. I thought my ankle was only sprained badly. I had no idea what I was about to find out. The x-rays showed the fractures and the doctors informed me that had to have surgery immediately. I was aware enough to know that I could not have surgery in Mexico and immediately said I needed to get out of there and get back to the states. Long story short, my boss had me flown back to the US for surgery the next day. After a grueling 4 hours flight with my leg hoisted up onto the barrier between first class comfort and the coach hell I was in. Thanks for paying for the first class work. Ha.
From the airport I was rushed to the emergency room and kept overnight on painkillers until the swelling had gone down enough for them to do surgery on it to repair the injury. I stayed in the hospital until the next day and now I am back in my apartment and trying to figure out how to get around with a broken leg and a walker. I am single. I live alone. I am the picture of a highly successful independent 30 something. And now I am trapped in my apartment. I can't put any weight on my leg at this time and am still currently in a soft cast. I have pretty much been in bed for the two weeks. Luckily I have some family that helps out twhen they can. My sister is here every other day with groceries, food and anything else I may need. My uncle and his partner help out as well icking up things for me if I need them. My parents are two hours away and worried sick every day about me being here alone and wish I would just stay up there with them for a while but they have stairs and a very uncomfortable couch and no high speed internet. I have a Wii, Fios internet and cable and a one bedroom apartment that I can easily get around in. To me, there was no arguement strong enough to get me to leave one for the other.
At this point I have no idea what happens next and no amount of research I do online can tell me. I am assuming I will be fitted with a hard cast, hopefully fiberglass and colored pretty (shooting for pink or purple as I am girly girl type) at my next doctor’s appointment on Friday of this week. I can't wait much longer. I hope to be able to weight bear at that time but it’s not likely. I will update tomorrow with some things I have learned about myself since the accident happened as also some helpful hints and maybe the few videos I have found online that show you how to successfully walk and do stairs with crutches.
In the meantime, painkillers, ibuprofen and ambien are my only friends.
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