Guess what?I am downstairs! I made it down on my butt. It wasnt sa hard as I thought. Hubby lowered me to the floor and down I came. I finally got to use my knee walker and rolled into the kitchen and got myself a popsicle. Thank God for my daughters and oldest son. The house was actually not a pigsty and that says alot. I live with hubby and two grown sons and when I am not here they use their home like a frat house. They dont care unless I am here to nag about it. Last night my daughter brought me dinner and when I mentioned that I might come downstairs today she hustled down and cleaned the living room and kitchen. God bless her! All my kids and hubby have been terrific! How does someone do this alone? I cant imagine. I have absolutely no reason to complain thats for sure! Well now I will lay on my couch and enjoy my limited freedom while looking forward to drs appt at 1PM tomorrow. Paula
The following user gives a hug of support to prico54: Iloverockmusic (09-05-2012)
Yes that's the way to do it! Glad u r don there
Safely. Don't know when u plan on going back up but that
Can b a little harder or was for me I had a
Lot to pull up lol! My arms would get tired.
Just take breaks on the steps. Enjoy ur time
Downstairs, sorry about the typing I'm
On my phone, Cathy
The Following User Says Thank You to noevr For This Useful Post: prico54 (09-05-2012)
Hi folks, won't be long now . I am starting to really freak out about my surgery. It is fri the 24th and I am trying to get my stuff in order. I wanted to know if anyone out there after having ankle surgery was able to get medical equipment from their ins, such as a knee walker , shower chair , commode etc. I wanted to order this stuff and don't know if I get the coverage. I need to check with my ins person at work but just wondered if anyone here did get assist. The knee walker is around $200.00 but it cost almost 40 a week to rent. not sure I like the idea of renting used equip anyway.
Don't know too much about rental medical equipment. I didn't really need too much with regard to medical equipment...a pair of crutches, a boot, and a toilet seat. My mother had broken her hip the year before...so I used hers.
How did your surgery go? Hope it went well!!!! Was it the "doozy" that your surgeon said it would be? Good luck and best wishes!!!!!
Guess what?I am downstairs! I made it down on my butt. It wasnt sa hard as I thought. Hubby lowered me to the floor and down I came. I finally got to use my knee walker and rolled into the kitchen and got myself a popsicle. Thank God for my daughters and oldest son. The house was actually not a pigsty and that says alot. I live with hubby and two grown sons and when I am not here they use their home like a frat house. They dont care unless I am here to nag about it. Last night my daughter brought me dinner and when I mentioned that I might come downstairs today she hustled down and cleaned the living room and kitchen. God bless her! All my kids and hubby have been terrific! How does someone do this alone? I cant imagine. I have absolutely no reason to complain thats for sure! Well now I will lay on my couch and enjoy my limited freedom while looking forward to drs appt at 1PM tomorrow. Paula
Sounds like you are doing great!!!! You obviously have a very supportive family...great husband, sons, and daughter. That is something you reallly need in times like these...the support of your family!!!! Good luck going back up those stairs. Can you "butt" your way up the stairs? I always thought that living in a two-story home would be so great...until we lived in a home with two floors...not so great when you are on crutches.
When I broke my talus, I had a six-month old baby and my husband was not at home at night. So, I was essentially alone!!!! It was VERY difficult. I had great neighbors who would have helped in emergency situations...but I didn't want to impose on them.
I remember at night, butting to the foot of the bed, picking him up out of his crib, and butting our way back to the head of the bead. I had bottles of formula prepared ahead of time and placed in a mini-fridge. There was a small bottle warmer that I placed near the fridge so I could warm it up if need be. Then, as he finished his bottle, and was nearing asleep, I would clumsily butt back to the foot of the bed to put him in his crib. Which would startle him and wake him back up again. From August to January this was our routine. It was perhaps one of the most challenging and difficult time of my life!!!
The Following User Says Thank You to Iloverockmusic For This Useful Post: prico54 (09-05-2012)
Wow this is exactly what I mean about not complaining. That must have been awful. No time to enjoy your new baby. Did you ever fall when you were on your own? We do what we have to do but I am lucky for sure. I am waiting for my daughter to come over we are goung to wash my hair and then back up those stairs.
Last edited by Administrator; 09-16-2012 at 06:41 PM.
The following user gives a hug of support to prico54: Iloverockmusic (09-05-2012)
Wow this is exactly what I mean about not complaining. That must have been awful. No time to enjoy your new baby. Did you ever fall when you were on your own? We do what we have to do but I am lucky for sure. I am waiting for my daughter to come over we are goung to wash my hair and then back up those stairs.
Never did fall while I had him. As clumsy as I am that is truly amazing!!!!
One night, I can remember it very well, my son was asleep and I heard him throw up. When I picked him up, he was burning up with fever. So, I called my mom to come over so she could help me bathe him, cool him off, change his bed linens, and give him some medicine. So, I never could have done it without her.
My mother would come over and help during the day, but at night, I was pretty much on my own. I kept his crib at the foot of the bed. Never was much for having a small baby in the same bed as me. When he cried at night, I would butt down to the foot of the bed, pull him out of his crib, and just butt back up to the head of the bed. When he was finished with his bottle, I would try to put him back in his crib without waking him...which NEVER happened. The hardest part about this was trying to put him back into his crib without waking him and falling. Using crutches while putting him back in the crib was just impossible. So, I would put a tiny amount of weight on my right foot. Probably not a good idea, but what other options were there?
In retrospect, it was probably harder on my mom than me. She worked at night and came over during the day to help out as much as she could. There were probably many times that she went to work so tired that she could barely see. But, like you say, you do what you have to do. And in the end, it makes you a much stronger person.
He is now 12 and if subsequent surgery is in the cards for me, I know that he will be of great help!!! However, I would not want him to be used as my little helper. If he wants to help out, that would be great and it would be greatly appreciated. But, I want him to help out because he wants to...not because I am making him. If I could make it while he was an infant, surely I can make it when he is a teenager. He truly is a great kid!!!! No discipline problems, no principal's office visit for anything, very helpful, and never hurtful of anyone's feelings!!!
Wow this is exactly what I mean about not complaining. That must have been awful. No time to enjoy your new baby. Did you ever fall when you were on your own? We do what we have to do but I am lucky for sure. I am waiting for my daughter to come over we are goung to wash my hair and then back up those stairs.
I always hated going up and down stairs with crutches!!!! I think as you get older, you are more fearful of falling. When I was 13, my doctor diagnosed me with scoliosis. He performed surgery on my left knee so that my right leg would catch up. I had a thigh to foot cast. Walking on crutches was a breeze back then. But, we didn't have any stairs either. I never worried or put much thought into falling back then.
Wow this is exactly what I mean about not complaining. That must have been awful. No time to enjoy your new baby. Did you ever fall when you were on your own? We do what we have to do but I am lucky for sure. I am waiting for my daughter to come over we are goung to wash my hair and then back up those stairs.
Good luck tomorrow at the doctor. Did you say you had an appointment tomorrow at 1:00? Let us know how it goes. I hope you get a good report!!!
The Following User Says Thank You to Iloverockmusic For This Useful Post: prico54 (09-05-2012)
Ok I went to the drs today and have my beautiful new blue cast. He said my foof looked great considering how much surgery I had done. The ankle is obviously swollen but not grossly. He said it looks better than most folks at this stage. The are leaving the stitches in for two more weeks then I will go back and have stitches out and get a boot but srill no weight bearing. So he said I need to be off it and elevating it 90% of the time. Not much running around for me for now. I brought my walker and my knee walker with me. Everyone there was pretty impressed with the roller. The dr likes it because the foot isnt hanging and swinging so the blood doesnt pool in the foot. Makes sense. So glad I got it in advance. Otherwise they would have been recommending it. So tired from my big trip to the city. My daughter brought me and then we went to lunch. Lots of activity since this was my first trip outside. Have a great night guys!
The following user gives a hug of support to prico54: Iloverockmusic (09-07-2012)
Sounds like everything went really well today. I hope you are more comfortable in your cast than in the splint. I know I am. I don't get to move to the boot until early October, when I will also hopefully begin PT. I am going back to work on Monday. It is hard to believe Monday will be 3 weeks since my surgery! But I am very impatient and can't wait to be walking without crutches. I am so thankful for this board to read about others' experiences. Take care,
Congratulations, you have made it thru that big cast. Isn't this one much better? You will feel better after being able to get out. My husband and I went out for breakfast after my 1st appointment. It was glorious to be outside and be around people.
Sounds like everything went really well today. I hope you are more comfortable in your cast than in the splint. I know I am. I don't get to move to the boot until early October, when I will also hopefully begin PT. I am going back to work on Monday. It is hard to believe Monday will be 3 weeks since my surgery! But I am very impatient and can't wait to be walking without crutches. I am so thankful for this board to read about others' experiences. Take care,
Ditsy
What kind of work do you do dits? There would be no way for me to go back after only 3 wks. My dr said 3 or 4 months. Yes am much happier and comfortable with this cast for sure I totally agree about these boards I feel like you giys are my friends.
Congratulations, you have made it thru that big cast. Isn't this one much better? You will feel better after being able to get out. My husband and I went out for breakfast after my 1st appointment. It was glorious to be outside and be around people.
Thiis cast is one thousand percent better. And it is a lot eadier to hop around. It was awesome to be outside today and I plan on spendind a lot more time out there as long as the foot is still elevated. I ate dinner in my new recliner tonight and it was so much nicer than laying in the bed. It used to be such a luxery " breskfast in bef" now not so much.
Ok I went to the drs today and have my beautiful new blue cast. He said my foof looked great considering how much surgery I had done. The ankle is obviously swollen but not grossly. He said it looks better than most folks at this stage. The are leaving the stitches in for two more weeks then I will go back and have stitches out and get a boot but srill no weight bearing. So he said I need to be off it and elevating it 90% of the time. Not much running around for me for now. I brought my walker and my knee walker with me. Everyone there was pretty impressed with the roller. The dr likes it because the foot isnt hanging and swinging so the blood doesnt pool in the foot. Makes sense. So glad I got it in advance. Otherwise they would have been recommending it. So tired from my big trip to the city. My daughter brought me and then we went to lunch. Lots of activity since this was my first trip outside. Have a great night guys!
Congrats on having such a good report!!!! I've seen the medical equipment that you are referring to and always thought they would be so helpful.
Did the removal of your cast bother you? When I had my first cast removed, I thought I would pass out!!! Don't know what causes that, but I became very ill and had to lie down on the table. I wonder if that has happened to anyone else?
Were you disappointed that they didn't remove your stitches?
I'm glad that you were able to get out, enjoy your afternoon, and eat out with your daughter! Sometimes just getting out is so valuable for your mental health and emotional state.
Thanks for keeping us posted!! Good luck with your doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks!!!
What kind of work do you do dits? There would be no way for me to go back after only 3 wks. My dr said 3 or 4 months. Yes am much happier and comfortable with this cast for sure I totally agree about these boards I feel like you giys are my friends.
Hi Paula --
I work as a lawyer for a government agency, so it is basically a lot of reading and writing at my desk. I am going to see how it goes on Monday and if I need more time, I will take it, or try to work from home. It will be neither ladylike nor pretty, but I will be able to elevate my foot on either my desk or the knee scooter. My biggest worry is maneuvering with the crutches and/or knee scooter in downtown DC, between oblivious pedestrians and the horrible traffic. It is my left foot, so I can drive, though I haven't tried to yet. I am not having much pain at all -- just a little itching on the top of my foot and occasional short lived stabbing pangs in my outer ankle. My ortho surgeon, who is great, seems to think it's fine to go back, but I am going to be in cast for another month at least. So it will be another milestone of sorts for me. Hope you are well today!
Dits
The following user gives a hug of support to Ditsy1: Iloverockmusic (09-07-2012)
I work as a lawyer for a government agency, so it is basically a lot of reading and writing at my desk. I am going to see how it goes on Monday and if I need more time, I will take it, or try to work from home. It will be neither ladylike nor pretty, but I will be able to elevate my foot on either my desk or the knee scooter. My biggest worry is maneuvering with the crutches and/or knee scooter in downtown DC, between oblivious pedestrians and the horrible traffic. It is my left foot, so I can drive, though I haven't tried to yet. I am not having much pain at all -- just a little itching on the top of my foot and occasional short lived stabbing pangs in my outer ankle. My ortho surgeon, who is great, seems to think it's fine to go back, but I am going to be in cast for another month at least. So it will be another milestone of sorts for me. Hope you are well today!
Dits
Good luck with navigating through D.C.!!! Be careful driving with your left foot as it may seem a bit awkward at first. Never have tried driving with my left foot after I broke my right talus. Guess I was a bit afraid that it would be too awkward and an accident would ensue. Perhaps you could make a trial run in a less busy or congested part of your neighborhood before actually driving in downtown Washington.
I'm glad that you work in a field that allows you to take home work with you. Perhaps you could make conference calls with all of your clients in lieu of going to your office. Hopefully you can.
Good luck in with your subsequent doctor's visits!!! Sounds like you have a good attitude and a great doctor!!!!
Thanks for your support! I meant that my surgery was on my left foot, so now that I am off the pain meds, I can drive because I have an automatic transmission and use only my right one to drive. I am nervous about having my foot down, though, so your advice about practicing in a less congested area is excellent. Hope you are doing well!
Dits
The Following User Says Thank You to Ditsy1 For This Useful Post: Iloverockmusic (09-07-2012)
Funny you should mention about getting sick whe they took the splint off. I asked the man who took it off if anyone ever passed out before and he said yes. It didnt affect me that way but it sure did hurt bad! I purposely didnt look at the sides because thats where all the stitches and blood are. The washed the bottom and that felt good. It does feel great to get out.
Last edited by Administrator; 09-16-2012 at 06:42 PM.
Re: 17 days till surgery 
