May 16th, 2019 started off as a day full of promise… and yard work. It ended up being the day I went from being independent and strong to (temporarily) losing every and any ounce of independence I had. We (my fiancé and I) planned on getting some landscaping stuff done, and to keep the dogs occupied and out of the yard, we put their little pool up on the deck. Which, hindsight is always 20/20, and this was just a pretty dumb idea but made sense at the time.
Broken Ankle: The Injury and the Aftermath
Long story short, the deck ended up getting all wet and became slippery. I was wearing shoes with zero traction (thank you Birkenstocks) and in a split second pretty much shattered my ankle. As I fell, I heard the break and when I looked at my foot, it was facing a different direction than it should have been. I knew instantly it was bad, and life was going to change drastically for a while.
What happened is called a trimalleolar facture, a fracture of 3 different bones in the ankle/leg joint. Essentially, what that means is that every bone that anchors your foot to your leg is broken and the foot is disconnected from the leg. It’s the worst fracture you can get, and in addition to that, I had an additional fracture on the back of the ankle/foot that was “crunched up” in a bunch of pieces as well.
The pain was so horrific that they had to start an IV to get me fentanyl right there on the deck as they did a reduction (the first of two that needed to be done that day) to put my foot back the right way. That pain didn’t stop or get better for about a week and half, even though it felt like years, and even though they were rotating IV morphine and fentanyl at the hospital and loaded me up with a pain pill regime to take down a horse.
I got home from the hospital with a plan to see the surgeon the following morning, and at that appointment surgery was scheduled for May 22nd. The pain was so severe during this time and my ankle was so unstable that every time I moved, got up, with each hop on the crutches, any bump we drove over in the car… I was screaming and sobbing in pain.
I felt bad for me, but I felt worse for Justin who had to watch me be in anguishing pain without being able to do anything to make it better. I also couldn’t sleep, except for maybe an hour after I took each round of pain meds, so adding the exhaustion that set in after about two days from being up and crying constantly didn’t help my cause much.
We (ok, Justin) picked up a used knee scooter during this time but I had to wait a few weeks to be able to use it, because prior to surgery my ankle was just so unstable that it hurt worse to have it hang off the knee scooter than it did to use the crutches. Everything during this time was difficult, especially not being able to carry anything, go up the stairs, or take care of myself. Not only was the pain all consuming, but losing my independence was an even worse kind of pain for me and would continue to be over the next few months.
Using crutches meant I couldn’t carry anything, and when Justin wasn’t home, I had to learn how to really plan out and think through every single trip off the couch I was going to take. I started using my backpack to bring back my water bottle, or any food I needed had to be put in a container that could then go in my backpack, meaning plates and cups couldn’t be used. I felt so guilty that in those first weeks I couldn’t help with any of the cooking, cleaning, caring for the dogs, or pulling my weight around the house. I couldn’t even get into the shower myself.
Justin’s immediate future changed just as quickly as mine did when my injury happened, and he had to take on all of those responsibilities on top of working full-time and now caring for me and our two dogs. He even slept downstairs on a chair for weeks to make sure he was close to me in case I needed to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or needed pain meds. And in that first week and a half when I couldn’t sleep, he stayed up with me. While I felt awful that he was doing this, he was simultaneously my light and biggest blessing during all of this.
Trimalleolar Fracture Ankle Surgery
The morning of surgery I was so, so nervous and scared. It was partially the surgery and being intubated I was worried about, but it was also about what my life would be like after. The only thing I wanted was to be “normal” again and have my life back. At one of my appointments, my (wonderful) PA asked how I was doing and I burst into tears, which happened more than once a day anyway, and through my sobs said “I *sob* was just *sob* in *sob* Poland *sob* by myself *sob* 2 weeks ago *sob*”. I just couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
The instant loss of one of my favorite qualities about myself was devastating but going into surgery I just was thinking about all of the simple everyday things I so easily took for granted prior and was wondering if I’ll ever get back to just being me. Going to the store, driving, daily walks with my dogs, running up the stairs to grab something or flip laundry… all of it things I wanted so badly to be able to do again.
After surgery when the pain block wore off, I felt like someone had taken a chainsaw to my foot. Painful is not a powerful enough word for what I experienced. There were periods where I thought I was going to pass out because it was just so horrific and intense. Every time my surgeon or PA called to see how I was doing that first week, I would always burst into tears because I didn’t have the words to explain just how much pain I was in.
I was in a huge padded splint/cast and told underneath all that padding was 3 long incisions, one on each side of my ankle and one going along the back from my heel halfway up my calf. Inside of those incisions my surgeon placed 3 plates and 12 screws. I couldn’t feel ice packs through the huge cast, so they had to be placed under my knee instead.
After My Broken Ankle Surgery
Around a week/week and a half after the surgery, I was in less pain than I had been since my injury first happened, and was starting to wean off the pain meds. The cast came off around this time (5/30) to let the incisions have some breathing room and I got a boot to wear when I was moving around. I didn’t need to wear it as long as I was laying around with it propped up, which is about all I did for 2 weeks straight. I was able to put ice on it once the cast was off and that helped quite a bit.
Because of this, my swelling started going down quicker than anticipated, which I think helped with my healing. However, with each follow up appointment (which were very frequent), I was continually crushed by being reminded of how long it would be before I was cleared to bear weight again, and eventually walk again. Especially with my wedding coming up in just two months.
It was going to be at least another 6 weeks before I would be cleared to walk. During this time, life honestly just got really hard and pretty dark for me. I missed being able to just get in the car and drive to where I wanted to go by myself. My outings consisted of Justin going through the painstakingly cumbersome process of getting me out and into the car so I could at least take a drive to Starbucks to get out of the house and then repeating the process of getting me back into the house. I either sat on the porch, or laid on the couch.
I got to know my mailman and FedEx driver better than I thought you could know a mailman. Even once I started using the scooter, the physical exertion of doing anything made me extremely tired and completely worn out. This was so emotionally challenging for me and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry over something at least once a day. My body had just gone through a pretty intense trauma, and my mind was really unhappy about it.
Getting in the shower one night caused me a total emotional breakdown because everything had to be so planned and thought out. My every move, Justin’s every move as he tried to help me, where everything needed to be, and then my fear of slipping and the logistics of where my one good foot needed to go to prevent that, and THEN how badly I felt that Justin had to do and get absolutely everything for me that I needed. I was so frustrated, overwhelmed, upset and just tired of everything having to be this hard and being this much of a burden.
I was not the person I was just a few weeks ago, and even though I tried to be positive about it, it got harder and harder to do so and I hated that everything was such a challenge when I was so used to just doing everything for myself, and doing it so easily.
Post Surgical Depression
During this time period, we also had a ton of crappy life stuff pile up on top of us too. I was trying to plan our wedding that was happening in July but couldn’t actually do or go anywhere and thought about just cancelling it almost once a day because I was so sad about my injury was going to impact our wedding day, and knew I wouldn’t be walking by then. I had to cancel our pre-wedding trip to NYC that was supposed to happen the first week of June, and cancel a trip to California to see my best friend a few weeks later because my surgeon said I wasn’t able to fly for at least 10 weeks. Justin’s best friend died, and while we were back in Justin’s hometown (a 6 hour drive that I couldn’t help with at all) at his funeral, I got a phone call that my uncle died. Then two weeks later, my Nana had a stroke the week before our wedding.
This all just 6 months after Justin’s younger and only brother passed away. I truly had just spiraled into a place that didn’t look anything like me or my life and I was angry and sad. Every week it seemed as if something new and awful happened like clockwork. I was angry all of this was happening to us at the same time, but more than anything, I was angry at my stupid broken ankle because I wasn’t able to help or do the things I would have had I been able to walk, or be the support to Justin or my family I would have been if I wasn’t so consumed with trying to recover or so limited by that recovery. It felt like I was drowning in waves that just kept crashing into me, not able to get a breath before the next one hit.
Post-surgical depression is a real thing, especially prevalent in orthopedic surgeries that inhibit movement and activity. I was/am already dealing with some PTSD stuff from Tyler’s passing, and was really not mentally ready to gracefully handle something like this type of injury and surgery with zero notice that it was going to happen to me. Being laid up is SO unlike me, and like I mentioned, two weeks before this happened I was in Europe for a month by myself, as an example of just how much I value my independence.
Not being able to be active isn’t something I know well, and I got really depressed that it all changed in one split second. I found myself just so irrationally angry with people I’d watch walk down the street as I sat there, thinking about how they just don’t even know how great they have it to be walking on their legs like it’s NO BIG DEAL! I can laugh about it now, but I was so miserable and just… down. So much so that I couldn’t bring myself to work or even open my laptop. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or see anyone either. It was rough and I was physically and emotionally exhausted and beat down.
I knew it was temporary, but it didn’t make it much easier in the moment. It was so hard to feel stuck in my house with no motivation or ability to do anything but stare at the four walls for days on end. It also made me incredibly aware of how difficult this world can be for someone who is differently abled, too. Everything we did had to be planned out to a T. Do I need the scooter? Crutches? Or both? How far is the parking from the door, what car do we need to take depending on what I need to bring? How long will we be gone and what medications need to come with? What clothing options do I have for where we’re going or the weather that Justin has to get from upstairs being I can’t get pants on over the cast? Is the elevator close by, or is there a ramp near the main door? He’ll have to drop me off at the door to get me out and then go park because there’s no parking space without another car next to it?
Things that were no big deal if you had two working legs, like parking on a street next to a curb, for example, were now big productions for me, as well as making sure every place we went was easily accessible to get into (which, surprise, this is not often the case). The pain was pretty much gone 3 weeks after surgery, but that’s when the laying around thing became really the most difficult, but it was usually an easier option than trying to go do anything either.
Because of the combination of not doing anything all day, and just how bad I was feeling emotionally, I started to have a really hard time sleeping. I wasn’t burning off any energy during the day and I ended up just being up all night or sleeping for a few hours, being up for a few hours, sleeping for a few hours, so on and so forth, which made feeling normal even harder because I was so tired but also unable to sleep, pretty much ensuring I couldn’t be productive at all either. Continuing the cycle of just feeling really, really crappy about the whole dang situation. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad for me, I just hope to give an accurate description of what my recovery has been like.
Driving, Rehab and Walking After Breaking My Ankle
Once I got my stitches taken out, I finally felt like we were making some progress. I still couldn’t put any weight on my leg, but it meant that my incisions were healed enough to be a sign to me that we were moving further away from the injury and closer to being healed. It also meant I could take a shower without the shower-cap-for-the-leg plastic contraption I had to wear to prevent the incisions from getting wet. It was the grossest, but also best shower ever! Because my foot hadn’t touched the ground in so long, so much dead skin came off but it was the first time I had felt actually clean in like 6 weeks. Thank the lord!
I also had this idea in my head that once my docs told me I was full weight bearing again, I’d be just… back to walking! Back to being myself! Of course, I knew/thought it would hurt and that I’d need PT, but I guess I just thought that would be for some ROM (range of motion) work and I overestimated what my capabilities would be. Because even when I did get the all clear to put weight on it again, which happened on July 2nd, I still couldn’t walk. My surgeon even told me, “just because I say you can walk, doesn’t mean you can walk.” Welp, didn’t see that one coming.
At that appointment, what I really wanted to know also was about driving. When could I drive?! That is one of the things I missed the most. Driving myself just meant freedom to me, and not being able to meant that I was still dependent on someone else. So the day I was cleared to be FWB, my surgeon also told me that I was cleared to drive based on studies of reaction time vs. length of time post-surgery and that my ROM and strength with my foot flexing forward was good, but that he couldn’t be the one to make that decision for me. I had to be the one to decide that I was comfortable and confident that I could react and control the vehicle. I was super nervous about this and waited a few days after that appointment to get behind the wheel.
At first I just practiced with the pedals and going backwards and forwards, and then around the block, and then for the first week after that I avoided the highway and just took the back roads. My first time on the highway my calf muscle tightened up and spasmed a bit because my right foot was the one this happened to, my leg had atrophied so much and not been used for holding down a pedal for so long, so that was a bit scary, but it went away quickly and never happened again.
But pretty shortly after that, I was back behind the wheel with no limitations and on the road to freedom! What’s interesting about this is that I still couldn’t walk unassisted and was in so much pain when I put weight on my leg, but I could drive just fine and when I was, it was like my ankle wasn’t even broken and I hadn’t just had major reconstructive surgery.
Also, at that appointment, I was cleared to begin swimming laps, water walking and getting back on my Peloton bike (but taking it easy on the bike). That week I began physical therapy, but I also signed up at the YMCA and could not WAIT to start doing some activity again. At first, I was told to only do 15 minutes in the pool, and truly that’s all I could handle.
Because I still couldn’t walk on my own, I was wearing a brace, my boot and using crutches. This meant that the process to get to the pool to only spend 15 minutes it in looked like this:
Put on brace, boot and get crutches and make sure I have everything I need (including swim shoes for the traction being I can’t walk well) in a backpack. Get out to the car. Sit down in the driver’s seat and hurl the crutches into the back seat. Take off the boot, and the brace, and take my other shoe out of the backpack to put on to drive. Drive to the gym. Park and take off the shoe, put the brace back on, the boot back on, put on the backpack and get the crutches. Hobble incredibly slowly into the gym and to the pool. Pull a chair as close as possible to the edge of the pool near the ladder to get in and out. Take off boot and brace and put on the pool shoes. Lower myself down to the ground and half crawl-half scoot over to the side of the pool and get in. Swim or water walk for 15-20 minutes.
Get out (carefully and nervously), dry off and fearfully make sure EVERYTHING is dry before trying to walk because I’m so worried about slipping on water being that’s how this happened in the first place and repeat the process to get home. This was a 2+ hour process for just a few minutes in the water, and it was exhausting, but it was so worth it and I was determined. I could do something on my own!! I was focusing on healing my ankle! I increased my time in the water every 3 days by about 5-10 minutes, once I was able to see how my ankle felt the next few days to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it.
I had to do this process of putting on all my “gear”, getting to the car, taking it all off, driving, putting it back on where ever I went, too. I got pretty good at it, especially during the week my Nana was in the ICU and I was up at the hospital 2x a day.
I could feel myself getting stronger each day, even if just a little bit. The pain and swelling returned once I was FBW again, but that was due to not using it in so long, the muscle atrophy that happened to my calf, and increased with activity as the day progressed. The swelling made it feel like how your foot feels if it falls asleep, like pins and needles, but you can’t get rid of it. Even if I lightly tap my shin bone, I can feel the pain from the swelling in my toes.
I wasn’t taking my strong pain meds anymore, but I did have to start taking ibuprofen or Tylenol at night before bed. However, I finally was able to sleep in my own bed again after sleeping downstairs on the couch, so I could be close to a bathroom that was accessible for me and my scooter. I went from using two crutches with the boot and a brace to just using one as a cane with the boot and brace.
Each day kept getting a little easier, with a little less pain. Like I previously mentioned, the swelling increases as the day goes on and as I use it, so the pain I still have is always towards the end of the day and is always correlated with the amount of swelling. Sometimes I can’t even get my shoe on that foot because it blows up to the size of a football.
Road to Recovery
After getting the all clear to be FWB on 7/2, I reduced the number of devices and equipment I needed to walk or do daily activities over the next few weeks. 7/20 (my wedding day) was the first day I was able to stand unassisted long enough without the boot or brace for support to take a shower standing up (goodbye shower chair! I will not miss you!), and then quickly after that was getting rid of boot and brace and crutches.
By the 22nd I wasn’t using a crutch as a cane support, and then by the 25th I was walking without the brace or the boot. By the 31st I could go up and down stairs normally again instead of one step at a time. I still have a pretty significant limp, but like everything else, it’s getting better and a little less noticeable a little every day.
I’m still getting incredibly tired and worn out with activity, and can’t stand for more than a few minutes at a time, which makes a lot of things like cooking, cleaning, and standing in lines difficult still. But my capacity is getting better and better, and I’m feeling better and better. My balance is still a bit shaky and I can’t walk very far, but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made, even if I can only stand on the one foot I had surgery on for a few seconds. I’m still a bit embarrassed when I go anywhere in public because of my limp and how slow I am, but that embarrassment is usually overshadowed by how thankful I am to be out of my house and doing the things I want or need to do. Who knew getting gas at the gas station was such a privilege!
I’ve done a lot of naturopathic things to encourage and support my healing and recovery, and will outline all of those things in a separate post. Overall though, what I needed was time. Which was the hardest thing to give myself when all I wanted was to feel like me again and have my “old” life back. However, this injury has changed a lot of things about me and given me a new perspective and appreciation for both my health and the people in my life.
I’m still a bit angry that this “set me back” so long and at all of the things that happened during this time that I wasn’t able to take part in, or be there for. But overall, I’m incredibly blessed and lucky that I have the support system that I do in my now-husband, the wonderfully talented and amazing surgeon and PA I have and the friends and family that sent food, checked in on me, and made sure we made it to the other side of this. Things are looking up and I’m so grateful for the support (and patience) from my community.. You guys! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Timeline of Ankle Surgery Recovery:
5/16 broke ankle, couldn’t walk
5/22 Ankle surgery and put in hard cast
5/30 Hard cast came off, incisions re-bandaged and put in a compression sock and boot
6/24 Stitches came out
7/2 Cleared to be FWB, begin PT and light exercise (stationary bike and swimming)
7/5 Driving practice in the driveway and around the block
7/7 Highway driving on my own
7/14 Walking a few steps with boot and brace, but needing crutch/es to get around the house and in public, still using scooter for long distances
7/20 Able to take shower standing up without use of shower chair with no brace/boot to stabilize ankle
7/22 Using just the boot and brace to walk
7/25 Walking on my own, without brace and boot, but with a limp
7/31 Walking up and down stairs normally, instead of one step at a time
8/13 Walking with a barely noticeable limp
9/30 Walking normally with no pain. Swelling only with a lot of activity
10/20 12 days walking around Europe with little to no issues or pain
11/10 Last follow-up appointment with surgeon
04/15 (upcoming) First post-injury solo international trip to Switzerland to hike
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Janice Coles says
Oh my god. I just broke both bones in my lower leg and disarticulated my ankle. The x-ray showed my ankle sliding forward off- almost off my foot. Your story is so much like mine. One difference was my pain level. I could feel a dull ache, as I sat in my yard waiting for rescue with several people that stopped to help me. I was laughing and joking all the way to the hospital. I had a bit of pain when my leg was reset in the E.R. Otherwise I was ok that night.
Almost everything else I went through and am going through matched your story. I just wish I had someone in my home to assist me. I live alone. My older grandchildren come to visit and help me on occassion. My son and his wife take me to my appointments , pick up my grocery orders and take my trash to the curb. My neighbor checked my mail for the first month. You were lucky to have hubby around.
Please pray for me. I get x-rays on June 7th- two days after my 55th birthday. This will determine whether I can put weight on my boot. I hope things stay on track. I need my life back. I’ve been retired since 2017. I returned to part-time work, assisting the elderly two years ago. I needed to get out of the house to slow the aging process. Now I’m back in the house, with no control and in need of assistance myself. Pray for me.
Noelle says
I’m three weeks since my trimal break and two weeks post op. Your post was just what I needed to read in this moment of my recovery. Thank you for sharing your story.
karen d jones says
thank you so much for such a great detailed step by step of what you had to go through, i just did this may 10 2021 and only into my second week. surgery was just this past friday. i am by no means a SITTER i am having an awful time. I havent got this far with my surgeon yet, my 1st post of appt isnt until wednesday 05/26. I guess i am in store for some information im not ready to hear. some days im ok and some days I just want to cry all day. but thank you again. I know everyone’s journey is not the same. Happy you are all healed .
TJ says
Thank you so much for your story and for all the posts from others who’ve experienced this journey. I felt such a kinship and was glad that I wasn’t losing my mind! I’m 8 weeks in with my trimalleloar fracture, not yet weight bearing. I began serious range of motion exercises yesterday with physical therapy, which made me see there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I actually laughed at that foot at the end of my now skinny calf that looked like a newborn’s head lolling everywhere as I tried to move it. I am looking for the post with the naturopathic items you went with but can’t seem to find it. I truly appreciate your story!
Jo Anne Helm says
OMYGOODNESS!!! I swear i was reading my story word to word. Incredible. Broke mine. On mother’s day. I’ve been to E.R. twice. For pain management. Ridiculous! 5/325 . I’m already taking 12 mg of delauded. Sp) ? Sacreillac. Severely damaged water skiing. So why they expectsd this pill to manage all my pain , me to live only off my pill of 10 years ? Was so crazy to me. I have cried every day. Since this happened. I’m waiting to see a surgeon this week..
Martin Welch says
I’m 54 and acquired my trimalleolar on the right leg doing the sort of things I did as a kid (rope swing in the woods…. don’t ask!). That was May 9th this year. Was operated May 10th and sent home May 11th. Plaster off and replaced with boot 2 weeks later. The June 10th (one month post-op) an x-ray. No obvious signs of healing, but fracture stable. Was given the nod to partially weight bear with care (up to 30% body weight, but listen to my body and desist if too much). Started (slowly) hobbling into work on crutches (using the local bus service, but also a daily 2 km round-trip walk involved) and my left leg (the one now doing all the work) and hands ached much more than the damaged right leg (which was in a boot). Missed the appointment on July 21st for follow-up x-ray etc due to covid isolation (I didn’t have it, in spite of the rest of my family coughing all over me…. how did I manage to escape that? – vaccination, I guess) but on July 28th was told by the Doc to metaphorically roll up my mat and walk (and drive, and cycle, yay!… I proposed marriage to the man there and then). Two days on crutches with just shoes followed, then a transition to just walking without crutches with shoes only (no boot, small steps, but fine). Some swelling at the end of each day, but that receded overnight. Thats where I am right now, and the “learning to walk” think has been easier than I though – a lot of the initial reticence was in my mind, about not wanting to end up with all that bone collapsing again. As the Doc pointed out though, using it will strengthen it further, but listen to my body. I hope to be functioning close-to-normal in a month or so. Hope the above timeline helps. Oh, and one more tip – eat your greens. It helps. Probably.
Shanon says
Hi, I’m 11 weeks out from surgery with my trimalleolar closed fracture. Thank you for posting this info about your ordeal. I too was wearing Berkinstocks when I tripped on an extension cord and broke my ankle. It was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced and I’m 66 years old. I go to PT twice a week. Saw my surgeon for the third and final time today. He said I am all healed up and start walking. I still have a lot of stiffness and pain, especially when trying to walk. I have been using a wheel chair and want to be self sufficient again. Now I’m trying a cane around the house but it’s not ever pain free when trying to walk. I’m allergic to ibuprofen and acetaminophen, so frozen peas have become my ally. I’m a larger person and have fears of breaking it again, but with nine screws and a plate, via an incision on either side, hopefully that won’t happen. The top of my foot has no feeling , or rather it’s as if I’m wearing a very tight glove under my skin. Surgeon said the nerve there may have been damaged. I wonder if that will ever get better? Thanks again. It helps to know you are all out there and you completely understand how hard this is to go through. Thanks!
Stefanie says
I was wearing Birkenstock’s too…
Tammy says
Thank you so much for sharing your story. So much of it resonated with me! On March 29 I missed a step going downstairs and ended up with a broken femur, and a trimalleolar fracture with dislocation. I ended up still laying on the stairs while the EMT’s gave me IV fentanyl so they could move me (it didn’t help the worst pain I’ve ever experienced). I was admitted to the hospital and had surgery the next day to repair the femur and align the ankle in preparation for its surgery which was done 3 days later on April 2nd. I stayed in the hospital for 10 days and was released with the splint, cotton, ace bandage temporary cast. I am fully non-weight bearing, so have been using only a walker. Crutches were never an option for me…not sure why. I opted to stay upstairs in our 2 story home as I could be in my own bed and have a full bathroom. I can totally relate to the frustration and depression from being literally helpless. My poor husband and daughter have been amazing, but I feel guilty asking for every little thing! I also have wonderful family and friends who have brought so many meals and other treats which have been so helpful to us. On April 22 I got downstairs for my dr. appt. by scooting on my butt, which was a little scary. At the appt. I got all 77 staples removed and was put into a regular hard cast still non weight bearing. I return on May 5 for (hopefully) a walking boot.
I so appreciate seeing your timeline to give me some idea of what to expect. Also, does anyone have any tips about the horrible flaking skin??? Thank you all for sharing your stories!!
Suzanne says
This post and especially all of the following comments have been really helpful for me. I am three months post Tri-M surgery, still in a boot with a walker but taking a few short steps with just the boot, and wondering how I am doing, really? At 65, with diagnosed osteopenia per the surgeon, I wonder if my bones will crumble if I’m too aggressive, but I’ve started PT exercises and even in a few days they have made considerable difference in my flexibility and comfort. However, I am a little more sore, is this the same for you? Also, during the last months or so I have noticed different portions of my foot being very sore, causing some concern, but then with exercise the pain has gone away, yay! Reading everyone’s comments I realize I am right in there with the rest of you. So you have given me hope and I thank all of you!
Marsha Blue says
Oh I appreciate you telling your story I did the same thing feb 14 2021 I’ll never forget that Valentines what a present so I’m thinking six months plus I have colon rectal cancer I have neuropathy frim oxiplatin being in my chemo cocktail I was numb from the neck down and was withering when I would stand wow was I scared ? I went to Accuouncturist and Helen brought back total feeling frim my neck to my waist I know if you exercise a lot neuropathy will improve somewhat but I’m so afraid sooo afraid to try snd walk god bless you hun be careful stay safe ?????????
Jennifer says
This article helped me tonight realize that what I am experiencing is normal. I could have wrote the majority of this article myself. I am 7 weeks post op and I’ve been very positive but had my first real “I’m so tired of being helpless” breakdown yesterday. I was a once very active and independent woman who now can’t even get out of the house herself. It’s seriously the most difficult thing I’ve dealt with ever. Seeing the timeline helped me see I’ve got a good distance still to go, which frustrates me more but also let’s me know what I need to prepare for. What a journey that I never anticipated.
Ellis says
Hello ankle club friends!
I broke all 3 ankle bones hiking outside of Austin by slipping on an incline and falling backwards when when my foot shot forward. Had the ORIF surgery on 1/8/2021 and am now partial-weight-bearing in an aircast with crutches.
My foot does swell each day after activity, which I know is normal. However, I can’t move past the feeling that my foot is “covered in wax” … it feels so tight, and it also feels like there are rubber bands pulling around my foot, specifically in between my toes. I keep checking to see if my sock is too tight, but of course nothing is the matter with my sock! Any advice? Anyone else experiencing this? Remedies to help? Would be very anxious to hear. I feel like this journey is through a long, long tunnel, and I can just barely make out some light up ahead.
paleobailey says
Hi there! Are you wearing a compression sock/TED hose? It helps so, so much with swelling! That waxy feeling is all of that excess swelling/water stretching your skin and making it feel really tight. I wore a ted hose for months after I was able to walk again and it made such a difference with that!
christine fritz says
Good for you Ellis. You are coming along. On Jan 2nd 2021 I slipped off a step and broke both ankles. One in three places. I am 7 weeks post-op and still in casts. I can’t wait to get them off. That will be March 12th. I’m sure the fact that I am 69 is part of the problem. Can’t wait to see if I will be able to bear weight then. I figure it will be a few more months until I feel anywhere near normal. Glad each of you seem to be doing well
Erin says
Ask your Dr I’d wearing a compression sock would be appropriate for you. I wore one every single day for over a year. I never had any issues with swelling. I also iced my ankle at the end of the day for months.
Nikki says
Hey, To Christine,I also injured myself on 2nd January, also slipped on ice. To Ellis, I had my surgery on 20 jan also for a trimalleolar and I also feel the extreme tightness. wax and rubber bands is the perfect description.
Sara says
I suffered a trimalleolar at the end of January after tripping and falling down the stairs. In addition to the break, I also snapped the ligament that holds everything together, meaning that I ended up with 8 weeks of non-weightbearing 🙁
First, thank you for this post! All of the emotions you went through definitely resonated with me. I was so depressed after surgery–I didn’t realize how common post-surgical depression was until I researched it. They should definitely warn people about that. And the loss of independence (including a shower-time breakdown) was so traumatic!
Secondly, I’m still feeling that rubber band pain around my toes–especially my big toe. I just started PT last week, and they said it will get better the move I move it.
Also, I can’t believe you had to wait 6 days for your surgery! I can’t imagine how awful that would feel. I broke my ankle on a Sunday and they operated late that night. If they had sent me home I definitely would have cried.
So glad to hear your ankle is mostly back to normal!
Lee says
I had to wait 2 weeks for my surgery. 3 breaks in the fibia and torn major ligament. 7 weeks in a cast after surgery. I had such wicked nerve pain after the surgery and cramping. It felt like my foot and ankle was in an iron maiden. I got out of the cast in Jan and here it is almost June and it is still painful. I walk with a limp unless I am in tennis shoes and I focus. I do not have full range of motion. Dorsiflexation is the worst. I cannot squat to 90 degrees without having to roll up on my toes. If anyone has info on how to improve this, please let me know. My foot, ankle and lower calf is still really tight and uncomfortable. Yes, this is an incredibly depressing injury and I feel like no one really wants to hear it so I try to keep it stuffed down.
Star says
Reading this was so refreshing to know that someone else understands how incredibly difficult it is to go through that. (Not that I am happy you did) but your story especially all the pain and suffering and depression is to the T to what I went through. My elderly grandfather (who passed shortly after) accidentally bumped into my ankle while it was propped up and I was asleep and that pain was so excruciating I screamed into a pillow and cried for at least 3 hours on and off. He felt terrible and cried himself, I tried to hold it in so that he didn’t feel so bad but I just couldn’t. That was the most painful thing I ever experienced. Its coming close to a year that I had surgery and I still can’t run without it hurting after just a few steps 🙁 I hope I’m fully recovered soon. It truly is life altering. I’m sorry you went through that.
Shirley Anne says
Thank you! This is exactly how I feel after breaking my ankle on 3/15/21 after using my foot to correct a fall on the stair. It just feels terrible.
Pooja says
I recently had an ankle and leg surgery. As a person who likes to be active and independent, I kind of totally understand you. I have still not removed my cast as per the instruction of the doctor. I am in recovery phase and your story inspires me. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle says
Thanks for sharing your experiences, I fell down the stairs on 23rd December which resulted in a tri-malleolar fracture and surgery on 7th January for internal fixation with screws and plates. I am still in a cast and non WB and this is the difficult part now, I have 3 dogs and used to walk them 3 miles each day before work. Luckily my husband is working at home so doing all the dog walking and helping me. It’s just good so hear that this is a process that I basically have to sit through for a period of time. I too feel a poking sensation on my outer left leg where the plate is so I guess I also need to get used to that. I am looking forward to mobilising and hearing what you experienced has been helpful, particularly as I was expecting that when my surgeon tells me I can walk I will be able to! I may take painkillers before my next fracture clinic appointment next week as that is when I am hoping the cast comes off. Take care all x
Heather says
Thank you for sharing your story because now I don’t feel so alone. I broke my ankle (trimalleolar fracture) on 10/03/2020 and had ORIF surgery on 10/08/2020. I can definitely relate to everything you said. The loss of independence and the ability to move by myself were the toughest for me. I was too weak after surgery to be able to use crutches or a knee scooter so I had to use a wheelchair. There were definitely dark and depressing times during this and I had my pity parties. It’s been 14 weeks since my surgery and I’ve been walking (albeit painfully for the first few weeks) for 8 weeks. I get my boot off hopefully this week and can finish physical therapy. Physical therapy is wonderful and I made so much progress after finding the right therapists. To anyone out there going through this, don’t give up on your recovery and please go to physical therapy. Stay strong mentally and know you will be able to get through this. I worry about my ankle returning to relatively normal functioning. I’m afraid it won’t be like it was before the fracture but I’m so glad to be able to walk and be independent again.
Jacki says
So I just broke my ankle; same fracture, on Christmas Eve. I just missed the bottom step of our stairs carrying down presents. Something totally silly, just like you. Thanks for sharing your story. I have surgery on Tuesday 1/4, and while I’m very stressed and nervous about it, you gave me some hope that there’s light at the end of this tunnel. Glad you’re back to “normal” 🙂
Jane says
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I did my tri-M fracture on Nov 24. Had surgery on Nov 30. Am now 3 weeks post surgery. Still in a lot of pain. Pain meds don’t seem to work at all. Percocet was stopped at 2 weeks post surgery when the cast and staples were removed. Things seem to be worse since then because the pain goes on relentlessly all day without a daily 2 hr pain relief window of Percocet. Now I have a meltdown and cry every day. Thank you to those who said you cried daily too. I was begining to despair. Not looking forward to the long road to recovery. Thank you for the hope that things will get better.
Peter says
Baily, very interesting story and nice to see the timeline on your progress to compare how I’m doing. I had a bimalleour fracture resulting from coming down a ladder too fast, being chased by wasps, then rolled it on a step upon landing. I’m about 15 weeks post surgery and things are getting much easier. I still walk with a limp, although not as obvious, and don’t do long walks or run yet.
Prior to the injury I was cycling 4-5 times a week, usually about 30-50 miles per ride. I have a spin bike at home and spend time on it daily, along with other exercises. I just finished 5 weeks of PT, 2x per week, and can say it was well worth the effort. I honestly didn’t think it would be worth the effort and thought i could do it on my own. They mainly focus on range of motion which is critical to recovery and takes time. I never expected how long this recovery would take, so be patient. I plan to get out on the bike next week and I’m looking forward to putting on some miles. The first month is the most difficult, but stay focused on getting better over time. Best of luck to everyone going through this unfortunate injury. It is truly a life changing event.
Ursula says
I did the same break trimalleore break with dislocation also on 8/17/2020 had surgery 8/26 and 10 days later had excruciating pain headed back to the doctor to remove the bandages to find my incision completely busted open because I was allergic to the stiches!! So no cast for me since I needed to heal freely or get another surgery. After 8 weeks doc said I could use the boot and start to put minimal weight but as soon as I tried the pain was horrible in my knee. After an MRI they realized my femur was cracked right at the knee so that put a hold on everything! Here I am almost 4 months in and I’m finally able to use the boot with assistance of a walker and I’m crying in pain 10 minutes in! I feel like this is never going to get better. I know exactly what you went through and I can only hope this gets easier for me because emotionally I’m losing my grip. Not to mention I had lost 40 pounds and after the break I have put it right back on just laying here depending on others to feed me 🙁
Sara says
Shamini, I have started PT and very frustrated as my ortho is keeping me in an air cast until the end of the year so walking is counter productive as my opposite hip and knee hurt when I walk to long. Love going to PT and it has helped see the light. Having my surgery to get the ugly cancer out in a week. I a nervous about how I will get along with the walker but I do have a wheelchair in case. How are you doing? Here’s to 2021 being the best year ever!!!
bdubs says
Another Thank you! I fell on 11/17 and had ORIF surgery a week later. Stitches came out 2 days ago and I start PT this week. You mentioned you were going to do a post on holistic recovery methods you used. Did this happen? I’d love to hear what you did.
Belinda Baker says
i broke my ankle in 3 places October 28, 2020 while riding my bicycle on the sidewalk…a
huge golden cemetery gate blew open onto the sidewalk and my bicycle just hit the open gate and i tried to catch myself with my left foot…when i saw my ankle on the sidewalk i knew life would never be the same again…i just lay there on the sidewalk…it is a very busy street…the cemetery workers came out and carried me to a bench …a young couple stopped and called 911 for an ambulance she gave me a sweater…thank god the hospital was so cold…a police car stopped…the ambulance came and off to the nearest emergency room…xrays morphine…and that night taken to another hospital where there was a surgeon willing to put my ankle back together…the doctors at the first hospital had to farm out my surgery …i felt very lucky…i am 71 years old and on medicaid…so far everything is going well…i had no idea that so many people broke there ankles,,,i live alone with my 4 cats…but so many of my old friends have been so helpful…the thing that helped me more than anything was when i was at the first hospital a man came in with no legs…and so my journey into humility started…it will take awhile i am sure…but this time next year i will walk to the beach again…this has put so many things in my life into another perspective…when the ambulance brought me home November 1 at one in the morning to my apartment with out a portable potty or a shower chair…i did have a walker that a friend had brought by while i was in hospital…a walker i had hardly no idea of how to use…this was a nightmare i was sure…but as they say what does not kill you makes you stronger…and this is how it has gone…i have so much to be grateful for…a neighbor picks up my garbage outside my front door every few days…my cats are good and i can get groceries delivered thanks to The Covid…everyday i get something else done…i just started to make coffee…i missed my coffee…it has been only 5 weeks…i got my stitches out after 3 weeks,,,a PT comes to the house…i have to figure out how to get the xrays done at my local clinic on Jan2, 2021,,,then Jan 11 an ambulance will come and get me to take me back to see the surgeon with my xrays…to see how i am doing…so things are actually going along pretty good for me…i have not had a lot of pain (yet) …i hop around with my walker better every day…i really consider myself lucky to be alive because if that gate had not stopped me…well i will always wonder …thank you all for your stories …you have helped me not to feel so alone…we will all be better someday and walk again…and now in the future as i walk i will always remember the man on the gurney with no legs below his knees…what an awesome universe this is…thanks be to God …