Thursday, 5 November 2015

Update

I continue to attend physio, currently I am using the weight machines and the exercise bike. It is going well. I didn't take my crutches with me today which is an achievement for me. I did struggle with the slopes but I will try again.
Still getting the odd comments that make me what to scream! The ones today was .......look at her and what a big leg she's got!

I asked about driving this week but I am not ready to drive my automatic campervan. I will be patient and take each day at a time. The weather is not kind at present, after school clubs are a challenge for us at present. My girls are very supportive and understanding, we have agreed that we will have quality home time instead of struggling to get somewhere in the pouring rain.
I am getting much stronger on my trauma leg. I feel that my step is much more controlled however I am still finding it uncomfortable in my hip due to the imbalance.

It is a good feeling when you can walk about without crutches and to be able to carry things is a good feeling. Oh how we take things for granted.

Monday, 12 October 2015

Hmmm Going Outside Without Crutches

So I am very happy going about my day to day jobs without crutches. However going outside is a different matter.
The pavements and driveways are so uneven it's not safe. There is a lot of acorns and debris on the pavements which are proving to be challenging.  I have decided that I will have at least one crutch to keep me safe at the moment.
I am getting stronger without crutches indoors. Just keep going and be positive.

I received my outpatients appointment for December, it's not until 15th December. That's 10 weeks away! Oh well I'm prepared to go the extra mile to make sure it's fixed! I am doing just fine.

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Clinic Appointment

The good new is my X-rays are all fine. There's definitely bone healing. My next appointment is in 8 weeks, the Consultant thinks we will be thinking of removing the frame around that time. It will be five months so I am very pleased with that. That's if all goes well. I was hoping to be without it before December when the cold sets in but I will just have to manage.

So I am going to ditch the crutches and progress with the walking. I am a little nervous going out without crutches so I will build on that.  I am really focused on working on my walking and gaining that bone density.

I am going to have to look at adjusting some trousers to wear over the cold period. Let's just hope it stays dry over the next couple of months.

Saturday, 3 October 2015

So It Has Been Three Months

I am so pleased I have reached the three month mark. It has been a very tough ride, I think I am coming out of the very long tunnel and can see some light!

I am back on antibiotics, not for my trauma leg but my right leg! I caught it on my frame and then I think I received a nasty insect bite. It's very red and painful. I guess that leg is missing out on the action.

I have been slightly low recently, feeling frustrated and feeling the cold in my foot. I am so limited in what to wear that I am sick of the sight of my skirts. Oh listen to me, stop feeling sorry for yourself girl I am doing alright. Things could be far worse!

So I have been looking at my food intake to help aid bone healing. My calcium intake is great. I drink milk at every meal. I get through plenty of dairy with cheese and yogurt. I have been having lots of tinned fish such as Sardines I am getting a little fed up with them but keep on as I know they are very nutritious. Ready brek is great as it has plenty of fortified calcium and vitamins.  My consultant suggested I take calcium and vitamin D supplement making up to 2400mg daily. I did have a blood test to check my calcium levels, I guess they are ok as I haven't heard anything. I try and get outside in the sun to gain some vitamin D. We are very lucky at the moment with the sunshine for Autumn.

I have a clinic appointment Tuesday to have an X-ray and see the consultant so I should know more next week. Let's hope it's great progress.

Monday, 28 September 2015

Update

I have now finished my course of antibiotics. I am due to see the nurse at the clinic tomorrow to check my pinsites. I am still dressing them every other day at the moment just to be on the safe side. It is not so tender as it has been but I still feel bruised at the front of the shin.

I saw the Physio last week, I was a little emotional as I explained I am not taking any risks or unnecessary exercises until I have had the frame removed. I do not want to do further damage to my muscle and explained (emotionally) I am a mum and need to be able to walk my children to school and all the other things that come with being a mum. When my pinsite was at its most painfulness I had to rely on other people and my children found it quite distressing. I think they have been though enough so the physio will have to wait. No more seeing what position I can get into!

Having said that I am doing gentle exercises that are necessary and focusing on my walking and applying weight into my leg. I am doing alright.

This Friday I will have done 3 months, there is light at the end of the very long tunnel.
Half the battle has been a positive mind, I have found that if I give myself a challenge for the day it helps. I do feel very isolated but I am very reluctant to go out to the places I normally go. I hate been stared at and don't like constantly being asked to explain what happened. People don't understand the feeling of flashbacks. I tend to make a joke that I wish I could say I was skiing or skateboard and laugh about it. I am sure it will get easier after time.  I have discovered a support network on Facebook for External Fixators, it is good to see you are not the only one.

Well my challenge for the day was to get the washing on the line of which I have done. I think I may treat myself. I certainly deserve it!

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Another week of antibiotics

So I am now taking the second week of antibiotics. The redness is settling but the tenderness remains. I don't feel flu type symptoms anymore my temperature has settled. Hopefully things will improve. I can move my leg about without feeling to much discomfort.
Still keeping my leg well raised when resting. Back to walking with one crutch, my main focus reduce risk of injury and gradually increase my walking putting my weight into my injuried leg.

Monday, 14 September 2015

So the count down has begun

So according to my daughters the count down has begun. They have decided that they will use the Mr Men stories as they have worked out it will be 46 days to reach the four month milestone.
Today they have completed Mr Good book number 46!
It's great how little people deal with things they are so excited about their countdown.

My leg is still tender, I continue to keep it up and keep the swelling down. I have cancelled the Physio appointment this week as the GP surgery suggested. It is such a disappointment but I don't want to end up tearing the muscle again. It has had a heavy impact on managing the day to day stuff. From now on I am playing it safe, I certainly will not be doing the exercises that require me to get in to uncomfortable positions like kneeling.
The pinsite is still oozing so I am cleaning it daily and dressing it. Hopefully it will dry up soon and reduce the further risk of infection. The GP surgery has given me another week of antibiotic if needed. I have two more days left of the first lot. I plan to drop into the clinic tomorrow and hopefully check with the nurses to make sure I am doing all the right things with the infected pinsite.

Saturday, 12 September 2015

A back step

So last week I felt my muscle tear around my top pinsite. It was very painful. At the time I was doing my exercises, I was trying to get into my kneeling position and felt it go. Unfortunately I have gone on to develop a infection in that pinsite.
I think I have torn my fibularis anterior muscle. It was very warm to touch and swollen. I applied lots of ice packs to it. Unfortunately two days later it became very red around the pinsite and started to ooze bloody discharge. My GP surgery put me straight onto Flucloxicillin 500mg. I have to go back Monday for review.
So at this moment it's rest my leg up really high and gently mobilising when able. However when I do put my leg down it feels really tight and very painful. I have a massive bruise to the front of my leg.

I am very disappointed as I was coming on really well. I will not be kneeling whilst I have this frame on. I do not want this to happen again.

Catch Up

So I saw the consultant at the clinic. The good news was the X-ray check was fine.

The Consultant tightened the large screws at the front of the frame. I explained I was having shin pain following my exercises. It felt like I was kicked in the shin. Since the tightening of my screws the pain has settled. I am able to put my weight into my leg without any pain and popping sensation.

The physio suggested I tried with one crutch which has improved my walking so much. Still find it very difficult with the height difference of my leg.

Friday, 21 August 2015

Ten Minutes

Today I have had ten minutes of a happy awesome feeling. I have been really weight bearing with a particular exercise.
Part of my exercise is to get someone to attach postit notes to the wall then I have to reach them and pull them off stretching on my left side (trauma side). Firstly I thought this isn't going to be much help. Wow I was so focused on getting the postit notes that I was really able to go for it and put my weight into it. The hardest being down low. I found myself doing lunges and hardly using any weight in my good foot and crutch. Yes my leg was hurting but boy what an achievement for me. I am so pleased with this. The beginning of the next step.

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Yes Physio Will Be Hard Work

Tuesday was my physio day. I did some walking into the injured leg on the parallel bars. I had a weird sensation around the large pinsite at the top. It felt little a popping feeling. I did manage to almost put all my weight into that leg.
Well the next day I was in a lot of pain. It felt bruised as if someone had kicked me in the shin! I only managed to do my leg raises and toes exercises so I felt a little low yesterday afternoon. Today the pain has gone so I have done my new exercises of side stepping whilst in front of the kitchen work surface. Hopefully I will have a good day.
I have managed to get my Pink Hydrex solution to dress my pinsites. It has been so difficult getting hold of this. One pinsite is a little oozy so I am cleaning it daily. I have my clinic appointment in 5 days. I would like to see my X-ray if possible.
Right back to my exercises.

Monday, 17 August 2015

Going Out

Going out has good points and possibly a bit of a downside. It is great to get fresh air and a change of scenery. I get to meet kind people who are very concerned about the contraption on my leg giving me pity looks and asking what have I done. Then I have the children staring and the parents trying very hard not to be embarrass and avoiding me. However I have had a stranger asking about the fixator and actually lifting my skirt so they could see it properly! Totally inappropriate! Get out of my space! It's a bit like when I was pregnant with my twins and people think it exceptable to touch your tummy. You just have to laugh.
This is a life changing experience and has really open my eyes on disability.

Saturday, 15 August 2015

Preparing my foot

When I have the foot plate off I am pushing my foot into the carpet. It is a strange sensation, the angle of the frame doesn't help but I need to help sensitise the foot to prepare it for the next stage.
The Physio advised to use different textures. I have a crochet wool blanket and that just makes my foot buzz.
The sun is shining today so I walked around the block focusing on moving into my injured leg. I will try to do this walk at least once a day then build it up slowly. The top of my leg becomes very tired quite quickily with the weight of the fixator.
I have cabin fever and so want to get out, may be the seaside or the New forest. Just somewhere different! But not the Hospital, Doctors or Physio!

Friday, 14 August 2015

I have glitter trainers!

So I have my trainers, not my style but it does balance my hips. They are silver glitter, goes well with the frame around my leg!

I have tried to relax my grip on my crutches, especially my good side. I can only do it with a limp.
It's really hard as I can't flex my bad foot as it is fixed in the frame and my knee position feels weird.

I am going to try introducing protein powder into my diet to aid muscle repair, some came through the post today.

So today is 5 weeks, hopefully the trauma to the bones are on their way to mending and I will feel more comfortable walking. The pinsite still pull and if my foot is down for a while it can hurt.
The colour remains purple when my foot is down. It certainly doesn't look like my foot.
Anyway another week and I will be able to say two and a half months to go! Hopefully!

Thursday, 13 August 2015

I need new shoes!

I have ordered  platform trainers just to give my good foot some height. Hopefully that will level me out and I will be able to put normal weight into my injured leg. I need to get my weight into it to stimulate the bone grow.
I have a block of wood in the kitchen that I use to balance me out when I am pottering in the kitchen. It feels comfortable when I am doing this. I can really stretch my leg and feel all my muscles having a good stretch.
I have been working hard on the exercises the Physio introduced to me. However I have some muscle fatigue from the leg raises I do. The Physio says I have been over doing them. I am having lots of protein in the form of chicken and fish to help repair the muscles. I am still trying to do the leg raises but resting to allow muscle recovery. Again it's a fine balance. I feel I need to make an investment in these exercises to aid good recovery and progress the rehab.
I am very please with my toes and how the are getting stronger. The Physio asked if I could stretch them but I haven't worked that one out yet. I will keep trying.




Monday, 10 August 2015

Physio

I have been focusing on my physio exercises. My main focuses putting weight into my bad leg and getting my toes moving.

I have been quite low recently. I think I am in a lull and feel I have such a way to go. I feel a burden as I am so slow and need to rely on people. Plus I can't take my children places for the school holidays.
The children have been really good and a real help. It is going to get better I keep telling myself.

My foot remains discoloured when I put it down, I keep on checking my foot pulse just to reassure myself. Now that I am putting my weight into my walk I am a lot slower and back to limping.  It doesn't help that my left hip is higher than my right.

Come on Helen just three months to go!

Monday, 3 August 2015

Back Home

I'm back home now. It is nice to be home. I am getting around the house, managing well. I have been doing little jobs like emptying the dishwasher and hanging the washing on the airer.

My foot still swells up and looks a nice shade of purple. It soon settles down if I put it up. The foot feels nice and warm to touch. My toes are moving well, though still a little painful.
I have been having trouble with my foot plate. I pump it up but it seems to go loose after a short period of time. I am not sure if it is the valve is leaking. I have physio for the first time tomorrow so I shall mention it to them

I have been catching up on paperwork today. Over the weekend I found unopened envelopes around the house and unfortunately my daughters initial podiatry appointment was in there. I am feeling slightly guilty that we have DNA an appointment. Mistakes happen, it is very humbling being on the other end. I am not very good at relying on others, but I am learning fast!

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Vitamin D

Yay we have sunshine on our holiday! I have been soaking up a little vitamin D in the lovely cottage gardens.
Yesterday I had my first shower. It took a lot of energy out of me but is was bliss. Soaked my pinsite dressings off so I didn't damage any healing tissue. They came off very easily, the sites look clean and good. I can manage to dress the top four pinsite but struggle to dress the cluster sites around my foot and ankle. The metal work is in the way. My husband has to dress them. I hope that I will be told I won't have to dress them once they are healed. Which they practally have. But at the moment I am dressing them every 5 days.
Still find it difficult to get comfortable at night. I have managed to go onto my side but only for a short period.
I must take some photos so I can see the difference throughout the four months.
My Mum & Dad went home, back to Cumbria to day. They face a long journey. I am ready to go home and get organised in managing around the home.

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

A Little Bit Of Sea Air

I have increased my length of walking, gradually going further. It's quite difficult walking on uneven ground with my crutches. The cottage grounds are part gravel so I have to take it very easy.
I walked along the sea front today, it is so nice to get fresh air. I have been cooked up inside for over two weeks. If it's raining I will struggle to get out. I am very reliant on the weather.

My foot still swells if left down for a short period of time. I can probably last for about 40 minutes maximum then it's foot up time.

My pain has settled. Today I have not taken any pain killers. I just get the odd twinge, mostly on the ankle. When I walk it pulls my groin and hip muscles, I guess with the weight of the fixator I am not use to using these muscles. Hopefully this will improve in time.

I am managing to put the foot plate on by myself. I have to lie on my back with my leg up in the air and fiddle with the screw attachments. It takes a bit of skill and perseverance, if there's a will there's away!

Sunday, 26 July 2015

Holiday in Norfolk

Yesterday was a very different day for me.  I managed a four hour journey to our holiday destination, Norfolk! The journey was comfortable as we used our campervan. I was able to spread my leg out on the long seat and move it about.
The good thing is I had the most comfortable night last night. It is so nice to be in a different environment. The cottage we are staying in is old and cosy. Following my risk assessment I have decided to go up and down the stairs on my bum!
I woke this morning with a wrinkled foot, good news the swelling must be going down after a nights rest. It still swells when I put the foot down. I seem to be moving around confidently, but still need to think what I am doing. It's a balancing act of resting and exercises.
I am really pleased that I am able to stretch out my leg when walking instead of feeling like I am limping.
Today my Mum and Dad saw me for the first time with the leg. They are amazed at my leg and it's frame work. I am soon glad to see them.
My pain levels are much better, today I have decided to try 8 hourly Paracetamol so I am doing 06:00, 14:00 & 22:00. I'll give it ago, so far so good. I have codeine for breakthrough pain of which I have said previously I am reluctant to take, but will if needs must.

Friday, 24 July 2015

A cold day

It's a cold day. My leg is feeling the cold as I'm not moving about like I normally do. When I am resting I wrap my leg & foot in a fleece blanket. It seems to help a little.

When I bring my foot down it is more tolerable, I am not getting as much tightness. The foot looks less swollen. I am very pleased with my toe movements to day. However I am still reluctant to really weight bear on my leg. I am sure this will come in time.


Thursday, 23 July 2015

Two weeks following the eventful day

I have reached the two week mark since my accident.

I had a comfortable night last night and managed to drift off to sleep for short periods of time.
Having a good night has given me the strength to do that little extra today. I managed to do a few house jobs with the help of my children. I seem to be finding it easier to keep my foot down, however it does balloon up quite quickily so I put my foot high up on pillows to rest it. My day tends to be exercise, rest, exercise, rest, blah blah! I am finding it a little easier to lift my leg with the fixator. My muscles seem to be able to handle it. My hip feels a bit unusual as the foot plate is higher that my good foot. I am going to have to look out for some raised footwear.

I have found that my toe exercises have become controlled, they are not as painful as previously. The bruising is now showing, my foot is all different colours!

I was looking at my wardrobe, I have very limited clothes. It is mostly skirts or dresses. I am going to have to find some very baggy stretchy trousers to use when it is a cooler day. Glad it's summer!

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Home Sweet Home

Oh it is so good to be home.
I faced the demon stairs and have been having flashbacks of the eventful day. It is getting easier as I write this blog. Writing it down has been cathartic. I am moving on and have a positive mind. There are down moments but I embrace them and remind myself I am doing OK.

My life is very basic at the moment. I am very focused on my goals. Rest plays an important part in my activities. I am not good at rest I get frustrated and it's quite difficult to get into a comfortable position. My sleep is poor due to positioning and discomfort.  I did need to take a stronger pain killer last night. I don't like taking them they make me feel woozy and dazed.  I think the extra walking in Outpatients contributed to the discomfort. So today is my recovery day with a light bit of exercising.

The TL-Hex Frame, My Friend!

Boy this frame is heavy. My thigh muscles are getting a good workout!
The amazing thing is I can weight bear with this frame on my leg.

The Physio applied a removable foot plate to the frame. This foot plate has a pump that inflates the insole to support the structures of the foot when walking. It is taken off over night when in bed. Wow! This truely is an amazing piece of technology. I feel very grateful for having this piece of kit.
It has allowed me to become mobile in such a short space of time. I could give you a long list of benefits but the main one is I am able to be discharged from hospital. Yay!

I add to my list of goals to apply daily excerises as directed by the Physio. The minimum three times a day, but I will try more if my body allows.


This Is Me

Yesterday was my first Orthopaedic Outpatients appointment. My Consultant suggested that I wrote a blog. So here goes.....

I thought I would start with a bit of background history as to how I have found myself to be in this position.

I am a 44 years old busy mum, balancing home and work life. On 9th July it was my day off, my children were at school, my husband at work. I had the day all planned to get the house jobs done. 

Half an hour into my jobs I slipped whilst RUNNING down the stairs, yes running down the stairs. How many times do I say to my children don't run on the stairs?!
I slipped and twisted around and found myself sat looking up at the stairs. I looked at my leg, it did not look good. Somehow I managed to get down the rest of the steps and get to the phone. The pain was very intense. I found my inner strength to focus on what I needed to do. Yes I did scream! But that's was a good sign I thought to myself. I did a lot of controlled deep breathing, followed by some screaming whilst waiting for an ambulance.

I managed to get hold of my husband on the phone and he arrive just before the ambulance. The ambulance crew were amazing and placed my leg in a splint whilst using Entonox.

In ED I had X-rays and pain relief.  I was given the news that I had a broken distal Tibia, the break being near my foot. I had also sustained a fracture to my fibia, which apparently is common for a spiral fracture with the twisting motion.
During my time in ED they manipulated the broken leg and applied a temporary plaster using Entonox. The process was intense at the time but once the plaster was on I felt safer and had some comfort.

I was admitted to a Trauma Orthopaedic ward and to await surgery.
I was lucky to be on the list for surgery the following day.  I was planned for a TL-HEX External Fixator frame. 

I was very pleased that I made a good recovery from the anaesthetic. I was off my IV drip and eating and drinking quite quickly.
I set myself goals to achieve. They were very basic;
Drink at least the two jugs of water, 2 litres daily.
Ditch the tea & coffee and drink milk instead.
All meals must contain good source of Protein and Vitamin C from the hospital menu.