Ankle Ankle surgery 12/21/2023

[MissFanny]

Good news at the doctors! X-rays look great, everything is healing well. I got my staples out. I had incisions on both sides of my ankle but they aren’t too terribly long. I have a deep abrasion on my shin where I slid down the stairs. I will probably look a bit mangled for a few months, but it looks like it should all heal up pretty well.

I am in a boot, which is so much more comfortable than the splint. The surgeon doesn’t love that I am using a wheelchair. He said, “You’re 55, not 85.” We tried a knee scooter and crutches while I was there. I felt unsteady and scared on both. The knee scooter was $200. I found one on Craigslist and messaged the seller. I offered $60 but haven’t heard back yet.

I can go back to work (from home) whenever I get the swelling under control. The surgeon left it up to me. He said I will need to be able to elevate my leg while I work. I have set a tentative return date of 1/18 as a goal. That is a Thursday and 4 weeks from surgery. Short week sounds like a good way to start.

So, I need to work on my sleep, my swelling, and getting mobile without relying on the wheelchair.

Next appointment is 1/31. He expects I will be cleared for weight bearing then. I will walk in the boot and start PT.

That is all I know so far. Feeling more hopeful than I have since this started.

Oh, I got more clarification on my injury too. I broke 2 bones in my ankle, nothing in my foot. Fracture with dislocation. Idk what the ER doctor was talking about when she said i had a broken bone in my foot. Surgeon said they don’t see that in their x-rays. The hardware they put in to stabilize the fracture should not need to be removed.

 

[benne68]

Glad to read this, @MissFanny!

I'm sorry the surgeon gave you a hard time about the wheelchair -- but the LAST thing you need right now is another fall! I never used one, but my SIL had a scooter after her ankle surgery and said it took a while to get accustomed to it.

I have set a tentative return date of 1/18 as a goal. That is a Thursday and 4 weeks from surgery. Short week sounds like a good way to start.

You'll be surprised how tired and achey you will still be at a month post-op, so easing in with a short week is a good idea.

Best wishes for continued recovery. Keep us posted!

 

[MissFanny]

I got a knee scooter on Craigslist! I will practice at home where I feel safe.

Yeah, the surgeon’s bedside manner stinks. I dread seeing him, tbh. Just a few more visits and hopefully he’ll be out of my life.

 

[mendogal]

Crappy doc attitude notwithstanding (eye roll) a great report!
Good luck progressing with the knee scooter. No roller derbying!!!!

 

[Annie N]

Good to hear you the news & you will be getting more mobile soon, do be careful with that scooter until you've got the hang of it, does it have brakes? When I had my orif & was 8 weeks non weight bearing & I had a wheelchair, someone let go of me on a slope by accident, it really put me off. I want to be in control rather than that happen again.
Personally I'm not convinced you should be going back to work until you are at least partially weight bearing, I made that mistake in 2010 & regretted it. That will be hard, can you do reduced hours?

 

[MissFanny]

@Annie N, I will likely go back halftime depending on how I feel. I work from home, but if I can’t sit 8 hours, I can’t sit 8 hours. But I am hopeful I can! I manage the software and all projects for my team. All my work goes on hold until I get back, which is hard. I have been trying to convince my boss I need a “backup”—someone I can mentor and train to do what I do. I hope to retire in 10 years max, so they will have to get me someone sooner or later.

I have thought a lot about that surgeon’s “you’re 55, not 85” crack today and I am over it. I know my body, I know my limits. I am so sore from all the hopping I had to do today. I can’t imagine hopping all day to prove something to him or anyone else. I am trying to be gentle with myself and ease my pain, not create new pain! I am a strong and active woman, but my right heel and right hip cannot take hopping on one leg all day!

I have been practicing on the scooter. My shin is still really sore—I have a long, swollen abrasion from the carpet on the stairs when I slid down on my shin. It’s tender and hurts on the scooter but I am easing into it. So, I am guessing over the next week or 2 I will be going between scooter and wheelchair and doing a little hopping when I have to. Honestly, that surgeon lacks empathy and is kind of clueless and odd. My husband said he can’t decide if he’s arrogant or awkward. He thinks he’s a little of both. My husband actually likes him better than I do, but said he sees my point.

 

[Annie N]

Your surgeon sees a lot of folks of all different capabilities, & I bet it's never happen to him personally. I'd put his remark away, he's done his job, he's not a physio is he? I suspect he's clumsily suggesting that you will lose conditioning & strength that will take months to get back, especially if you work from home. If so he's possibly right, my first break (6 breaks in the ankle) was in 2003, I was 45 & used a chair a fair bit. It was nasty & that happened to me, I was over 6 months recovering balance & strength. I can remember still using a walking stick at the 6 month point when we booked a holiday & being very surprised how long it was taking to learn to walk properly again. It was actually an indication of an underlying issue no one knew about, which is hopefully being fixed presently.

Hopping is a skill you need to learn & is really hard on the hands & shoulders as well & indicates where you might be weak but stick with it just a tiny bit more each day, but take great care when your are tired & at night. Of course you have hands full of crutches so cannot do much anyway! Maybe get yourself a physio to come to home to help you, you might find easier techniques that you don't know about.

That work issue will suck you in, do you really think part time will work? It's a great distraction but your prime responsibility now is getting yourself fully better. Be firm about this. I went back because no-one was covering my work, those that tried to help vanished in days, nightmare frankly & I never caught it up but got a lot of flack for the situation still. That situation helped me make up my mind to leave that organisation & I was gone as soon as I had recovered properly!

 

[MissFanny]

Good things to think about, @Annie N. Thank you for your perspective and giving me things to consider as I navigate my recovery.

 

[MissFanny]

Also wanted to clarify, I do hop. I have to; there is no getting around it. But I don’t hop all day everywhere. I would create problems for myself in other areas of my body. I had to hop a lot yesterday and the bone deformity in my heel swelled (it still aches today) and my hip joint was getting sore and “popping.” I will work on strengthening exercises, using the scooter, and minimal hopping. As an avid hiker, keeping my leg strength is important to me. But hopping is not something I want to do to maintain it! I want to stay strong without hurting other parts of my body!

 

[Annie N]

I don't hop much either, just enough to remind me how hard it is. My knee crutch had been a godsend & keeps me moving, as your scooter will. Best of luck, you will get there & your past hiking will hold you in good stead. I used to be a rambler as well, still miss it.

 

[Lindylee]

I struggled hopping too. I found it easier with a frame than crutches, felt safer. It took me a little while to get used the knee scooter and manoeuvring it. I bought a padded cover to go on it which was much more comfortable. I bought mine from Stride On,the company I hired the scooter from but they’ve got them on Amazon.

Far better to be safe than risk further injury.

 

[MissFanny]

I have been thinking about my surgeon this morning. I suspect he is out of touch with other people’s reality. He probably thinks everyone just drives up to their garage, opens it with an electric garage door opener, gets out right by their door, and has 1-2 steps to navigate to get in the door. I live in an old Victorian home on a double lot. My garage was added on in 1960 and faces another street (i am on a corner lot). I would have to park in my driveway and hop across my 1/4 acre lawn to the door. Instead, my husband drops me off on the corner, I hop the length of our (long) sidewalk, and then hop up the sloped path to our front door. When I get to the porch, my husband sets the wheelchair on it so I can plop into it. I hop up the first step backwards and, with my husband holding the chair secure, plop my bottom into it. Then we turn around, i use the walker to stand, while he gets the wheelchair in the house in the doorway so we can do the turn and plop action again.

As you might imagine, I only leave the house if absolutely necessary.

I also suspect he thinks work-from-home means i sit on the couch with a laptop. I code and do project work. I have a dedicated home office space and have to sit at a desk with 2-3 monitors going to do my job. There’s no room under my desk to elevate my foot.

Oh well. Maybe I’ll have the opportunity to provide feedback on my experience. I will be candid. Meanwhile, I am not going to worry about what he thinks and do what is best for my recovery and wellbeing.

 

[MissFanny]

Good day yesterday. I felt well enough to assemble a plant propagation station and a small counter shelf I got for Christmas this year. That filled an hour. I scootered 10 minutes, did laps in my wheelchair, stretched, did leg lifts and contractions of the quad muscles, and gentle ROM exercises with the injured ankle. I am not too sore today, so I must have done okay!

Sleep is still an issue. I don’t think I will sleep well until I can get upstairs to my own bed, hopefully after my 1/31 appointment.

Swelling is also still an issue. I have started some light massage. I elevate and remove my boot to ice. I am also turning all sorts of black, blue, and brown.

My ankle itches terribly! I looked it up and that is a sign of healing skin. Yay!

I think I am going to make it! Definitely not out of the woods, but getting closer to the clearing. My mood is improving with this!

I hope everyone is well and has a great weekend!

 

[MissFanny]

I ordered these yesterday for delivery today. It will be nice to wrap my ankle in ice! I have been wrapping my hip gel packs around it, but they are too big to get a good snug fit.

 

[MissFanny]

My work BFF came to visit last night. She brought me 3 kinds of leafy green salads, chicken breasts, little oranges, black grapes, dates, and little peppers stuffed with cream cheese in olive oil. It was a welcome relief to the pasta, meat, and potatoes my husband has been feeding me. He’s doing a great job, but he likes to eat a lot heavier than I do. I suggested fish one day and he made breaded fish in the air fryer.

My work BFF said they are forging ahead on projects. I was glad to hear it. Makes me feel less pressured to rush back.

Got some good exercise yesterday. Slept a tiny bit better last night. My Apple Watch sent me a “trends” report today with a summary of how much my sleep, exercise minutes, and number of steps has declined in 4 weeks. I know, Apple Watch, I know.

Wishing all a great weekend!

 

[Annie N]

Sounds delicious, is there a possibility that history might take you shopping? You can use the scooter in the shops & get some deli goods. Getting out & being useful are so good for you when stuck with a long recovery,. There's no need to overdo it but it's so worthwhile & provides a real boost

 

[MissFanny]

@Annie N, I hoped to get out next week but we’re getting snow now. Depends on the amount of accumulation. I don’t want to hop around or scooter on snow and ice. Hopefully, it doesn’t impact my weekend hotel plans. Also, I am feeling better now, but the last two times I went out for appointments took everything out of me. Getting in and out of my house is high drama.

 

[Annie N]

It's a bit up & down isn't it, but you will gradually see more ups than downs, but everything will knacker you for a bit yet. Let's hope your weekend is not spoiled, you only need to be able to get there? If you get stuck there that would be such a shame!

 

[benne68]

the last two times I went out for appointments took everything out of me. Getting in and out of my house is high drama.

One of the biggest "ah-ha moments" of my ankle recovery was how many activities I took for granted. Until you've been through this, you have no idea just how much energy goes into "simple" actions --- like getting into the car! Gave me new appreciation for how my mom struggles with daily activities.

Hope the weather improves for you by next weekend.

 

[Lindylee]

That’s the type of BFF you need. How lovely. My iPhone keeps telling me I’m taking fewer steps and burning fewer calories than last year. Quelle surprise!