Leg Update: 12 Week Update

Went to the Doctor to have the leg checked. It has been 12 weeks (about 4 months) since the surgery where I had a metal plate screwed into the lower part of my fibula. Its now official, the doc told me that I could officially ditch the crutches...woohooo!

My job now, is to start putting more weight on the leg,and as much as possible, try to walk without limping in order to stimulate bone growth. I come back in another 4 weeks, and if I still have problems walking straight, then they would recommend physical therapy to improve my gate and stride.

Walking without limping is difficult and tiring. I can't do it for very long. So, I continue to walk slow wherever I go. I actually enjoy it, walking slow relieves a lot of undo stress for wanting to get someplace. It definitely takes a lot of planning on my part so I arrive to places on time, but its all good.

One thing I started doing this week, was working out in the gym, which felt great. I rode the bike for twenty minutes, worked out my upper body, stretched and did some leg extensions. My recovering leg is so weak. This may have been a bad idea, because since I had not worked out for over 6 months, my body was extremely sore the next day, especially, my arms. My arms could not bend and so my wife had to help me put on my socks and shirt so I could go to work. It was also a challenge to shampoo, and brush the teeth.

So not only was I limping, I couldn't move my upper body either, I was bad shape. Nobody said recovery was easy.

Week 9 :: Leg Checkup

Last Thursday, I had a 9 week checkup on my leg. It has been 9 weeks since the surgery and 5 weeks since the doctor removed my cast. When the cast was removed, I noticed that the area was stiff, specifically the heel area and the front of my ankle. On a weekly basis and daily basis, I could slowly feel the flexibility return, but it still isn't one hundred percent. Returning to work was tough, my energy wasn't as high as I would like and I look forward to being able to workout. I'm thinking about going to the gym and to workout my upper body.

Last week, I stood on both feet for the first time without crutches and pain. This felt great. I could also sleep properly as my leg is not affected by a simple blanket laying on top of it. Last week, I was also able to wear a shoe, and noticed the support it provided.

I still still use my crutches while walking, but this time with both feet on the floor. The leg seems to have great support, but I don't have the heel toe roll just yet to be able to walk normally. So, on a daily basis, I do three sets of thirty reps of calf raises and toe raises to help strengthen my leg and to get my heel toe movement back.

My foot is still swollen and its still a different color, but its not as bad as it was about a month ago. I have a tingling in my big toe, not sure what that's all about, and sometimes my knee feels week. The doctor said that its due to the plate in my leg and that it could be touching the nerves that affect these areas. I'm worried about the knee, and that it didn't tear during the accident - I just remember seeing my leg kinda weird that's all. I'll wait and see how the area feels as the weeks go by.

So, 9 weeks after the surgery, and 2 months since the accident, I can now put weight on both legs, and I can walk easily with the help of crutches for support. I'm still not off the crutches, but I can now start to slowly add more weight to the leg, keeping in mind that I have to do this slowly, I would hate to injure the area again from impatience. As far as physical therapy goes, the doctor saw the range of movement in my foot and he said that I was doing great. He said if I kept doing what I was doing, that I wouldn't need physical therapy. I see him again in about 4 weeks.

Today, I took 4 steps without crutches. I'm thankful for the doctor and his staff and everyone's support, I would not have been able to do it without you. I'm also thankful for calcium pills, if you look at the xray above, and compare it to the previous x-rays, you'll see the bones beginning to fill in.

So here's to a great year and to stronger leg. I'll post another update in about four weeks.

Lesson in all of this, besides being careful, is to enjoy life, slow down, appreciate what you have and do your best to stay positive. In times when things aren't going your way, get support and advice from people who love and care for you and take time out for yourself. What does this mean, it means you do something that you love, something that recharges your batteries. For me, its a great movie, hugging my kids and (this is funny) seeing how much money those Google Adsense ads bring in. The Adsense money is not that much, but its pays for coffee (caffeine, by the way, isn't good for bone healing).

When I broke my leg, I found it encouraging to read other people's accounts of their leg accident and their recovery and so I hope this helps you out too.

Randolf

4 Weeks : Cast Removal

Two days ago, the cast/splint placed on my leg during surgery to stabilize things was removed. In the image, you can see the metal plate and screws that the doctor installed to my fractured tibia. He did not put another cast on my leg and I have to admit that it felt kinda weird to leave the clinic without anything to secure my leg. His opinion was that the leg was secure, that no weight should be placed on it for 5 five weeks, and that it was up to me to slowly get the rotation back into my ankle.

The ankle area is extremely stiff and as each day passes, I regain more and more movement. There is little or no pain in the area, which meant that I could finally lower the times I take those pain killers. I really don't like the nausea which accompanies taking those things.

The best thing about all of this is that I can now put my whole body in the shower. Before, with the cast on, my wife had to help me wrap my leg in a plastic bag, and that only half of my body was in the shower. I can now take more showers :-)

So, for the next month, I will still be on crutches. I have to admit that I've grown pretty efficient at using them. I can drive the car, go up and downstairs and I'm looking forward to heading back to teaching in the classroom, although I will miss the time spent here at home even though the circumstances weren't ideal.

Some of things I got to do while recovering from my broken leg:

1. Created a Facebook account
2. Focused more on my MFA homework.
3. Watched a lot of TV - Below is a list of some of the shows that I HAD to watch on a regular basis.

• Supernanny (a lot of the techniques on this show worked).
• Oprah
• The Price is Right
• 12 o'clock Local News
• Dance Wars: Bruno Vs. Carie Ann
• Extreme Home MakeOver
• Heroes: Season 1
• American Idol
  
• PBS Cooking Shows (My favorite: Barbecue University)

And lot of movies :

• 3:10 to Yuma
• Cloverfield
• Rush Hour 3
• Music and Lyrics
• Dreamgirls
• 30 Days of Night
• The Cradle
• Daddy Day Camp
• Ocean's 13
• Mr. Magoreum's Wonder Emporium
• The Contractor
• War
• Sicko
• Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
• Grudge 2
• Hitman
• I Am Legend (Twice)
• White Chicks
• Pirates of the Caribbean 3
• White Noise 2
• No Country for Old Men
  

Take care of yourselves and be conscious about the decisions you make, as each decision creates an outcome.

Week 1: 100 mph Sled Ride = Broken Leg

On Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve, I experienced a sledding accident at Mt. Charleston. The hill I decided to shoot down was steep and when I reached the bottom of the hill, I hit a ditch. My left leg was jammed into the side of the ditch, I heard a snap, my leg became numb, but what shocked me the most was the position my leg was in. I did my best to straighten it out and laid their in the snow. My family put me on the sled and carefully brought me down the mountain and waited about an hour before help came. I was rushed to Summerlin hospital and their, the doctor placed a nice splint to hold everything in place.

A few days later, I saw the doctor and he recommended that I keep the splint on and to keep the leg elevated. Apparently, he liked what he saw and the leg was too swollen for a cast, so I rested on a couch for another week and waited to see him again a week later.

Yesterday, I had surgery on my leg. It had been 12 days since the accident. They installed a plate and screws which secured the fractured area on the lower part of the tibia (that's the lower arrow). The higher break, on the fibula, was not touched. The doctor said that this bone was non weight bearing and would heel just fine on its own.

So as of today, how does the leg feel. I definitely could feel a difference. The leg feels more secure. I can move my toes and my knees, which drove me crazy the first week. The new splint is very heavey. The pain I feel is not from the broken bone, but perhaps the installed plate and the incisions, which at this point, feels like an insect bite compared to the fracture pain. The pain at this point, on a scale of one to 10, about a 5.

Okay, so what did I learn from all of this? Obviously, an event like this is a sign from up above right? Well, I'm taking it as a sign to slow down, enjoy life and to think about how much responsibility surrounds me. Slow down and think and think before you make a move. Good thing I only injured my leg, and not my spine or hip, that would've been worse. I'll take the leg for now, it'll be with me for the next 3 - 6 months. I get it.

Thanks to everyone for your support and patience. I'll get through this. So keep that fan main coming and continue to do your best.

Your Patient,
Randolf