Be warned... this post is likely to turn into a full blown pity party!
It has been 13 days since I hurt my ankle and in that time I have spent 95% of each day with my butt firmly planted in the same position on the couch!! To say I am over it is an understatement!!
Since my last post I have been to see the Orthopedic Surgeon at Murdoch and the good news is that he says there is a 90% chance that I will recover fine and not need surgery. My ankle is a lovely array of blues blacks and greens (now beginning to turn to yellows) from my toes to mid calf and it is still extremely painful to move or place any weight upon. The cast has now been removed and I have had a 'boot' fitted. The boot is like a massive plastic brace that covers my lower leg to my knee. It has a rocking base on the bottom that is supposed to allow me to learn to walk on it. I have affectionately named it 'robo-boot' and it looks like something out of transformers or star wars! LOL!
As I kind of expected, the help is drying up. My friends were fantastic in the first week when I hurt myself but it's school holidays now and everyone has their own kids to deal with too. My Dad would do anything to help me but he is away in the UK visiting Darrin at the moment so it's just us! I am beginning to think that the universe is trying to teach me something about survival and dealing with adversity alone :(
I DO count myself lucky that I have been able to get the in home daycare help back for at least 6 weeks. I contacted them last week saying I didn't know what I was going to do and they have been very helpful. Even though I am able to get up on my crutches and move around a little bit now, I am still finding it incredibly difficult to do anything. I can't pick up the kids, I can't make them lunch, I can't make myself any food or even carry a cup of coffee... basically I am stuck :(
I have started seeing a physio yesterday and he was nice enough, though BRUTAL!! I am still wincing from the pain and the worst thing is I have to go back again today and again tomorrow (and then half a week after that) I think I will be seeing him for quite a few sessions. He said that he didn't usually get excited by ankles, but that I had done a really good job and had a whole shopping list of things I had done to it. There are three torn ligaments and the broken bone and although the bone is what is causing a lot of pain, the one ligament that will cause the most trouble is the one holding the tibia and fibula together above my ankle. Somehow I managed to tear that one and that might mean that down the track my ankle will stiffen and loose range of motion again as an ongoing problem :( Hello expensive physio bills!!! :(
Now, to get to these physio appointments I need someone to drive me. It seems that there is no one so guess what?!?? although it's pouring with rain and thunder and lightning outside I am attempting to hobble my way into the drivers seat and drive myself there! (also have a psych appointment today, I could cancel it but I think I need it!) I am sure I will be fine. I *can* manage it.. but it's far from ideal and far from comfortable and easy :(
SO.. there you have it! I am sitting here feeling totally miserable. Fed up of feeling the pain, fed up of taking a million tablets, having to listen to daycare ladies look after my kids in ways that I don't do things (and to be honest, quite frequently only two or three of them are being looked after while the others are left to wander the house and fend for themselves!!!!) I am sick of everything being a challenge and I feel like I just want to burst into tears :'( I know I will be fine, I know this will pass and I will heal and everything will return to 'normal' but for now I am indulging my self pity!!
