Throwback Thursday - Mama Broke Her Ankle (2020)

Oooh man...here's a look into some physical hardship I had at the very beginning of 2020. 

[Part 1 - January 2020]

 I've decided to document my broken ankle journey. I'll share what I go through physically, along with the lessons I learn. Hopefully, you get a little bit out of them as well!

{I began writing this on 1/19/2020 and finished it over the next couple of weeks.}

I am sitting in bed, uncomfortably, with my surgically repaired ankle elevated and ice behind my knee as I was told to do. I've stayed on my painkiller regimen. However, the magical nerve block I enjoyed for just over twenty-four hours after surgery is definitely out of my system. I'm hurting, and it's definitely not a good pain.

11 days ago, I was feeling much better. I was ready to tackle the oncoming year with gusto. I was productive that morning. The kids were off to school, I finished a weekly writing for my church, and I was ready to get out on a run to start my 'real' training for the half-marathon I signed up to run in April. I was excited! I was finally doing it, and I felt like I actually had turned a corner. No lazy Mama that day. I looked at the outside temperature--below freezing, but the road didn't appear wet. I thought about slipping my YakTrax on, but figured if I slipped a little I'd turn around instead of taking the time to use them right away. I will forever regret that decision. I got just a smidge over half of a mile in before I slipped.

My slip was so much more than that. I fell, hard, and knew immediately that something was very, very wrong. My brain was telling my leg to move, but it wasn't following the command. Weird. I sat on the side of the road and tried to pick my leg up to see why there was such a disconnect between my brain and my leg. Ouch! Bad, bad idea. I gingerly placed my misshapen foot down and screamed bloody murder. No one heard me. I was cognizant enough to remember I had my phone on me, and needed to dial 911.

I was transported to my hospital of choice, and as the painkiller the EMT gave me started working, I realized I was going to want my husband there. I called and told him what was going on, and he made arrangements to get out of work and inform the school and the dentist that I wouldn't be taking our youngest any appointments that day as planned. I also texted the group chat with my mom and sisters asking for prayers as I was on my way to the hospital for x-rays to see just how much damage I'd managed.

Unsurprisingly, we were told I would need surgery to repair multiple ankle bone fractures. My emergency room discharge paper has my diagnosis listed as "closed trimalleolar fracture". I got in to see a surgeon the following Tuesday, and scheduled surgery for Friday.

My "bigfoot" surgery went well. The surgeon found more crushed fibula than he expected, but that just meant an additional plate being placed in my ankle. This left ankle of mine is now sporting some serious hardware. Yes, that is a photo of my x-ray from my first post-op appointment at the top of this post! The only difference is that the staples have been removed.

I have now spent the better part of a month in bed, elevating my leg and icing my ankle. The first week or two we're pretty much a blur of feeling gross and groggy. Using the prescription painkiller was amazing as far as pain management goes, but not so much for feeling better overall. I've been able to get down to just taking one or two big doses of ibuprofen most days now, and I feel much more clear-headed.

This clear-headedness, while welcome, has also been frustrating. I've had plenty of time to sit. And sit. And sit some more. I've had tons of time to think. And think. And think. This forced rest has me feeling anywhere between "Aaaah...rest is nice" and "Oh my goodness there is so much that needs to be done and there is not a single thing I can do while I'm stuck on my behind---grr!"

In the midst of all this, my mind keeps going back to a Hearts @ Home conference I attended several years ago. I went to one of Jennifer Rothschild's sessions. The biggest takeaway I got from this particular session was the phrase "It is not well with my circumstances, but it is well with my soul." Even when life goes completely awry, knowing Christ allows for a peace that doesn't make sense to most onlookers. 

That is where I have decided to firmly plant myself right now. Breaking an ankle, in spectacular fashion, at age 36, with four busy kids is far (so very far) from ideal. However, I believe in a God that loves me, has all of my days planned, and is working everything together for good. 

Where does your mind go when things do not go anywhere near the way you planned or expected? Do you have a phrase you find yourself coming to over and over?

[Part 2 - Into February and March 2020]

Thoughts Between 1/31 & 2/17

Yeah! My heavy and ridiculously massive splint is gone. I've graduated to an aircast. I'm still required to bear absolutely zero weight, meaning I'm pretty much stuck at home. I can use a knee scooter instead of crutches to zoom around, which has been nice.

I did have one weekend where I got out of the house Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Friday, my brother-in-law drove me to sub in a preschool room. In case you think I'm crazy-the subbing was a super easy group of preschoolers and I was practically "just a warm body". Saturday I tagged along on a trip to Hobby Lobby for one girl to shop for jewelry supplies, and then we made a quick stop at PetSmart. Sunday, my husband didn't play in the worship band, so we attended church as a WHOLE family for the first time in weeks. I was definitely exhausted by Sunday afternoon. It probably wasn't the wisest idea to be up and about that much, but it did do wonders to brighten my mood! I kind of wish it wasn't winter so I could just sit outside in the fresh air to "ice and elevate"!

February 27 - March 8 (and 21)

Phew. I had my physical therapy assessment on February 27. I was getting physical therapy twice a week, but the coronavirus crisis has put that on halt until further notice. I'm supposed to go for another post-op appointment, including x-rays on April 2. I'm not holding my breath. We will see what the next couple of weeks bring! In the meantime, I'm upping my at-home exercises and trying to replicate the in-office therapy as best as I can. 

 As expected, I still have some swelling. I've noticed that wearing a compression stocking helps keep it down some, as does attempting to rest, elevate, and ice often. The kids were helpful before, and they are continuing that trend now that school has been cancelled for (at least) a month. 

Both scars are healing up nicely. I'm steadily (if slowly) making progress in putting more weight on my ankle in the aircast. I've become somewhat proficient at the one-crutch hobble. Hopefully next time I write an "ankle update" it will be to let you know I'm walking unassisted-or at least getting close to doing so!

[Part 3 - Looking Back from 2026]

I can't help but laugh as I read back through the writing above. I have come a long way in the past six years! My PT was cut short by covid, but I did put a good effort in for a looooong time trying to recover. I did begin running/jogging again at some point, but that comes up in one of the posts I have planned for March. :) I never did add in any lessons learned. I can see now that I learned how much others care for me, and that I can do really hard things. And this silly broken bone is merely a foreshadowing of what was to come of my health the following year!