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07 July 2006

Wanna sign my cast? Pursuant to this, I got my cast today. Pretty!
Oh no, Janet! I missed your original post during my haitus, but I have a lot of experience with just what you're going through. Was it a tib-fib break? Plate and screws?

Hang out at mybrokenleg.com - they are awesome over there. Lots of people who understand and lots of good support. It helped me a lot when I was at my worst.

And definitely email me if you have any questions!
posted by mike9322 07 July | 13:04
Janet, can you change the privacy setting on that photo so that any flickr user can add a note? That way we can actually sign your cast ;)
posted by iconomy 07 July | 13:06
Thanks mike. I basically pulverized my ankle -- I've got a plate and screws on the right side, screws on the left, and there's a crack up the back side. Apparently I couldn't have done a better job if I'd taken a hammer to it. It looks pretty much just like in your pictures, with perhaps a little more decorative bruising.
posted by JanetLand 07 July | 13:10
Huh -- it says the photo is public already, iconomy. Is there another setting I need to change?
posted by JanetLand 07 July | 13:12
Oooh... I missed the original post. Owie!

I've totally been through that, both ankles. it sucks in ways words cannot express.

Do everything your docs tell you to, and insist on physical therapy even if they say you won't need it. I still don't think I got enough, and have a lot of problems as a result.

if you didn't cause any major damage to the calcanius (or however it's spelled, the big round bone at the back of the foot where it goes into the ankle), you'll most likely end up in much better shape than me.
posted by kellydamnit 07 July | 13:13
If I could sign it, I would draw a little bunny and a heart.
posted by Specklet 07 July | 13:14
Yep, you need to click on Privacy and then click where it says More Options -the option to let anyone add a note is there.

≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by iconomy 07 July | 13:15
Okay, fixed.
posted by JanetLand 07 July | 13:17
Yes. Physical therapy.

PHYSICAL THERAPY.

You will need it and it helps more than you can possibly imagine. Also, hurts like fucking hell, but the ankle is an extremely dynamic weight-bearing joint and the only way to bring one back is to push through it. I went for 9-10 weeks, and my ankle is at 99% now (18 months post-break and 6 months post-hardware removal) - I can run and pretty much be completely as I was before, with a little more emphasis on ice and stretching when I've been especially active.
posted by mike9322 07 July | 13:18
People can't add notes because you have "All rights reserved" on the pic. If you change it to "some rights reserved" (one of the various share/attribute type licenses) or make it public domain, people should be able to add notes.
posted by BoringPostcards 07 July | 13:20
Notes now working! First!
posted by mike9322 07 July | 13:23
Oh that notes thing is cool -- I didn't know flickr could do that.
posted by JanetLand 07 July | 13:24
Oh, and thanks for the heads-up about physical therapy. I will make strong inquiries at my next checkup in 3 weeks.
posted by JanetLand 07 July | 13:30
You will need it and it helps more than you can possibly imagine. Also, hurts like fucking hell, but the ankle is an extremely dynamic weight-bearing joint and the only way to bring one back is to push through it. I went for 9-10 weeks, and my ankle is at 99% now (18 months post-break and 6 months post-hardware removal) - I can run and pretty much be completely as I was before, with a little more emphasis on ice and stretching when I've been especially active.


I get the feeling my break was worse than the usual. I'm about six years after the fact, still have the hardware, and still at about 75% on a good day. That's with three months inpatient therapy and six outpatient.

Yes, it does hurt. Odds are, you will cry (I did. a lot.) You'll hate your physical therapist like no one else. But it is so important.
I mean, they told me I flat out that the best I could hope for was a quad cane or crutches, forever. That was my best case scenario! And thanks to the nine months of pain and torture at the hands of the sadist my insurane company hooked me up with, I'm going dancing tonight.

Also, watch out for joint pain in the future. If your hip or knee starts giving you trouble, odds are they're fine, it's just because of overcompensation since your ankle isn't doing it's complete job.

(honestly, I don't mean to sound like a downer. I just wish someone had told me this stuff after I broke mine. Imagine my shock when I thought PT would be a bit of stretching... )
posted by kellydamnit 07 July | 15:05
Also, watch out for joint pain in the future

Glucosamine chondroitin. It's awesome for joints.
posted by mike9322 07 July | 16:07
True dat...
Although I was thinking "watch out" not in the "it will happen" sense, but in the "look out since it can be a sign of a larger problem elsewhere" sense.
posted by kellydamnit 07 July | 16:44
Glucosamine chondroitin. It's awesome for joints.


Seconding that. I've been taking it for a couple of years (it takes a year to build up and be effective) and it has helped me to a pain free ankle 99% of the time.
posted by chewatadistance 08 July | 08:07
OMG Kid! || PDX bunnies OMG!

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