The beginning of a bad day...
By PearlGrace
@PearlGrace (3171)
United States
November 21, 2008 8:21pm CST
Well, today, I took my mom grocery-shopping and fell in the parking lot afterward. I broke my ankle! It heard it snap, I hate that. This is the fourth time I've broken this ankle. I am totally bummed out and already sick of sitting still. Have you ever broken a bone? I can't get over how much it hurts and for how long.
3 people like this
12 responses
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
24 Nov 08
I am so sorry to hear you broke your ankle. I know that has to be terribly painful. I have fractured my skull and fractured a thumb. That's about the extent of my injuries so I've been fortunate. Fractured my thumb playing softball a few years ago and my head ice skating 6 years ago. Have always been involved in sports but as I begin to age, I stopped trying to be a teen again.
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
25 Nov 08
Hello carolbee. Thank you for your kind words regarding my ankle injury. Wow, I'm sure sorry to hear that you fractured your skull once! That sounds pretty scary. I stopped trying to be a teen a long time ago LOL, yet I keep twisting my ankle! I've never thought I was uncoordinated, but since I turned 50, I've had more injuries than I care to think about. Thanks and take care.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
22 Nov 08
I am sorry to hear that you broke your ankle again. I have never broken a bone before, but once I sprained four of my fingers and I was told that it would have been less painful if they had just broken. So, I guess I can say I know how it feels.
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
22 Nov 08
OOOOh, your sprained fingers sound pretty painful. I don't think I've ever sprained a finger. I do hope that you never have the experience of a broken bone. It is frustrating because I really can't do much of anything at all. My husband said that every time I break my ankle, he realizes how much I do for him all the time as he has to do everything for me during those brief periods. Thank you for your concern.
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
22 Nov 08
I'm so sorry to hear that. And so close to the holidays. I never have broken a bone in my body (knock on wood) but had plenty of sprains. My husband, however, has incurred broken bones in several places throughout his life. I heard a broken ankle is among the worst. It's also not easy healing, especially with repeated breaks. I hope this will be the last time you have to suffer through this;)
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Hello jonesy123. I'm so glad to hear you have never experienced a broken bone. I have a high pain threshold, but it still hurts quite a bit. Sorry to hear your husband has had alot of broken bones. Yes, the ankle is so important to everything we do, we just don't realize it. Thankfully, I have the walking boot cast so after the first few days, I'll be up and about. Your kind words are very appreciated. Take care.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Hey pearl! I'm sorry to hear that you broke your ankle! I do
know how you feel! I'm extremely breakable myself! I have
broken my foot and my shoulder and every toe on both feet
probably more than once! The broken foot was really bad. I
had to have a cast up to my knee and it was right before
a Labor Day weekend. But, I was young then so it wasn't that
bad. But I broked my right shoulder about 3 years ago and
that was a nightmare! I slipped in my hallway on the wet tile
floor and layed there for about an hour in shock! I couldn't
scream for help because I knew I had done something really
bad and I wasn't able to make a sound! So I realized that I
was in shock! It took about an hour for me to get myself off
the floor and into my apartment and call my girlfriend across
the street. It was 1:00am and she was asleep and didn't realize
what I said and hung up on me! I waited until about 7:00 and
went to the doctor! It was broken alright! I thought I broke
my arm, but it was my shoulder which turned out to be worse
because they can't cast a shoulder! You have to keep it moving
so it doesn't set in that position! That was so painful! And
then I had to go for physical therapy to learn how to move it
and use it all over again. And the worst part was that I am
right handed and had to use my left arm and hand for everything.
It was months before I could really use my arm again! So I hope
that you feel better soon! Just rest as much as you can and stay
off that foot and keep it elevated!
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Opal,
Oh my gosh, all your broken bones sound so awful! I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through all that. The shoulder one sounds like the pits! I hope you take it totally easy so you don't break another single bone in your lifetime.
Thanks for your concern. I am totally resting and keeping it elevated. I periodically apply one of those frozen gel packs to keep the swelling down. It seems I may be doing alot of knitting, reading, and computer work. I'm so mad because I've been walking so much lately to keep my weight down and now I can't do it!!
Glad to hear from you, Opal. Now, you take care.
@pzygtt (193)
• China
22 Nov 08
Oh,dear,I am so sorry to hear that!
That's really very painful,because I broke my bone when I was in high school,I could just sit,couldn't walk.It took me about 3 months to cure it,that was a really long and terrible time for me!
Wish you recover soon!
All the best to you all!
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Hi pzygtt.
I so appreciate your concern. Yes, it's painful but each day that passes, I'm hoping the pain will lessen. It usually takes 6 weeks in the "boot" cast for it to heal. Thank you for your recovery wishes. Take care.
@Purtle (274)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Well usually some signs of a bad day for me are:
Waking up late (for school),
Realizing I forgot to do some homework thing that I can't finish in the morning.
Tripping or something of that sort before I leave the house to school.
There are a good number of others, but for some reason i can not think of any.
I just hate it when you know it's going to be a bad day.
1 person likes this
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hello Purtle. That's cool that you can identify early in the morning when it may be a "bad day" for you. I didn't have much warning, just the fall in the parking lot. I've pretty much accepted that I will be wearing the boot cast (i.e. air cast) for 4 to 6 weeks through the holidays and during our flight up north for the holiday. Not looking forward to it, but as they say, "it is what it is."
Good luck and hope you don't have any more bad days.
@AmbiePam (92728)
• United States
22 Nov 08
Oh my word does that sound painful! I'm cringing just thinking about the snap. I've broken my leg before, but I was a small child. I've also had my collar bone broken in a car accident. I'll never forget how painful that was. The pain was so bad I was sure I was going to throw up. But I didn't. I hope you get some pain relief!
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hello AmbiePam.
Well, the first 12 hours or so were pretty painful, that's for sure. It has now subsided, thankfully. I've slept through the night both nights, at least 6 hours, so that's good.
Sorry to hear you've had 2 experiences with broken bones. I've heard the collar bone is a very painful break to have.
I will see the orthopedic dr. in the morning and he will do an xray. I can't wait to hear what he says as I am curious as to whether I'll have to wear the boot cast for 4 weeks or 6 weeks this time. Thank you for your concern and comments.
1 person likes this
@wondericequeen (7876)
• Hong Kong
23 Nov 08
Oh I am sorry for what happened to you. I haven't broken a bone before, but my friend just recently did. I knew it was painful and inconvenience. I hope you will recover very soon.
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hi wondericequeen.
Thank you for your concern. You are very lucky never to have experienced a broken bone. I just can't believe how much it hurts. Yes, I'm hoping to recover as quickly as possible. The boot cast (also called an air cast) helps alot and really supports the ankle so I can walk without alot of pain.
Yes, "inconvenience" is an excellent word for it--I just can't get as many tasks done or move as quickly as I normally do. But hopefully, by Christmas, I'll be out of the cast. Take care.
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Oh gosh, I think a broken arm would be really tough, as we use our hands and arms to do so much. I am hoping this will be the last time I break my ankle. It does make me sound rather uncoordinated, doesn't it?
My husband's all worried that something is "seriously wrong" but my general physician has explained it is the thinning of my bones as I age that makes me prone to breaking a bone. So, other people might just get a bruise or sprain their ankle, I break a bone!
It is difficult to face the holiday season with 6 weeks of wearing an air cast, plus flying on planes and trudging through airports is difficult with a cast. But, I am hoping for the best and know that at the end of the 6 weeks, I'll be much better. Thanks for your wonderfully positive thoughts, jillhill.
@ellie333 (21016)
•
22 Nov 08
Hi PearlGrace, Sorry to hear about your ankle, there is obviously a wekness there for you to have bust it four times. It means as you can't move about too much though you will probably be on here more but I can understand your frustration as you are usually so up and active. Hope you are not in pain for long. Big healing huggles. Ellie :D
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hello ellie333! Your big healing huggles have already begun to do their magic. The pain subsided quite a bit in the first 48 hours. I will see a doctor tomorrow morning to see what his opinion is and he will also do an xray. I am hoping to only have to wear the boot cast (also known as air cast) for 4 weeks, rather than 6 weeks. We shall see.
Right, I am not on my feet as much. Boy, do I miss walking on my treadmill! But I have been knitting up a storm, I tell you. I didn't even turn my computer on yesterday, I don't think. I'm going to try to do a little on myLot each day. Thanks for your lovely thoughts.
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Well my heart goes out to you, that would be awful, I've never broken a bone, but I could imagine the pain, especially to hear it snap, I sprained my ankle once and that was bad enough. So is your ankle weak, for you to have broken it four times now? I hope you get better soon, and the pain goes away, although I don't know if it ever will until it heals up...Best wishes to you...
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hello walijo2008. Thanks for the positive thoughts. How lucky you are that you've never experienced a broken bone! Well, I have a bone-thinning condition, probably caused by drinking too much soda in my 30s and 40s (carbonation leaches the calcium from bones). It's called osteopenia and people who have it break bones more often than someone who doesn't. Plus, the orthopedic doctor told me a few years ago during the "first" break that I would have a tendency to "re-break" the bone in the same spot.
I do try really hard to watch the pavement when I am walking, but for obvious reasons, a person can't do that 100% of the time. I stopped wearing heels, except for very low ones (an inch or so) when I am working. I tend to "turn" or "twist" my ankle and for most people, that probably wouldn't cause a bone break. But for me, it does.
It has healed up each time before so I'm pretty sure it will this time, too. I will see the orthopedic doctor tomorrow--Mon.--morning. Take care.
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Hello riz78692.
Thank you for your philosophical comments. I do try to think positive and have already accepted the fact that I will be wearing the "boot" cast for 6 weeks or so. I've knitted quite bit today and went out to breakfast with my husband. I just have to walk a little slower and rest more when I wear the cast. Thanks so much.
