This morning was my first appointment with the surgeon, post-hospital stay. I was there to have the splint, bandages, staples and stitches removed, get a couple of x-rays, and (I thought) get a cast on. So I went into the office and sat in a chair, and the nurse began to cut off all of the wrapping, etc. Not far into the procedure, my mouth got that familiar metallic taste and my ears began to ring.
"I'm going to pass out," I warned the nurse. Since that's what got me into this mess in the first place, she took me serious. By the time another nurse and the doctor were in the room to help me to the exam table so I could lay down, I was barely conscious.
I'm such a wuss.
The week before I broke my ankle, I watched Ken Burns' The Civil War series, streamed from Netflix. When I think of those young men, their bodies shattered on the battlefield by bullets and cannon balls and falls, without the aide of modern medicine, I have to stop and thank God that I didn't break this ankle 150 years ago. It was hard enough to go through it with all this wonderful care.
Now if only my energy level wasn't so low. Just writing this short blog post has sapped my strength. Whenever I try to write, I find myself drifting off to sleep within minutes. Very frustrating.
Oh, I do have some good news. The doctor chose not to put a cast on my leg. Instead, I'm in one of those boots. The ankle will remain non-weight bearing for at least another four weeks, but I feel less claustrophobic in the boot than a cast. Yea!
~robin
I’m a wuss with you. It hurts me just to hear about it! We have to bring back the smelling salts. LOL Hope you’re out of pain soon so you can stay awake!
1 Thing you are not a wimp. I had a very similar break to you with surgery, pins and all. My ankle was shattered and I was extremely weak and tired during the healing process. I needed a nap right up until the cast came off. They told me it was normal when bones are trying to knit together. I was really wimpy when trying to put my foot down at all from the resting position (higher than the heart). The pain came on in a huge wave, I would just about pass out for months. You are lucky though, I had a full cast, from thigh to toe from April to September and a half cast from Sept to end of October. My goodness though your fainting spells are rough though. I will continue to pray for you.
Hmorell, I get that same rush of pain when I lower my leg. But I cannot imagine the cast from thigh to toe for five months. Horrors! Thanks for sharing about the weakness being a normal part of the healing process. I know I’m impatient to be back to 100% and I also know that it isn’t going to happen overnight. Hearing what others have gone through helps me to be more realistic.
Robin